MantonFest Posters – threat of prosecution by Wiltshire Council

Wiltshire Council have threatened prosecution in a Magistrates Court and fines for the display of MantonFest posters – something quite new, first time in MantonFest’s sixteen year history. MantonFest is a not for profit event, designed to raise funds for local charitable institutions and as such doesn’t (or has never deemed to) fall foul of Wiltshire Council regulations regarding fly posting etc.

So what’s new? Is it the latest manifestation of the ‘Marlborough Effect’ of Wiltshire Council? Would an equivalent event in, say, Trowbridge, Chippenham or Warminster be threatened in the same way? Not for us to speculate, but….

But look all around the town, there are plenty of posters, for lots of different events. Are they being threatened in the same way?

Wiltshire Council’s response in justification (from ‘Highways’ of their action is thus: It is the council’s duty to advise that under Section 224 of the Town & Country Planning Act 1990, it is an offence to display any sign in contravention of the Advertisement Regulations. The display of such advertisements may benefit from deemed consent under Class 3 (D) of the above Regulations. To benefit from deemed consent you must have the permission of the owner of the site before placing any signage on it. This includes the Highway Authority if the sign is to be placed on highway land, including street furniture such as roadside railings, lampposts, as in this case.

OK, lots of jargonistic detail that is obviously simple to interpret and understand(!), but it’s their defence and argument for threatening prosecution and fine.

MantonFest organiser Roger Grant wrote to Wiltshire Council explaining what MantonFest was, previous history (re. signage etc.) and asking that posters could be sited (as they have been in all previous years). And their response was as above. Jargon.

So who would benefit? And who would lose? Wiltshire Council would benefit from any fines levied and received. MantonFest’s charities would lose, as the fine would come out of the money being raised, and less publicity would likely (possibly?) reduce the attendance.

Will the change of political leadership make any difference? We will see.

So whilst Wiltshire Council may be hiding behind their bylaws and jargonistic defence, why now? What has prompted these threats of action? Only those officials and politicians who make up and execute the rules could ever answer that, but is this what we pay our exorbitant Council Tax for?