A COMMUNITY group is hoping to return the Reading Carnival to its glory days after criticising this year’s event.

The Reading Carribean Cultural Group wants to see more members of the community involved in the preparation of the 37-year-old annual carnival after its current committee postponed last Thursday’s annual meeting.

The group’s chairman Solo Banton, from Hexham Road, believes the carnival – which has attracted 5,000 people to Prospect Park in the past – offers an opportunity for small businesses and schools to contribute to a big summer event, but May’s carnival was criticised for only having four floats and no traditional costumes.

Mr Banton said: “We would prefer to take it on and restore its glory.

“We don’t want to create a division – creating a whole new carnival might do that.

“We feel the community is being excluded in its participation. We need to have the community involved from the beginning – right up until the event date.

“Schools could be designing costumes and floats, and businesses can advertise. There are many little things that could involve the community more.”

The current committee’s annual meeting has been postponed until December but Mr Banton said a new governing body should be elected annually, and confirmed members of his group planned to run.

He added: “We were going to stand to be voted in by the public.

“The existing committee aren’t responding.”