Form 696
Encyclopedia
Form 696 is a risk assessment
form
which the London
Metropolitan Police
requests promoter
s and licensee
s of events to complete and submit 14 days in advance of an event in 21 London boroughs. Non compliance with this may result in police opposition to event licenses being granted. This form has become controversial due to its stipulation that names, stage names, private addresses, and phone numbers of all promoters, DJs and artist
s be listed. The form also asks for a description of the style of music to be performed and the target audience
. The original form asked for details of ethnic group
s likely to attend the performance, but that version was revised to omit those parameters in December 2008.
, Head of UK Music
and former lead singer of The Undertones
, gave evidence to the House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee
in November 2008 stating that "We learned that the Metropolitan Police, in conjunction with an organization called London Councils - a representative body for all London borough - at the end of last year jointly wrote to all 33 local London boroughs recommending that they insert some particular wording into their local licensing policy statements." He added that the London Borough of Hillingdon
in west London, "tries to make a direct connection not only between crime and disorder and live music, but most astonishingly - I'm still knocked over in disbelief - between live music and the prevention of terrorism." Sharkey stated that he would be seeking a Judicial Review
on the use of the form and had complained to the Equality and Human Rights Commission about the targeting of musical styles favoured by black and Asian teenagers. According to Sharkey an afternoon school charity concert in a public park had been cancelled because organisers could not supply the details of the young performers.
Jon McClure
, lead singer with Reverend and the Makers
, set up a petition on the UK Prime Minister
's website to allow protest against what he alleges as "racial discrimination".
In a statement on their web site, The British Academy of Composers and Songwriters CEO Patrick Rackow stated "...the imposition of Form 696 on live music is likely to discourage the existence and growth of live music. Music has long been a positive form of free expression, for people from all walks of life to create and enjoy. This form appears to single out certain genres of music and ethnic audiences and therefore the Academy cannot support it.”
In December 2008, Mike Howlett, Chairman of the Music Producers Guild (UK), wrote to the General Secretary of the Musicians Union "In keeping with the Musicians Union and UK Music, we feel this is a gross infringement of civil liberties and a form of racial discrimination. We also feel that this will deter the staging of live musical events, stifle free expression and possibly penalise certain genres of music and ethnic audiences. Our members are horrified that this legislation, introduced in 2006, is being enforced under the guise of public law and order. We see no reason why artists and/or venue owners and managers should be forced to comply."
Detective Chief Superintendent Richard Martin stated that the original form, with its questions relating to audience ethnicity "was removed just because I don't think it added any value to the form.... We take account of where the event is playing, what other events might be playing nearby, the type of music that's being played, and whether there have been problems before. We've had quite a few of what I consider 'higher risk events', where there may be some problems - so we recommend additional searching processes and additional security to help manage the event safely." "It's not about being risk averse, it's about managing the risk," he said. "If you're a publican and you are just having some performers to entertain your regular customers, you won't be expected to do a risk assessment. It's for when the performance is being put on to draw people in. We will never assess somebody just on the genre of music they are performing. There is a whole raft of factors that are taken into account."
Risk assessment
Risk assessment is a step in a risk management procedure. Risk assessment is the determination of quantitative or qualitative value of risk related to a concrete situation and a recognized threat...
form
Form (document)
A form is a document with spaces in which to write or select, for a series of documents with similar contents. The documents usually have the printed parts in common, possibly except for a serial number...
which the London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
Metropolitan Police
Metropolitan Police Service
The Metropolitan Police Service is the territorial police force responsible for Greater London, excluding the "square mile" of the City of London which is the responsibility of the City of London Police...
requests promoter
Promoter (entertainment)
An entertainment promoter i.e. music, wrestling, boxing etc is a person or company in the business of marketing and promoting live events such as concerts/gigs, boxing matches, sports entertainment , festivals, raves, and nightclubs.- Business model :Promoters are typically hired as independent...
s and licensee
Licensee
A licensee is someone who has been granted a licence.- Tort law :The term is used in the USA law of torts to describe a person who is on the property of another, despite the fact that the property is not open to the general public, because the owner of the property has allowed the licensee to enter...
s of events to complete and submit 14 days in advance of an event in 21 London boroughs. Non compliance with this may result in police opposition to event licenses being granted. This form has become controversial due to its stipulation that names, stage names, private addresses, and phone numbers of all promoters, DJs and artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
s be listed. The form also asks for a description of the style of music to be performed and the target audience
Target audience
In marketing and advertising, a target audience, is a specific group of people within the target market at which the marketing message is aimed .....
. The original form asked for details of ethnic group
Ethnic group
An ethnic group is a group of people whose members identify with each other, through a common heritage, often consisting of a common language, a common culture and/or an ideology that stresses common ancestry or endogamy...
s likely to attend the performance, but that version was revised to omit those parameters in December 2008.
Opposition
Feargal SharkeyFeargal Sharkey
Feargal Sharkey is a singer from Northern Ireland who first found fame as the lead vocalist of pop punk band The Undertones...
, Head of UK Music
UK Music
Launched on September 26, 2008 UK Music is an umbrella organisation which represents the collective interests of the production side of UK's commercial music industry: artists, musicians, songwriters, composers, record labels, artist managers, music publishers, studio producers and music collecting...
and former lead singer of The Undertones
The Undertones
The Undertones are a punk rock/new wave band formed in Derry, Northern Ireland, in 1975.The original line-up of the Undertones released thirteen singles and four studio albums — The Undertones , Hypnotised , Positive Touch and The Sin of Pride — before disbanding in July 1983.Music guide Allmusic...
, gave evidence to the House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee
Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee
The Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee is one of the Select Committees of the British House of Commons, established in 1997. It oversees the operations of the Department of Culture, Media and Sport which replaced the Department for National Heritage....
in November 2008 stating that "We learned that the Metropolitan Police, in conjunction with an organization called London Councils - a representative body for all London borough - at the end of last year jointly wrote to all 33 local London boroughs recommending that they insert some particular wording into their local licensing policy statements." He added that the London Borough of Hillingdon
London Borough of Hillingdon
The London Borough of Hillingdon is the westernmost borough in Greater London, England. The borough's population was recorded as 243,006 in the 2001 Census. The borough incorporates the former districts of Ruislip-Northwood, Uxbridge, Hayes and Harlington and Yiewsley and West Drayton in the...
in west London, "tries to make a direct connection not only between crime and disorder and live music, but most astonishingly - I'm still knocked over in disbelief - between live music and the prevention of terrorism." Sharkey stated that he would be seeking a Judicial Review
Judicial review
Judicial review is the doctrine under which legislative and executive actions are subject to review by the judiciary. Specific courts with judicial review power must annul the acts of the state when it finds them incompatible with a higher authority...
on the use of the form and had complained to the Equality and Human Rights Commission about the targeting of musical styles favoured by black and Asian teenagers. According to Sharkey an afternoon school charity concert in a public park had been cancelled because organisers could not supply the details of the young performers.
Jon McClure
Jon McClure
Jon McClure, known as the Reverend, is lead singer and frontman of Reverend and The Makers and ex-vocalist of 1984 and Judan Suki. He claims that the name "Reverend" became his moniker because "I'm a big mouth and always running on at people"....
, lead singer with Reverend and the Makers
Reverend and The Makers
Reverend and The Makers are an indie pop band based in Sheffield, England and signed to Wall of Sound. The band is fronted by Jon McClure, nicknamed "The Reverend"...
, set up a petition on the UK Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
's website to allow protest against what he alleges as "racial discrimination".
In a statement on their web site, The British Academy of Composers and Songwriters CEO Patrick Rackow stated "...the imposition of Form 696 on live music is likely to discourage the existence and growth of live music. Music has long been a positive form of free expression, for people from all walks of life to create and enjoy. This form appears to single out certain genres of music and ethnic audiences and therefore the Academy cannot support it.”
In December 2008, Mike Howlett, Chairman of the Music Producers Guild (UK), wrote to the General Secretary of the Musicians Union "In keeping with the Musicians Union and UK Music, we feel this is a gross infringement of civil liberties and a form of racial discrimination. We also feel that this will deter the staging of live musical events, stifle free expression and possibly penalise certain genres of music and ethnic audiences. Our members are horrified that this legislation, introduced in 2006, is being enforced under the guise of public law and order. We see no reason why artists and/or venue owners and managers should be forced to comply."
Police position
David Isles, Detective Superintendent of the Metropolitan Police Clubs and Vice unit has stated that Form 696 is not designed to stop people having a good time. The Metropolitan Police web site describes the form as a Promotion / Event risk assessment form.Detective Chief Superintendent Richard Martin stated that the original form, with its questions relating to audience ethnicity "was removed just because I don't think it added any value to the form.... We take account of where the event is playing, what other events might be playing nearby, the type of music that's being played, and whether there have been problems before. We've had quite a few of what I consider 'higher risk events', where there may be some problems - so we recommend additional searching processes and additional security to help manage the event safely." "It's not about being risk averse, it's about managing the risk," he said. "If you're a publican and you are just having some performers to entertain your regular customers, you won't be expected to do a risk assessment. It's for when the performance is being put on to draw people in. We will never assess somebody just on the genre of music they are performing. There is a whole raft of factors that are taken into account."