More consultation needed on licenses - Cllr Bill Crooks
A music license (for concerts) has been granted to Gopsall Hall Farm near to the small hamlet of Bilstone, in Hinckley and Bosworth. The licence is for up to 200 people in the first year to attend concerts and if the concert is successful the licence would then advance for up to 5000 people over a four year period. The application asked for up to 6 events a year.
Cllr Bill Crooks (Lib Dem: Rural Affairs Spokesman) said "Villages effected by the granting of this License will include Congerstone and Shackerstone. The possible problems will be noise and traffic if 5000 people attend these events and the traffic issues may overspill to other villages in the area with cars etc trying to get to an event."
When Councillor Bill Crooks visited a recent Shackerstone Parish Council meeting, he asked why the Parish Council had not commented on the application as the possible amount of traffic generated by these events and the effect on the narrow roads in the area would be greatly exacerbated. He also pointed out that amplified music would be likely to be heard in the area for miles around.
The Parish Council advised Bill that they had not been notified about the application and no residents were aware of it. It is also obvious that the Local Conservative Borough Councillor had not notified anyone of the application.
Councillor Crooks checked with the Borough Council the day after the Parish meeting and found that the application had been granted and also that it was not Council policy (which dates back many years) to consult with Parish Councils on the licenses for such events.
Councillor Crooks presented a motion to Full Council on February 21st asking for the policy to be changed and that all Parish Councils are consulted in the future. The motion was seconded by Councillor Michael Mullaney (Lib Dem Hinckley Trinity) and unanimously passed by the members.
Cllr Crooks added "I'm pleased that in future there will be more consultation on licensing applications like this."