MantonFest back on 27 June, but Wiltshire Council don’t want you to know

According to Wiltshire Council, MantonFest posters will be ‘causing an immediate hazard to highway users‘, and as such if any are found the Council will ‘arrange removal as soon as possible‘. In other words they will tear down anything to do with promotion for MantonFest that they can find.

Wiltshire Council state that MantonFest is not a ‘community event’, for which such signage would be allowed. ‘Community events’ are, they state, ‘(usually run by community groups, charity organisations, town or parish councils, etc.) where money is not being made for a business or individual‘. So to comply, do they all empty their accounts to zero after every event? Is MantonFest any different? No. It has just attempted to be honest and open. And as a result all promotion that normally happens on posters or public spaces will be torn down by decision of some Council Official.

Who has MantonFest Impressario Roger Grant or the event itself upset in Wiltshire Council? Or how, or why? Mr Grant has, as would be expected, informed Wiltshire Council about MantonFest and asked that posters be placed around the area, alongside such posters for other commercial charitable and non-charitable events. Something he does every year. So what has changed?

What reasons do Wiltshire Council, or their officers give for such a decision regarding MantonFest?

As noted above they believe – or judge – that MantonFest is not a ‘community event’ (would any visitor to MantonFest agree with that?). The officers of Wiltshire Council regard MantonFest as being a ‘commercial event’. Correct, it is. As is every other event – charitable, ‘community’ or otherwise that charges, costs to put on, and involves some degree of exchange of money, and making money – in this case to benefit charitable causes. Define ‘commercial’. But is it really any different to a large church concert? MantonFest per se is a not-for-profit company, it raises funds for charities but because it doesn’t give everything to charities every year (it needs a small amount to maintain its presence and cover costs for creating the next event), it is regarded as something different. But so does just about every other ‘community event’ organiser. How do they – Wiltshire Council officials – form a judgement which classes the annual Marlborough Mop fairs as not being commercial whilst according to their criteria of what makes a community event? Mop notices and signs are everywhere, every year.

We are in danger here of getting drawn into the area of semantics. And this is where ‘personal interpretation’ of the grey area of ‘rules’ starts to get in the way of objectivity.

When asked about this Roger Grant told Marlborough.news: “ A few weeks ago I contacted Wiltshire County Council Highways North asking for permission to put up various posters and banners at specific locations. I did this in order to abide by the Council’s agreement to let community events advertise their events.
Highways North have refused to let me put up any advertising posters. They state that we are a commercial business. They have come to this conclusion without consulting me or looking into the company. MantonFest is a not for profit company with a community bank account. MantonFest is run by volunteers only and supported by Manton Village Hall Charitable Trust. Our accounts are submitted by our accountants to HMRC every year and are open to scrutiny.
It seems to me that Wiltshire Highways are more interested in causing problems to those who try to raise money for good causes and supply enjoyment at affordable prices than repairing our dreadful roads. We are the easy option!!”

We have contacted our three Wiltshire Councillors – Jane Davies – Marlborough West, Kym-Marie Cleasby – Marlborough East and James Sheppard – Aldbourne & Ramsbury for their opinion on this issue of MantonFest being classed as solely a commercial and non-community event.

In summary, this would appear to be yet another example of the non-elected executives of Wiltshire Council doing what they want, irrespective of the community and what is wanted, or needed. Recently it was the wisteria and rats in Baydon, and (ongoing) it’s LHFIG (Local Highways & Footways Improvement Group) and that ‘committee’s’ unwillingness to address important issues in an acceptable or reasonable timescale – if ever.