Tory slams ‘heartless tax’ on communities

DON’T stop the music — that’s the message from local Conservatives as charities, village halls and local groups face a new tax on playing radios or CDs.

Oldham East and Saddleworth Tory spokesman Kashif Ali said the small print of obscure new regulations abolishes charities’ and voluntary groups’ long-standing exemption from music licensing rules.

It means voluntary groups will have to pay for a PPL performance rights licence in order to play recorded music from April.

He said: “This will affect church worship, charity discos, tea dances, youth clubs, dancing groups, sports clubs and even charity shops which have a radio in their staff room.”

He fears some organisations will cease playing music because they cannot afford a licence, which costs around £60, and said the regulation will hit a quarter of a million organisations.

He said the new levies are on top of rules imposed by the Licensing Act 2003, which requires expensive premises licences for village halls to hold regular small-scale social functions, and which has imposed new red tape to play unamplified live music.

He added: “This is another Labour assault on the fabric of British community life. Having effectively shut down post offices and local pubs across Oldham East and Saddleworth, Labour’s Whitehall bureaucrats now have our village halls, scout huts, charity shops and churches in their sights.

“This is a heartless tax on community buildings and charities. The Government should think again and don’t stop the music.”