Events Policy
Events Policy
Adopted by NOCTON PARISH COUNCIL 15/10/19
13/12/22 - Reviewed and approved (ref. Agenda Item 9)
09/04/24 - Reviewed and approved (agenda item 8)
1. Giving Permission: The Parish Council has a clear responsibility in law to ensure that events held on our grounds are well organised and run safely, we will not give permission for an event to go ahead unless we are satisfied with the organisation. If close to the event date agreed actions have not been completed and the Parish Council believes that safety is compromised, then permission for the event to go ahead will be withdrawn and the Parish Council will not have any responsibility for costs incurred.
2. Organisation: The Parish Council will expect that all arrangements for the event are in place two or three weeks ahead of the event, to allow time to fix the inevitable last-minute problems.
Contact the Parish Council, we will initially check the dates with you and discuss your draft plans. Documents can be emailed to clerk@noctonparishcouncil.gov.uk or posted to the Parish Council Clerk, full contact details are on our website.
3. Planning the Details: This includes: Risk assessments, insurance and competency checks of safety critical activities, such as attractions that involve children. The Parish Council will refuse, without further discussion, any event that plans to have a bouncy castle (or similar attraction).
4. Attraction operators. It is your responsibility to obtain their risk assessments, safety checklists and insurance and provide copies of these to the Parish Council. Access to the grassed areas by vehicles will be limited at best, or not allowed if wet. The Parish Council holds the final decision. Where vehicles which cause damage, the costs will be the responsibility of the Organiser.
5. Organiser's liability and event insurance. This is required unless overarching cover is available from a charity or other organisation.
6. Checks on Basic Health and Hygiene certificates for any food vendors will be required.
7. Car parking for visitors and participants: It is the Organisers responsibility to ensure that there Is adequate and safe parking for the number of people expected to attend, without causing any obstructions to the highway. Car parking on Parish Council owner areas is by prior agreement.
8. Emergency response and Safety Issues which must be considered:
a. What emergency plans are in place and have marshals and event staff been briefed?
b. Who will be responsible for organisation in an emergency and how will they communicate with others? Mobile phones maybe not appropriate, walkie talkies that can communicate with a number of marshals instantly maybe more effective.
c. What will the evacuation routes be?
d. Will there be emergency first aid cover on site, such as St John's or Red Cross?
e. Will there be equipment like generators on site, how are the public kept clear?
f. If electrical equipment is being used, is it safe, is there adequate power on site to match demand and are trailing cable hazards eliminated?
g. Music, sound systems, acceptable volume levels?
h. If clubs located on the grounds are going to be selling alcohol, do they have the appropriate licences in place?
i. Event licences applied for and approved? (North Kesteven District Council are the licencing authority, not the Parish Council.)
j. Severe weather. Such as thunderstorms, lightning or high winds in the vicinity, what controls will be used to consider if it is safe for organisers, volunteers and guests to stay on site?
k. Who will have responsibility to ensure electrical equipment is isolated in the event of rain? Litter and waste.
l. What arrangements are in place to collect and dispose of litter? The grounds must be cleared and “litter picked” after the event.
This document is not meant to be exhaustive, it only highlights some of the key things that event organisers need to consider. The HSE has very useful practical and easy to understand information on its website. The Parish Council would expect organisers to have reviewed and taken action on the advice given on the HSE’s webpages for: Managing an Event Getting Started Planning for Incidents and Emergencies. https://www.hse.gov.uk/
9. Organised Commercial Fitness Training and “Military Fitness” Groups This type of high intensity training can cause damage to Parish Council grounds and prior arrangements will have to be made. The planning requirements will be different to those for one-off events but will need to cover similar criteria. Please contact the Parish Council office if you are planning on arranging training type events on our grounds.
10. Hire of Grounds Charges: The Parish Council does not currently charge for the use of its grounds for events however this will be kept under review. Damage deposits may be required for certain types of events. Organised commercial fitness training and military fitness type events will be subject to a charge.
11. Deadlines: Organisers of events will be expected to provide the Parish Council with all requested information and final documentation, no later than ten days prior to any event date.
An application form is available online and by contacting the Clerk.
Application form PDF can be found HERE