4BR has been informed that Wrexham Brass have been excluded from competing at the Welsh Regional Contest in 2012, following a meeting of the Welsh Regional Council on Tuesday 19th April.

In addition, MD Wayne Ruston has been excluded for two years, after they found both the band and their conductor to have brought the reputation of the contest into disrepute.

Statement

In a press statement, it is revealed that according to the findings of the Welsh Regional Council, both the band and MD breached Rule 22 c.

They state:

"The Welsh Regional Council have acted decisively to deal with a incident that took place at the conclusion of Section One of the 2011 Regional Championships involving Wrexham Band, their conductor Mr Wayne Ruston and the adjudicator Mr C.B. Buckley.

For the offence of bringing the reputation of the contest into disrepute the Council have decided to exclude Wrexham Brass Band from the 2012 Welsh Regional Championships and Mr Ruston from the 2012 and 2013 Welsh Regional Championships."

Not tolerated

Speaking on behalf of the Welsh Regional Council Philip Morris, contest controller on the day said that any type of inappropriate behaviour would not be tolerated.

Unfounded

Furthermore the Welsh Regional Council found that Wrexham Band’s claim that Mr Buckley should not have been appointed adjudicator was totally unfounded and his appointment was right and proper.

Speaking on behalf of the Welsh Regional Council Philip Morris, contest controller on the day said that any type of inappropriate behaviour would not be tolerated4BR

Breached

4BR has been informed that the Welsh Regional Council decided that an incident that took place at the conclusion of the results of the First Section at the Welsh Regional Contest breached Rule 22 (c) – the result of which sees Wrexham Brass excluded from the 2012 contest and Wayne Ruston from the 2012 & 2013 events.

Full details of what was discussed at the meeting have not been disclosed, although 4BR did report on the aftermath of the First Section contest in its news report from the Welsh Regional event on the 19th March.

Not informed

4BR also understands that Wrexham Brass reportedly sent an official letter of protest to Phillip Morris over the result of the contest, to which a source says, they had not received a reply.

Furthermore 4BR was informed that it is alleged that the band has not been informed of any meeting that was to have taken place, and that they believed that it was ‘widely known’ that a ban was to have been placed upon both the band and their MD.

Dismayed

The source also revealed that they had been dismayed that they were not being given the opportunity to state their side of the story.

4BR understands that the band and Wayne Ruston has a right of appeal against the decision.