I wish you better luck than I am having with mine.

Bridget Downton
Corporate Director
Weymouth and Portland Council Borough Council

19 April 2006

Dear Mr Gall

I write following your recent letter in response to the letter that I sent you after our recent meeting. I am also responding to you recent correspondence with Cllr Ames. I understand from colleagues in other councils that you have circulated the letter that I sent you nationally and I have seen correspondence where a part of that letter has been taken out of context. I am personally a big supporter of live music and do not wish to put unnecessary barriers in the way and I resent the implications that have been made to the contrary.

I consider that my licensing and legal teams took the opportunity of the new legislation to work hard with local licensees to ensure that they applied for appropriate licenses to cover all likely eventualities. Many local establishments took advantage of the new legislation to apply, at no extra charge, for a license that would cover them for live music and hence not have to worry about case law in the absence of clear guidance about incidental music.

I'm sorry to have to tell you that I have reached the same conclusion as my predecessor in that I feel it is not appropriate for me or my team to continue to converse with you on this subject. Both my team and I continue to be happy to provide advice, assistance and guidance to individual licensees on any matters but I am not prepared to continue this debate with you about the legislation.

Yours sincerely

Bridget Downton