NEW rules governing the activities of lap dancers, stage hypnotists and tattoo parlours are being introduced by Wiltshire Council.

Members of the licensing committee have all these items on the agenda for debate at their meeting in Trowbridge on Monday (Feb 6).

They will be asked to adopt regulations which will strengthen the council’s control over the number, locality and management of “sexual entertainment venues” and sex shops throughout the county.

These spell out precisely what is acceptable in terms of public performances and stipulate that they will be recorded on CCTV.

A “review of skin piercing byelaws” also features on the agenda.

This aims to ensure that everything from cosmetic piercings, acupuncture and electrolysis is carried out in compliance with hygiene standards.

Next up is a set of standards governing “hypnotism, mesmerism and any similar act or process which produces or is intended to produce in any person any form of induced sleep or trance in which the susceptibility of the mind of that person to suggestion or direction is increased”.

These stipulate among other things that performers must ensure that participants are over 18 and do not have a history of mental illness, and they must not select the most suggestible audience members without prior warning, or ask people to regress to their childhood.

The other big item on the agenda is a new ‘harmonised’ countywide policy on charity street collections.