Hamish Birchall Bulletin
Tuesday 20th April 2010 - LGA - In Tune - In Touch
The often perverse and contradictory attitude to live music within local authorities is beautifully illustrated - literally - by the Local Government Association 2008 accounts: http://www.lga.gov.uk/lga/aio/751363 Entitled 'In Tune - In Touch', the document features handsome photographs of musical instruments, particularly drums and brass - a design concept clearly intended to convey a message of harmony and co-ordination. But only last week we learned that LACORS, the regulatory arm of the
Local Government Association, wants to criminalise the provision of brass
instruments, drums and bagpipes unless licensed: And the LGA Group, which includes LACORS, publicly opposes the government's
suggested entertainment licensing exemption for small gigs: Meanwhile the LGA has drastically restricted public access to its website: The organisation, almost entirely funded by public money, lobbies central government on behalf of local authorities. It is apparently exempt from Freedom of Information legislation. ENDS Hamish Birchall |