STREET events in Odiham can now be organised by the parish council after it obtained a licence despite objections from the vicar.

The licensing committee at Hart District Council approved the bid, going against 15 objections made by Odiham residents, including the vicar of All Saints’, Odiham, the Reverend Gary Keith, who spoke at the meeting.

It means that the parish council can hold events and sell alcohol on the High Street, from the War Memorial to the junction with Palace Gate, and in The Bury, from Monday to Sunday, from 10am to 10.30pm.

At the licensing hearing, Mr Keith questioned the need for a licence application when Odiham Town Management Group organised events in the village in previous years.

He told the committee: “The fact that we are here today, at considerable expense and in light of the overwhelming opposition further suggests that the parish council has neither the management experience, interpersonal skills or established lines of communication within the community to organise an event that attracts up to 6,000 people.”

But Councillor Tim Davies, chairman of the licensing committee, said: “We have decided, having regard to all the concerns, to grant the licence application.”

The successful application comes after months of rows on the parish council, which led to the resignations of three parish councillors – Peter Fountain, former vice-chairman Derek Kearns and the former chairman Simon Quarrell.

Cllr Roger Clarke, the new chairman of the parish council, moved to allay fears that the authority did not have the experience to run events like the Odiham Extravaganza, due to take place in November.

He told the licensing committee: “Odiham Parish Council is a responsible statutory authority and has the commitment and the competence to successfully put on outdoor events in the parish.”

Cllr Clarke said that each event would have its own management plan, a chief organiser and a health and safety officer, and that personnel from RAF Odiham could be used as stewards.

He added that by using Roy Burgess-Wells, landlord at The Chequers pub, in Well, as a designated premises supervisor, the parish council had someone with experience of refusing under-age drinkers.