THE FOREST of Dean District Council-backed Severn Revels is to be prosecuted for allegedly breaching conditions of its public entertainment licence – by the Forest of Dean District Council.
In a remarkable twist to the Revels saga members of the council's environmental services and housing committee have considered a confidential report by housing and environmental services director Tim Perrin and decided to initiate "formal legal proceedings against the licensees of Severn Revels 2000."
Mr Perrin has been authorised to "take further action as necessary."
The council contributed £20,000 to the Revels held this year in an isolated location at Hewelsfield.
There was considerable local disquiet about the selection of the site and although there were around 40 drug-related arrests the event went off largely without a hitch.
Council spokesman Mr Tony Wisdom said the director of housing and environmental services report was at this stage "quite properly exempt" from the public as it presented evidence which could be used in formal legal proceedings.
Many of the licence breaches are understood to relate to stewarding issues.
Coun Frank Williams, who had attended the environmental services committee as an observer but who was advised by the council's solicitor to leave, said support for the Revels remained a cornerstone of the council's art strategy.
"No-one can disagree it was other than a wonderful event bringing such a wide range of entertainment to the area," he said.
But he admitted there had been problems.
"We want to sit down eyeball to eyeball with Dean Arts and address how we can avoid this situation happening again," he said.
He said he believed some of the problems surrounded stewarding which may have arisen because of the financial resources.
"We must talk this through item by item with Dean Arts and the police and address each problem.
"We are fortunate to have those who contribute so much of their time voluntarily to Dean Arts and, if they are prepared to do so in the future, build on this festival," he said.