THE Vale Council has backed down over its plans to charge the Royal British Legion £1,000, to cover the costs of the annual Remembrance Day Parade.

The Barry & District News previously reported (August 26) that this year’s parade was at risk, after members of the Barry branch of the Legion were told they would have to pay out to cover the costs of advertising the road closure for the event.

But Miles Punter, Head of Visible Services at the Vale Council, said this week that after advice from the authority’s legal team, they had decided to use a different type of road closure – which would not require the legal necessity to advertise the closure.

"Readers will recall my advising that due to changes in the Police policy for implementing road closures, the responsibility for such matters now rests with the Vale Council as Highway Authority," said Mr Punter.

"Unlike the Police, council officers do not have the authority to stop traffic. In order for the council to do this it must follow a legal process which involves consulting with road users, residents and businesses along the route proposed.

"The council generally implements road closure orders using the provisions of Section 16 a-c of the Road Traffic Regulations Act 1984.

"The fee of £1,000 for road closures relates primarily to the costs of advertising the proposed road closure.

"This is the only cost that would have been passed on to the organisers in this particular case, and is an external charge that would not have been payable if the Police had continued with their previous arrangements.

"I have been working with this council’s legal team to consider other possible road closure options that would avoid the necessity to place formal notices in the press, while protecting the council and road users from any liabilities in respect to the closure," he added.

He said that for the Remembrance Day parades, the council can utilise the provisions of Section 21 of the Town Police Clauses Act 1847.

While there is still a necessity to consult interested parties prior to the road closure, it is not necessary to formally advertise the closure, so avoiding the costs.

Mr Punter added: "I now intend to write to the British Legion advising them of the road closure arrangements and that there will be no fee for this year’s parades.

"The arrangements for other road closures for community events are currently under consideration, though it is unlikely that the council will be able to rely on the same legal provisions in all other cases.

"Also certain larger events will attract traffic management fees for signs and other expenses, which has been the case in the past."

RBL Barry branch chairman, John Hobbs said he was delighted to hear it would not be necessary to make a payment.

"It's going to be a weight off our minds," he said.

"We were never going to pay, and we would have marched through the the town anyway - and part of us was hoping we were going to get arrested.

"Other organisations had said they would march with us."