Council decides on Glastonbury licence

A fresh application to hold Glastonbury Festival this year will be considered by councillors tonight after a previous bid was turned down.

In December the regulatory board of Mendip District Council refused a public entertainment licence for the music event.

Tonight the board is set to consider new proposals from festival organisers hoping to be granted a licence.

Last time the board, meeting in Shepton Mallet, Somerset, rejected a proposal after a five-hour meeting attended by 50 people, including festival organiser Michael Eavis.

It concluded with a 5-4 vote against the licence for the June festival for up to 150,000 people.

Although the application was not opposed by police, concerns were raised over problems last year in villages near the site in Pilton, Somerset.

The concerns which dissuaded the board from granting the licence were security for Pilton and surrounding villages, environmental damage and the unsuitability of the site for such a large event.

The meeting is due to start at 6pm.