Got this off one of the groups I’m on on Facebook. The link is to Stockton on Tees Borough Council.
I particularly like the line “ Please note, this information has no legal force “ 
“Requests received from hobbyists or those who are launching drones for leisure purposes will not be granted permission.”
Brilliant way to dissuade anyone from asking permission, especially when anyone with any knowledge of the actual drone laws knows they have no legal way to enforce this
Yes I think Stockton on Tees should be considered for a nice big meet up
According to Drone Scene and the Simon Hawkins FOI reply they have no bye laws in place. If there are no signs in the public space you wish to fly - go for it.
The worse that can happen the first time is that they ask you to stop flying 
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I’ve never been challenged when flying at Stockton.
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I was reading this thinking that, aside from the shockingly poor drafting and an inaccuracy or two, they must have gone and got themselves some by-laws. Then I got to the last paragraph which is probably the most accurate part of the whole document which public money has paid for.
If anyone follows their ultimate advice which is get your own legal advice, I would say with some informed certainty that the proper advice is you should fly within the Drone Code, CAP 722 etc and basically follow everything that any responsible drone pilot should know. If you do, you should have no problems at all.
I suppose my informed advice to them is go and get some independent legal advice. In particular, if you are spending public money, don’t publish something that “has no legal force and is not an authoritative interpretation of the law”.
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This is in the licensing section of their site so it probably aimed at commercial operations, but poorly worded.
Hmmmm why have they put this bit in then
“ Requests received from hobbyists or those who are launching drones for leisure purposes will not be granted permission” As you say, a very poorly worded document.
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Because you don’t even need to ask their permission as a hobbyist so it’s a pointless statement. Same as you wouldn’t dream of asking if you taking photos or video from the ground with a DSLR.
Councils ‘policies’ should be to obey the CAA laws who have already created a bunch of rules and regulations for the sky rather than trying to create their own unenforceable rules.
totally unenforceable.
but people need to stop poking the bear.
if you don’t ask the question, then no one has to consider if they need an answer. if you keep asking the question and pointing out what you perceive as a failing then someone will fill the gap with something… it may not be right at the first draft but if you keep pointing it out then one day they will get it written correctly and begin enforcing it.
like speed limits… does every driver always obey all road rules all of the time from the time you begin driving to the time you give up driving… if you keep pointing it out then the documents get thicker and more and more cameras are installed to enforce those thicker and thicker documents.
the law is the civil aviation act 1983 (as amended), and the Air Navigation Order 2016 (as amended)
the guidance is CAP722 and it’s associated documents.
if you keep poking the bear the pile of documents and revision of documents will just get thicker and thicker and attempt to make things more and more enforceable .
then again, if you continue to fly around in ever decreasing circles (ever refining things) you will end up as the oozlum bird and disappear up you own £&–(@#£!
the pareto principle is better that you can do something only 20% and it will cover 80% or all eventualities, trying to achieve that other 20% is likely to take 4x more time and effort than it did to just achieve 80% of that original objective (providing a regulatory framework for uav operations). hence even a poorly written law or guide could actually achieve most objectives of the original intent
Robertspark, do you not feel, that Stockton Borough Council, are also “poking the bear” by publishing such drivel as the are there ?
Requests received from hobbyists or those who are launching drones for leisure purposes will not be granted permission“ seems to me to be a bit of a red rag to a bull. 
@JockyB
It’s been said earlier in this posting that the wording is taken from the licensing section. It won’t affect hobbyists who follow the correct rules.
@JockyB , you or I don’t ever want to be the bear.
the problem with being an apex predator (bear, lion, shark, council, police, royalty, etc whatever) is everyone wants a trophy to hang on the wall for when you get it wrong.
just be a sardine… swim with the shoal … if you are numpty enough to stick your head above the sandbags don’t be surprised if you take the bullet.
I work for Northumberland county council, in the last 48hrs i requested information on the councils policy on flying drones fron Ncc land, i was informed i needed a license for filming, no mention of taking pictures, i then asked about bylaws, and signage and all i have received is silence, so i will be flying from NCC land with all the proper risks assets, until i am advised otherwise