Following the recent statement issued by the Brass Band Summit Working Party to the news that Kapitol Promotions Ltd would not participate in the organisation or formation of the proposed UKBBA, a joint statement has been issued by the Regional Forum of the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain and Kapitol Promotions Ltd., presenter of the Championships.

Statement:

Regional Forum

The seven regions of England and Wales, which form part of the infrastructure of the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain series, would like to make it clear that they support the strengthening / development of UK brass banding and that they operate within an honest democratic context.

This democratic system involves brass bands electing association representatives, associations electing representatives to the seven Regional Committees of England and Wales, which in turn send delegates to the Regional Forum of the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain to liaise with Kapitol Promotions Ltd., the Finals’ presenter.

This infrastructure is the most democratic organisation in banding in England and Wales, and certainly the most democratic in existence at this time.

Regional Forum Co-ordinator, Alan Hope stated: “Operating within that democratic framework, the Regional Forum of the National Championships agreed at a recent Regional Forum meeting not to impose membership of an English or Welsh federation (with an attendant membership fee to Welsh and English federations) as a condition of entry to the Regional Championships.

This ‘condition of entry’ was proposed by the Working Party formed to assess the viability of establishing a United Kingdom Brass Band Association.”

This infrastructure is the most democratic organisation in banding in England and Wales, and certainly the most democratic in existence at this timeRegional Forum

Kapitol Promotions Ltd

Kapitol Promotions would also like to make it clear that it too supports the interests of bands, as well as initiatives to strengthen UK banding.

However, the Company’s directors, Philip Morris and Nicola Bland, believe the Working Party’s insistence that Kapitol impose a condition of entry to its Finals’ bands, as well as on the seven regional championships of England and Wales, would have over-ridden the democratic process and fragmented the National Championship series organisation, which many see as the life-blood of UK banding.

Furthermore, the Regional Forum and Kapitol Promotions Ltd. would like to make it clear that their only agenda is to run the National Championships series within the democratic framework, and that they take an extremely serious view of part of the Working Party’s most recent statement (posted on 4barsrest on 28 June 2011), which they feel appears to be designed to cast public doubt about their motives and wisdom.

Alan Hope: Regional Forum Co-ordinator
Philip Morris & Nicola Bland: Directors, Kapitol Promotions Ltd.