Victory! Your support in signing this petition was key in securing a unanimous backing from the councillors. In a very rare show of unity the Conservatives, Labour and the Greens officially agreed that the Environmental Protection Act was flawed and, whilst still continuing to protect residents from excessive noise, needed rewording to protect music venues from unscrupulous noise complaints intended to close them down. Thank you so much, it would not have happened without you. I am turning this evening’s acoustic gig (Sun 29th Mar) at The Stoneham Pub & Kitchen [153 Portland Road, Hove, East Sussex BN3 5QJ 01273 383840] into a celebratory party, if you can make it please come down say hello and let me thank you personally. https://www.facebook.com/events/865841440125552 https://www.facebook.com/thestoneham My next aim is to turn a “Brighton Declaration of Music Venue Protection” into a reality - a city wide declaration of politicians, venue owners/managers, promoters, music and city organisations and of course the city’s musicians. The declaration will state that the city of Brighton & Hove calls for the Environmental Protection Act to be reworded to protect both music venues and residents. It will also call for other towns and cities across the country to join us and make their own similar declarations as a prelude to a national petition calling for the act to be reworded by Westminster. I’m in lots of discussions with national promoters, the Musicians Union, the CEOs of Music Heritage UK and the Music Venues Trust and it is so positive. I really think we can make this happen. To those of you who signed this petition in cities and towns outside Brighton & Hove I urge you to raise your own local petitions and awareness. I’m here to help with how we managed it here etc., drop me a line, let’s form alliances. I understand it in respect of the council, the petition will now go to the Environment, Transport & Sustainability Committee in July (it is responsible for the noise abatement service). Due to the cross party support it received, the committee is likely to establish a ‘Policy Panel’ to take a wider look at issues receive by the petition and subsequent background info I supplied to councillors. The way I understand it is the committee would only look at the noise abatement side of the petition in relation to its own department. The Policy Panel would look at how the council operates/reacts to the city’s live music scene across ALL relevant departments of the council. The amendment to create a Policy Panel was put forward by Cllr Bowden of the Greens and backed by the other parties. This is wonderful news. The footage of the council meeting is here: http://www.brighton-hove.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcast_interactive/158130 My bit starts at 1hr09. I was only allowed three minutes to address the councillors so I previously emailed them the full speech that I actually wanted to deliver, in the end this proved crucial in getting the result. This full text can be read in one of the pinned posts along with other info here https://www.facebook.com/events/1542366856019343 Key comments from the Councillors: Cllr Dee Simpson speaking for the Conservatives: “We are very happy to support this petition on this side, …live music thrives in Brighton & Hove it’s a key part of the creative and cultural scene that makes this city unique. …as a council we should be protecting and cherishing that [live music] where we can. …Yes we do agree, in principal the Environmental Protection Act should be reworded by government to protect venues from unscrupulous noise complaints intended to close them down whilst still ensuring protection for residents from excessive noise.” Cllr Geoffrey Bowden speaking for The Greens: “There is a balance to be struck, of the rights of citizens to enjoy the amenity of their own homes and the desire of the city to host live music venues and as the chair of the culture committee of the council that is close to my heart.” It was Cllr Bowden who created the amendment to have the issues raised by the petition looked at by a Policy Panel in addition to being dealt with by the single committee. “ …the next administration needs to get hold of this [issues raised in the petition] by the scruff of the neck and have a firm policy. When residents complain about noise from a music venue and then fail to let environmental health officers in to try to detect where the source of that noise is coming from then that is not fair and that is not a level playing field. I don’t want to see that any more than live music venues flouting restrictions.” Cllr Gill Mitchell speaking for Labour: “We very much support your petition and Brighton & Hove is indeed nationally acclaimed for its music scene as exemplified by its support here for your petition and it’s therefore very important that we do work a bit harder to strike the right balance. …and as part of our work taking this forward we should look at other similar authorities areas, as you have actually mentioned, to see how these issues are managed and as you suggest, that will certainly be done.” Once again thank you so very much for signing this petition. Your positive action was crucial. Mark Stack