After two public consultations and its vote having been postponed to incorporate the creation of a commission, the regulation of street entertainers in Porto was once again removed from the agenda of the executive meeting.

To journalists, the Porto City Council's Economy Councillor, Ricardo Valente, clarified that the proposal was withdrawn due to the absence of the Councillor responsible for the portfolio, the independent Catarina Santos Cunha.

"The Councillor was out of the country, was to arrive this morning and thought she would be in time for the start of the meeting, but the flight was delayed and the President understood that he would not discuss the issue without the Councillor's presence", he said.

After criticism from opposition parties, especially the PS, the regulation now includes a monitoring commission of a consultative nature, as suggested by the Union of Entertainment, Audiovisual and Musicians Workers (CENA-STE).

The commission will be made up of the Tourism Councillor, a member appointed by each of the Municipal Assembly groups, a member of the municipal company Ágora, a member of CENA-STE, a member of the Porto Traders Association, a member appointed by each of the Parish Assemblies and a member of the Tenants and Condominium Owners Association of Northern Portugal.

"The commission is chaired by the Councillor with the Tourism and Internationalization portfolio", the report states, adding that the commission will meet quarterly and will define the operating rules at its first meeting, which will be held "within three months".

The decision to postpone the vote on the street entertainers regulation was taken by the Mayor, Rui Moreira, after most of the political forces expressed their disagreement with the regulation during the last executive meeting, on 8 April.

The street entertainers regulation establishes two areas where artists may perform, one with greater tourist pressure, referring to the city centre (zone B), and another with less tourist pressure (zone A, which includes all parishes except the historic centre).

In zone A, entertainers are exempt from paying fees, and in zone B, a 70% reduction is applied to the amount provided for in the municipal fee table, which sets one euro per day.

Performances may take place between 10 am and 10 pm, and performances are not permitted near residential buildings between 8 pm and 8 am, near schools, health units, less than five metres from any intersection or crosswalks, in front of entrances or steps of train stations, metro and other means.

The Avenida dos Aliados, Praça do General Humberto Delgado, Praça D. João I, Largo Amor de Perdição, on the promenade in front of the Jardim do Palácio de Cristal and less than 10 metres (on each side) of bus stops are forbidden to street entertainers.

In all performances, sound amplification is prohibited, considering the regulation that the entertainer must "seek to minimise noise disturbance and make coexistence compatible with homes, commercial spaces, hospitals or schools".

Read Also: Bolhão grocery store will give way to Ale-Hop store. City Council can do nothing (Portuguese version)