The council has now agreed to withdraw its summonses against Sony Music Entertainment's managing director Catherine Davis and marketing director Joe Headland after receiving the pledge that illegal flyposting will be halted.
However, because no such undertaking has been given by the council's other main target, BMG, it is understood that the record company's executives can expect to receive a summons seeking an anti-social behaviour order (ASBO) placed on them. Any executive with an order placed on them could face prison sentences of up to five years if they break it.
Camden Council, which spends £250,000 a year cleaning up flyposting, estimates that Sony saves £3m annually and BMG as much as £5.6m on traditional advertising costs by putting the posters up illegally in the borough.
If the council does seek an ASBO against BMG it will be the first move of its kind and would set a precedent whereby flyposting is ranked alongside other anti-social behaviour such as drunkenness, noise, littering and verbal abuse.
Camden's possible action against BMG could also open the doors for local authorities across the country to take similar steps. Manchester and Hastings councils, in particular, are understood to be keeping a close eye on events.
Camden is also reportedly seeking to take action against as many as 25 other companies that it suspects are illegally flyposting in the borough.
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