A GOVERNMENT ruling on licensing fees is being hailed as a victory for England's 10,000 village halls.

Hall committees had feared that government proposals to set fees for alcohol and entertainment licences locally would lead to an increase in charges.

But listening to the views of volunteers who run the halls, the Home Office has decided that fees will continue to be set nationally.

    See also: Village halls struggle to find volunteers

The decision was described as a victory for village halls and community buildings by Action with Communities in Rural England (ACRE), the umbrella organisation for England's rural community councils.

The charity runs an information and advice service for England's 80,000 village hall management committee members through its network of dedicated advisers.

It told a Home Office consultation on licensing fees that allowing charges to be set by local authorities would lead to increased charges – with community groups ultimately footing the bill.

ACRE Village Halls Manager Deborah Clarke said: "Licensing fees have been set centrally since the Licensing Act 2003 came into force. Village halls were rightly concerned by recent Home Office proposals to allow local councils to set the charges instead.

"They told us it would force them to put up the cost of hiring the halls, making it more expensive for the clubs, associations and communities who use them.

"Village halls are at the heart of community life, and are often the only place in the village for people to meet. Some halls are struggling to keep going and increased costs would only add to their difficulties.

"We shared the letters and emails we received from village halls with the Home Office and are pleased we have been able to help these small charitable organisations by giving them a voice."

ACRE acknowledged that the Government would have imposed caps on locally-set fees but said this would still have resulted in increased charges.

The Government has also decided to consider allowing licence holders to nominate their own payment date, if they wish, by notifying the relevant licensing authority, rather than introducing a universal date. This change will particularly benefit businesses that hold multiple licences, such as a chain of pubs, without imposing unnecessary change on small businesses and community premises.

ACRE, as a member of the Home Office technical advisory group on licensing, will continue to ensure that village halls' views are represented.