THE sound of music has hit a sour note in Guisborough where a huge hike in performance licence costs has taken the council by surprise.

This has had a knock-on effect meaning groups using Sunnyfield House community centre must pay higher charges.

Councillors say the Performing Rights Society is picking on organisations such as the town council. The PRS disagrees, and says the only alternative to paying fees is to stop playing music.

Concern was voiced at the council meeting on Thursday of last week after the clerk, Pam Batts, said the PRS licence renewal had leaped from £135 to £910. The society had thought Sunnyfield House was run as a voluntary enterprise.

When it learnt it was in council ownership, a new tariff had been imposed, leading to groups such as folk dancers and keep fit classes having to pay higher fees.

The council says this is unfair.

In the past, users covered by the licence were charged an extra £1 for costs. Now the full rates per session will come into force. These are £1.65 per session for keep fit and £6.55 for social dancing.

Coun Dave Punshon said: "This is not being applied fairly. They pick on people. Someone is seeing the council as a soft touch. If it is the law we have to go with it, but we don't have to go quietly."

Coun Brian Whiteley suggested asking the PRS to send a representative to Guisborough to explain how the figures were calculated without an actual play list, which has never been requested.

Mrs Batts said the licence covered a public building and the playing of music for activities such as keep fit. Royalties then go to the songwriters.

The council had always paid fees in advance, without a play list. Any adjustmentswere made on completion of an annual return to the society.

"The songs have never been named," she said. "We paid about £120 a year, but after we decided to have background music at coffee mornings things changed. I have told the PRS it is preposterous.

"They don't know whose music we are playing, and if we don't bill the people involved it will cost the council. It is so unfair on groups such as the folk dancers."

Coffee morning music has been stopped, and PRS fees are paid by those who hire the rooms.

PRS spokesman Liz Finn said the organisation was a non-profit-making membership society. "We pay out royalties. If we were to collect details of music played from all premises covered there would be nothing left to pay the writers as the administration costs would be so vast," she said.

She said play lists were used for live concerts and the main TV channels and radio stations.

"For others, we get samples," she said. "But every so often we check to work out which tunes are being played. After all, the writers are entitled to their money."

By law, premises must have a licence under the Copyright Act 1988. "Anywhere which plays music, we license it," said Ms Finn. "Only domestic use is exempt. Not playing music is the only way round this. But we are not going after the council."