There has been a positive outcome to the news reported on 4BR recently that the future of Royston Town Band in North Hertfordshire was under threat due to a proposed increase in their annual lease payment on their rehearsal facilities from £500 to over £7,300.

Increase

Following a recent meeting with Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) it has now been agreed that the increase will 10% — resulting in the band having to meet an annual charge of £738 for the next three years.

Reporting on the outcome on their Facebook page a spokesperson for the band, which has played a central part in the cultural life of the town for over 160 years, said: "This is good news and I really believe that we wouldn't have achieved this without all of the amazing support you have given to the band — thank you.

However, although this is a step in the right direction it's not really the end of the story — the band has been around for 160 years so 3 years of certainty is a temporary fix.

Value

They added: "HCC are in the process of reviewing how much rental discount to give all voluntary groups, and if we want a sustainable solution for the band and other local groups, we need to keep demonstrating the value of what we all do."