BEXLEY Council is being forced to act to protect large-scale events held in the borough's parks and open spaces from huge extra bills.

The new Licensing Act has changed the rules for Bexley Council and other groups who host events in public spaces, and the bigger the event, the bigger the bill.

The changes mean organisations such as Welling Round Table, which hosts the annual charity fireworks display in Danson Park, Welling, could have faced a bill of £24,100 every year for the event.

The same bill would be payable for a licence to hold the annual Danson Festival.

This contrasts with the previous arrangement of obtaining an occasional permission for £10 or an occasional licence for events where alcohol is sold, for between £75 and £150.

Instead, council officers are suggesting the council applies for premises licences to cover the most popular parks and open spaces.

Licensing Danson Park for events such as the festival and the annual fireworks would cost the council £24,500 plus £12,350 for every subsequent year.

But the council would be paying out of one departmental budget into another one, so there would be no extra cost.

If the cabinet member responsible, Councillor Joel Briant, agrees, it will cost an organiser nothing to license their event, although the usual hire fees would still have to be paid.

Officers are also recommending the council applies this year for premises licences for Erith Riverside, Lesnes Abbey in Abbey Wood, Sidcup Place, and St Mary's recreation ground in Bexley Village, which all host events attracting thousands of people.

Licences for these four locations would cost a total of £400 and £280 in subsequent years, with other open spaces to follow in future years.

Again, in reality it would cost the council nothing.

Bexley would still have to apply for the licences and people would be able to object.

For small-scale events attracting under 500 people, organisers can apply for a temporary event notice under the new Act which costs £21.

Cllr Briant will make the decision this month.

He is also being urged to allow council departments to use public open spaces for community events for free, and to ban the flying of model aircraft in all of the borough's parks and open spaces.