Adrian Sanders stands up for Torbay Charities

Adrian Sanders, MP for Torbay is campaigning against proposed new charges for Torbay voluntary organisations, which will mean they have to pay licence fees if they play recorded music in their own premises.

Thousands of charities in the region, including scores of tiny grassroots organisations, will be burdened with the proposed extra fee if they wish to continue playing music and may have to withdraw some services unless a solution is found.

Adrian said: “I am incredibly concerned about the impact this will have on the voluntary and community sector in Torbay. There is a fear that many organisations may simply cancel fundraising events or activities specifically designed to enhance their beneficiaries’ lives.

“In particular, any solution should ensure that smaller organisations are not discouraged from pursuing activities involving recorded music.”

Adrian is supporting a national campaign called Don’t Stop the Music, run by the National Council for Voluntary Organisations and is one of 104 MPs to have signed a motion in Parliament calling for charities and not-for-profit organisations to maintain an exemption from paying this fee.

Stuart Etherington, chief executive of NCVO, said: “There are thousands of voluntary and community groups across Devon that already run on incredibly tight budgets and will rightly wonder how they will afford to pay this extra fee. These organisations help some of the most disadvantaged people in our society and should be treated differently to commercial organisations.”

While charities and not-for-profit organisations have always had to pay licensing body PRS for Music, which collects royalties on behalf of music writers, composers and publishers, the Government has now proposed they should also pay a fee to PPL, which collects royalties on behalf of performers and record companies.

The charge, which applies to a wide range of events such as fundraising discos, tea dances, community drop-in sessions or where it is used in charity shops create a more cheerful atmosphere for shoppers and volunteers, is due to come into force on 1 April.

Comments

[Adrian Sanders]

Dear Mr Doran

Thank you for your email. While I very much sympathise with the concerns you and many people have over the coalition, I feel it is essential to look at what the Lib Dems have achieved in implementing their own policies and reigning in the Conservatives’ policies, which I agree were originally going to benefit the rich over the poor. We have, for example, raised the tax free allowance for low income earners, ensured pensions will rise above inflation next year, and introduced a £2 billion bank levy to increase child tax credits and stem the rise in child poverty.

We have stopped the Tory proposal to cut inheritance tax on the wealthiest estates, persuaded them to U-turn on their opposition to Capital Gains Tax and ensured that public sector workers on up to £21,000 a year are exempt from the pay freeze.

We will continue to work in this way as the coalition progresses. We have already implemented around half of the Liberal Democrat manifesto, which is what I thought people were voting for. But for those who thought they were keeping the Tories out of Government they too have got want they voted for in Torbay - no Tory MP and no minority Tory Government enacting cuts without any compensating measures.

I would also point out that in order to exercise political power you do have tocross the floor from opposition and the whole point of being in politics is to exercise political power, which we are doing in the national interest.

Yours sincerely

Adrian Sanders MP

[Mr M Doran]

I feel really let down, the Lib Dems crossing the floor and joining the Tories. You had my vote, now i will never vote Lib Dem again. You have let down the people of this country and i will never trust your party again. I feel disgusted, by your about turn, jumping on the Tories gravy train, supporting the rich, and robbing the poor.No voter will ever trust Lib dems again.