The Greater London Authority (GLA) should take over as the official organizer of the Notting Hill Carnival, according to Susan Hall AM, the leader of the Conservative party at City Hall.

Hall expressed that, with safety issues increasingly coming to the forefront, the festival, which draws around two million attendees during the August Bank Holiday weekend, can no longer be managed by a “small group of well-meaning volunteers.”

In response, the organizers of Notting Hill Carnival emphasized the importance of maintaining the event as a community-driven initiative, noting their commitment to working alongside the GLA, local councils, and law enforcement.

A representative for the Mayor of London stated that the carnival is a celebration of the Caribbean community, who are responsible for its location and organization.

In a report published on Tuesday, Hall clarified that her recommendations did not seek to undermine or halt the carnival but aimed to provide it with “security, stability, and structure” for future events.

“Something must be done,” she remarked, highlighting the scale of the event, “It’s one of the largest festivities in the country, yet it operates as it always has.”

Hall voiced her primary concern regarding safety, referencing footage she had seen that resembled the dangerous conditions present during the Hillsborough disaster, describing crowds packed closely together like “sardines.”

She pointed out that previous mayors of London—including Ken Livingstone, Boris Johnson, and Sadiq Khan—have raised similar concerns regarding the event’s safety.

In June, Sir Sadiq mentioned feeling “frightened” about the potential for a crowd crush at the carnival.

Hall asserted that City Hall, which successfully manages large-scale events like the New Year Fireworks, possesses the experience and resources necessary to conduct the Notting Hill Carnival “safely and professionally.”

The report indicated that future management of the carnival would need an “alternative funding solution” to offset the costs associated with policing and event operations.

This year, nearly £1 million in additional funding was allocated after carnival organizers urgently sought government assistance, which led City Hall and both the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster City Council to contribute.

The previous year, the total expenditure for the event was about £15.3 million, with policing costs alone accounting for £13.5 million, as noted in the report.

Matt Twist, Assistant Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, had earlier voiced concerns about the risk of a “mass casualty event” due to crowd density.

Hall has proposed implementing a ticketing system to regulate the event’s maximum capacity.

The report recommended that every ticket, regardless of whether it is complimentary or paid, should be tied to an individual’s billing address during the registration process.

It also suggested relocating the carnival to a safer venue, such as Hyde Park, if hosting it in Notting Hill became unmanageable.

The report assured that community perspectives would continue to factor into the carnival’s planning through a newly formed Notting Hill Carnival Advisory Board, which would include current organizers, community leaders from Notting Hill, and representatives from the Metropolitan Police, the Mayor’s Office for Police and Crime, Transport for London, the local councils, and the Metropolitan Police Federation.

A spokesperson for Sir Sadiq indicated that the mayor is committed to collaborating with partners to ensure a safe carnival experience for attendees.

“After an independent review, the mayor worked with stakeholders to secure additional funding for this year,” they added, emphasizing that national funding will be crucial for the long-term safety and success of this significant national event as it evolves.

A representative from Notting Hill Carnival Ltd. (NHCL), the event’s organizing body, stated: “Many of the issues highlighted in this report have already been addressed proactively by NHCL and its strategic partners.”

“An independent review commissioned by NHCL earlier this year has led to numerous improvements for this year’s event and those to come.”

They also extended a formal invitation to Susan Hall to visit the Event Liaison Team (ELT) headquarters during this year’s carnival to observe the operations firsthand.