Met Chief Joins Incendiary Debate On 696

The latest event from the University of Westminster’s music business think tank MusicTank will examine the effects the Licensing Act 2003 has had on the grassroots live music industry, with Metropolitan Police Chief Inspector Adrian Studd, the officer behind the development and review of Form 696 confirmed to take part, and Chairman of the Culture Media and Sport Select Committee John Whittingdale keynoting the think tank double header.

Studd is head of the Met's Clubs and Vice unit, and has been a staunch public defender of Risk Assessment Form 696 since its introduction in 2006. The event will give attendees from across the music and licensed trade industries the chance to confront him directly over the Met’s policies.

Whittingdale has been at the forefront of the growing voice demanding changes to the Licensing Act to exempt small venues for their requirements as well as fronting the opposition to the controversial Form 696, which has been widely used by the Metropolitan Police and has been recommended to forces across the UK.

In July the government ignored Whittingdale’s recommendations; this event will get the reasons behind the call for change, and the reasons behind the resistance to it.

Form 696 has courted controversy since its introduction. Following recent high-profile review, some of the form's questions have been re-worded in efforts to appease critics of its previous incarnation which was said to discriminate on grounds of race and music genre, as well as potentially stifling live music performance.

Speaking to MusicTank on behalf of the DCMS Select Committee, its Chairman John Whittingdale MP commented: "The rewording of risk assessment form 696 makes the Met’s position more confused - DCMS's Select Committee's view is that we can't see any justification whatsoever for its existence. It's unnecessary, not required and acts as a deterrent."

Also in the event – entitled Live Music: Licensed To Thrill? – MusicTank will investigate the use of noise abatement orders and their impact on small venues across the UK. Following MusicTank’s August newsletter editorial examining the effect their use has had in Birmingham, there has been a flurry of other stories from other parts of the UK as well as a response from Australia, where the music sector has campaigned to help venues in similar situations to the noise abatement order affected locations across the UK.

The editorial focused on the issues faced particularly in Birmingham, where the Digbeth area of the city – home to Supersonic Festival, GodsKitchen owned nightclub AIR, Birmingham Barfly and almost countless small grassroots venues – has had a number of live venues curtailed by noise abatement orders. The most recent of these venues, The Rainbow, heavily relies on music concerts to get by, and has had plans to install a £30,000 soundproof roof hampered by their noise abatement order. The landlord of The Rainbow, Kent Davis, will also be addressing the event, giving a frontline view on the issues caused by noise abatement orders and the Licensing Act.

Lisa Lavia, managing director of the Noise Abatement Society, which campaigns, educates and develops programmes to “aid the abatement of excessive and unnecessary noise”, will be appearing on the second panel.

LACORS (the Local Authorities Coordinators of Regulatory Services) has expressed an interest in sending a representative to the event, with further details will be confirmed shortly.

The event will be chaired by MusicTank Chairman Keith Harris, more panellists will be confirmed soon. The format of the event is:

18.30 – 18.35: Introduction by Keith Harris

18.35 – 19.40: The Licensing Act and Form 696: What are the issues? 

Keynote: John Wittingdale, Chairman, Culture Media and Sport Select CommitteePanellists include: Chief Inspector Adrian Studd, Metropolitan Police Clubs and Vice Unit

19.40 – 20.10: Break

20.10 - 21.15: Noise Abatement Orders

Keynote: Kent Davis, Landlord, The Rainbow, BirminghamPanellists include: Lisa Lavia, managing director, the Noise Abatement Society

Event Details:   Date: Tuesday 22nd September 2009 Time: 18.30 - 21.15 hrsVenue: The Basement, MCPS-PRS AllianceLocation: 29-33 Berners Street, London, W1T 3AB.Nearest Tube is Goodge St. (Northern Line), Alliance is at Mortimer St end of Berners St.Price: £35 standard, £25 MusicTank Members, £30 trade body members (AIM, BACS, BPI, MMF, MPG, MPA, MU, PRS For Music, PPL)Price includes complimentary drink on arrival, and post-event transcript

All places MUST be booked and paid for in advance via www.musictank.co.uk