MONTHS of rows over festival funding have drawn to a close after Budleigh Salterton Town Council this week agreed to financially support the town s music and arts event.

MONTHS of rows over festival funding have drawn to a close after Budleigh Salterton Town Council this week agreed to financially support the town's music and arts event.

Recently the council was at loggerheads over a grant request to help the festival through the recession.

On Monday the council agreed to give the festival a one-off �1,000 payment from the public purse.

The cash handout comes after months of rows over how much the council could afford to donate.

After proposals of �2,000, �750 and �500 were mooted and thrown out by members, six councillors on Monday voted in favour of awarding the event �1,000, while five voted against the proposal.

Councillor Tom Wright said: "It brings kudos, a good reputation and a fair level of income into the town over the period.

Councillor John Shiel said: "The festival has grown from what was quite a small gathering to what is recognised as quite a national event, bringing in quite a lot of prestige.

"�1,000 is a small amount for the benefit of the festival. I hope it grows and grows."

Festival organiser Roger Bowen said: "From the latest published accounts of the charity it can be seen that the five successful years have resulted in just sufficient seed corn to fund the next series of festivals.

"The organisers know that we in Budleigh are not immune from the effects of economic stringency and they are trying hard to continue to make the festival self-financing.

"The help now provided by the town council is a very welcome gesture of support during these hard times.