‘Busybody’ councils told to stop ruining street parties

MICHAEL GOVE has condemned “council busybodies” for trying to take the fun out of the Coronation by imposing a raft of unnecessary bureaucratic restrictions on street parties.

The Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has told local authorities to cut red tape and be more flexible in allowing people to celebrate the crowning of King Charles.

It comes after it was disclosed that councils are enforcing regulations that risk putting people off organising festivities during the Coronation weekend.

Some councils have declared that parties can only go ahead if everyone in the street agrees to them and others are charging residents to close their roads. Whitehall has now issued “mythbusting” guidance encouraging residents to challenge council edicts.

Mr Gove has written to all councils to make sure they understand the need for a “light-touch approach”.

He said: “Unfortunately, some curmudgeonly council busybodies are trying to put a stop to the fun by putting in place complex box-ticking processes, with some organisers told they will even need to pay for expensive insurance before any parties can be signed off.”

Mr Gove tells councils: “I would ask you all to take every possible action to help your communities in their preparations – making processes cost-free for residents, cutting red tape, and being completely flexible when receiving applications for road closures.”

Gerald Vernon-Jackson, of the Local Government Association, said: “Where events take place on public land they will need liability insurance to protect the general public from having to pay if damages or injury occur.

“Some road closures may affect other important services, such as bus routes, or access for emergency services.”