This from the latest quarterly edition of Folk-on-tap.
[Snip]
This year, WE that is local performers Tin Leeming, Pauline Crenshaw, Bob Kirkpatrick, Karen Brown, Jo Quigley and some expert members of Frome Valley dance team, have already spent 8 months in the organisation of the 2003 event with something for everyone.

[The line up details follow, less any reference to any Portland events]

We hope that this message will allay any fears that Weymouth Folk Festival is not well and thriving. It has been brought to our notice that a few people are trying to link us the PEL debate. the local Weymouth and Portland musicians who are organising the festival have nothing to do with Central Government Law, and we do support the rest of the music world in its bid to have the law changed. Therefore we intend getting on with running an excellent festival and don't wish to waste time entering into political debate.

Just because the festival has some council funding, as many events do, that is no reason to deny and destroy the one thing we are all trying to promote - FOLK MUSIC. Ends

Any letters for publication to editor@folkontap.co.uk. Remeber that the events will be long-gone by the time the next edition is published.

Therefore we intend getting on with running an excellent festival and don't wish to waste time entering into political debate.

As this message is clearly entering into that political debate and supporting the council's position/lie that the local policy is a question for Central Government, what the above actually means is that these individuals, like most of the local councillors, are not prepared to challenge their council officer's interpretation of the current law.

The crazy thing is that the current law does support the distinction between paid performers and unpaid pub customers making their own music.