Contact us:Outdoor ServicesMid Sussex District CouncilOaklands RoadHaywards Heath West SussexRH16 1SS

Tel: 01444 477379 Fax: 01444 477464

bookings@midsussex.gov.uk

For Further information visit our website: www.midsussex.gov.uk

Useful Publications

HSE Books:Managing Crowds Safely - ISBN 071761834X

Event Safety Guide - ISBN 0717624536

Guide to Safety in Sportsgrounds - ISBN 0113000952

Five Steps to Risk Assessment - ISBN 0717615804

HSE Entertainment Sheet No. 7 - ‘Safety in the Use and Operation of Play Inflatables,including Bouncy Castles’.

Working Together on Firework Displays - A Guide to Safety for Firework DisplayOrganisers (ISBN 0-7176-0835-2, HS(G) 123)

Giving Your Own Firework Display - How to Run it Safely (ISBN 0-7176-0836-0, HS(G) 124)

Published by the Independent Street Arts Network:Safety Guidance for Street Art, Carnival Processions and Large Scale Performances

This documentation gives outline guidance only and should not be treated as a complete and authoritative statement ofMid Sussex District Council Policy or the Law.

For a Bet ter Mid SussexYour FREE Guide For a Better Mid Sussex

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Outdoor events bring communities together, whether it is for traditional celebrations,fundraising or cultural shows.

Organising an event can be a daunting prospect but with careful preparation, it can be veryrewarding and extremely beneficial to your community.

We would like Mid Sussex to play host to a multitude of cultural and community events. Thisbrochure has been designed to encourage and help you to organise safe and successfuloutdoor events across the District.

Introduction

Who Owns The Land?Before organising any event, you mustidentify who owns the land and then obtainthe owner's written permission. This includesall events on land owned or managed byMid Sussex District Council. Providing it isdeemed possible to accommodate your eventon Council land, we will send you anapplication pack, including our Conditions ofHire. These should be read very carefully asyou must agree to adhere to them as part ofthe application process.

Event Venues in Mid SussexMid Sussex is a great place to hold anoutdoor event. We are fortunate to be in oneof the warmest, driest and most picturesqueparts of the country.

There are literally hundreds of public openspaces and parks in Mid Sussex, which areideal for hosting outdoor events. Popular parks under Council ownershipinclude Victoria Park (Haywards Heath),Lindfield Common (Lindfield), Whiteman’sGreen (Cuckfield), East Court (East Grinstead)and St Johns Park (Burgess Hill).

Other parks and recreation grounds in themore rural and outer lying areas of MidSussex have, for many years, played host tofetes, village days and country fairs.

If you are interested in holding an outdoorevent in your area, we would be happy toadvise as to which of our sites may beappropriate. It would be useful to hold anon-site meeting to discuss your plans, pleasecontact us for further information.

Event Hire ChargesIn making a charge for hosting minorcommunity events, the Council will seek onlyto recover it’s costs in providing exclusive useof the venue. Please see the Council’sOutdoor Fees and Charges leaflet for ourcurrent event hire charges or contact us forfurther information.

Safety First As the Event Organiser, safety should be yourprimary responsibility, so put safety first.Good organisation is the key to a safe event.Plan ahead and agree the programme of allevent activities well in advance. In the earlystages, it is important to agree precise rolesand responsibilities for all event personnel aswell as specific tasks and their completiondates.

Upon booking a Council facility you will berequired to inform us in writing of everyactivity to be undertaken from arrival on siteto vacating the premises. We will be happy togive advice on what type of activities areappropriate for a specific site. We reserve theright to refuse permission to conduct certainactivities in a given public open space, oncertain days or at certain times.

It is recommended that organisers develop adetailed Event Management Plan coveringthe entire duration and also an EmergencyPlan to be put into action should things gowrong. You may be required to discuss theseplans with the local emergency services toensure a co-ordinated response.

You will be required to provide the details ofan on-site Event Manager who will act as themain point of contact at all times.

Please notify us of your intended event asearly as possible; it may be necessary toconsult with other Council departments,other agencies, emergency services and thegeneral public. Your event programme shouldbe finalised at least 28 days prior to theevent date.

Insurance Public Liability Insurance is now a keyconcern (and expense) to consider whenorganising an event. For events on Councilland, we will advise as to the minimum levelof cover required depending on the activitiesor equipment involved and the numbers ofpeople in attendance.

The Council will require a copy of a validPublic Liability Insurance Certificate prior tothe commencement of an event. In additionwe would strongly advise the organisers totake out insurance covering damage toequipment, property, employers' liability andpossibly event cancellation.

If your organisation is a member of a largergoverning body then you may be able toobtain preferential insurance cover throughthem. Check first - it may be cheaper thanbuying a one-off policy.

Crowd ManagementYour main consideration should be for thesafety of people on site throughout theduration of your event, whether they arevisitors, staff, contractors, volunteers or evenpassers-by.

You will need to thoroughly assess the eventsite and determine whether you will need todivert people away from certain areas. Thiscould involve the adequate provision ofprofessional Stewards (Licensed by the SecurityIndustry Authority), marshals, signage andsecurity fencing. Please contact us for furtheradvice. You can obtain further information fromthe HSE at HSE Information Centre, Broad Lane,Sheffield S3 7IIQ Telephone: 0742 892345. orvisit their website at: www.hse.gov.uk

Emergency Services Consultation with the emergency services isessential before all events; it is the organiser’sresponsibility to notify the Police, Ambulanceand Fire Services accordingly. Give as muchnotice as possible - you may be required toorganise additional resources at your ownexpense. In the majority of cases the emergencyservices will not need to be heavily involved, butthey should always be informed.

Emergency Planning The Council works closely with the Police, Fireand Ambulance Services in Emergency Planningfor larger, high profile events. If you are hopingto attract a large number of people (e.g. morethan 499) to your event, it may be necessary tohold an Emergency Planning Meeting well inadvance. We will typically discuss the nature ofyour event and the impact it is likely to have onthe local community on the day. The group willthen decide what would be done in anemergency – should a major incident occur.

Risk Assessment Where an event is to be held on Councilland, organisers are required to conduct athorough risk assessment covering all eventactivities from arrival on-site to departurefrom the premises. Assessing the risk at yourevent is also a legal requirement.

Where possible, we will assist by sendingtemplate risk assessments (for referencepurposes only) as guidance to eventorganisers. Your Risk Assessment should beconsidered as the most important documentto be prepared. We can advise as to itsstructure and layout in accordance with bestpractice.

A detailed plan of the event site mustaccompany the Risk Assessment to indicatethe precise location of all activities. For eventson Council land, we will provide a blank planof the premises for this purpose.

The purpose of your risk assessment is to:

a) Determine the hazards andidentify the associated risks for allevent activities

b) Establish who is likely to be at riskc) Identify what will be done to

manage any hazards and minimisethe associated risks

d) Grade each risk as low, medium orhigh based on how likely it is tohappen and how severe it wouldbe if it did

First Aid & Accident Reporting You will need to provide adequate First Aidprovision in line with the size and scope ofyour event. This could range from a fewqualified volunteers with First Aid kits, toambulances on standby. Event organisersmust record all accidents or incidents inwriting and provide a copy of each report tothe Council.

Weather & Ground ConditionsOne thing we can’t help you with is theweather! This will play a big part in thesuccess of your outdoor event. The vastmajority of outdoor events on MSDC landtake place in May, June and July. Eventhough these are supposed to be the summermonths, we cannot guarantee that theweather will be fine and dry. Therefore, youshould plan for all kinds of weather, keep aneye on the forecasts and be prepared forchange. On the day of the event, it isrecommended that you use a PA system tokeep people informed.

If it’s likely to be hot and sunny, there shouldbe a good supply of water available to visitorsand plenty of shade from the sun. If wind andrain are forecast, the ground could becomeslippery or inaccessible and certain temporarystructures may need to be secured or removed.

Ground conditions can vary a great deal fromday-to-day and site-to-site. Event organiserswill need to be aware of any steep slopes orundulations in the ground as well as wet orslippery surfaces. It may be necessary to divertthe public around certain hazards in theground. The best way to assess this is to hold asite meeting and ‘walk-the-course’.

MSDC reserves the right to cancel events as aresult of unsuitable weather or groundconditions. If the weather has been particularlybad in the week(s) leading up to your event,we will arrange to meet you on-site to discussthe matter. We will work with you to devise aWet Weather Contingency Plan should yourevent be at risk.

Car Parking Organisers must consider the impact theirevent will have on car parking in the area.Provision must be made for visitors to theevent to park safely and legally withoutcausing disturbance and annoyance tolocal residents. Where applicable theCouncil will permit vehicles onto adesignated area of park or open spaceunder the control of the event organiser.This will require adequate planning,including risk assessment, marshalling,signage and a maximum speed limit of5mph on grassed areas.

Ground Reinstatement & WasteManagement Please leave the site in the condition thatyou found it in. Event organisers will beresponsible for the removal of all wasteproduced in connection with their event.In addition you will be responsible for thecosts of repairing any damage to theground as a result of your event.

Noise – Generators & PublicAddress SystemsParks and open spaces are situated in allareas of Mid Sussex, from Town Centres tosmall rural villages. When there is an event inany public open space, the organiser mustminimise disturbance to local residents.Generators should be ‘silent running’ and anyother noise making equipment must be locatedas far away from neighbouring properties aspossible. The location of noise makingequipment should be clearly indicated on theevent site plan.

As a courtesy to neighbouring residents, youshould inform them in writing of the time,date and nature of your event at least 14 daysprior to your arrival on site. This notificationmust stipulate the operating time of the eventand the contact details of an On-Siterepresentative who will be present on the day.

If you are unsure about your legalresponsibilities regarding noise pollution,MSDC’s Environmental Health Team will beable to provide you with further technicalinformation. Telephone 01444 458166 oremail: envhealth@midsussex.gov.uk

Inflatable Structures Although popular, inflatable units (such asbouncy castles) can be extremely dangerous ifoperated incorrectly.

Therefore, all inflatable units must be operatedin accordance with the HSE EntertainmentSheet No. 7 ‘Safety in the Use and Operationof Play Inflatables, including Bouncy Castles’.MSDC requires any inflatable used on Councilland to be tested under the PIPA or ADIPSschemes. For more information contact theHealth & Safety Executive (HSE) at:www.hse.gov.uk

Should you wish to include an inflatable structureas part of your event, your risk assessment mustindicate adequate control methods to facilitatethe safe operation of the equipment. It isrecommended that event organisers employ aprofessional supplier to install inflatableequipment. The organiser will be responsible forthe operation and risk assessment of inflatablesin connection with their event.

Marquees & Other TemporaryStructures Should your event involve the use of amarquee or other temporary structure (e.g.staging unit), you will be required to obtain aplan and technical specification of thestructure and provide a copy to the Council.It is recommended that event organisersemploy the services of professionalcontractors in the set-up and de-rig of anytemporary structures. All temporary structuresare subject to a fire risk assessment by lawand must also tested to ensure they aresecurely anchored and safe for use.

Funfairs and Circuses Travelling entertainments such as funfairs andcircuses have been popular visitors to MidSussex for many years. During this time, wehave built strong working relationships withthe most reputable operators in the area.

Given the nature of the activities andequipment involved and the limited numberof available sites, funfair and circus operatorsare required to notify the Council at least twomonths before the event as specific

documentation must be completed. Thisadditional documentation includes:Application Forms Public Liability InsuranceCertificate for each ride Ride WorthinessCertificates for each ride as inspected byADIPS in partnership with the HSE. The abovedocumentation must be received no laterthan 28 days prior the arrival on site.

Bonfire and Firework Displays For safety reasons, the Council only allowsCertified professional pyrotechnic operatorsor recognised and experienced BonfireSocieties to conduct bonfire and fireworkdisplays on its land.

If you are planning a firework display at yourevent, you should ensure the operator is amember of the British PyrotechnistsAssociation (The BPA) or The CBI EIG.

For more information, visit the Health &Safety Executive website: www.hse.gov.uk

All displays must be organised in accordancewith the Council's Conditions of Hire and theguidance notes issued by the Health & SafetyExecutive.

Power and Water At certain sites we may be able to provideaccess to an electricity or water supply, theremay be an additional charge for this. Shouldyou require access to the mains electricity orwater supply you should contact theappropriate utility provider.

Provision of Toilets Many of our sites have adequate toiletprovision, which can be made available, butin some cases (particularly for largeattendance events) you may need to hiretoilets from a contractor. The recommendedratio of toilets to people for public events isas follows:

Female Male Female Male

1:100 1:500 (1 Urinal per 150) 1:120 1:600 (1 Urinal per 175)

Events Lasting More than 6 Hours Events Lasting Fewer Than 6 Hours

LicensingCertain activities common to many events arelicensable by law. The main licensableactivities are listed below:

Supply of Alcohol - for consumption onor off the premisesThis could include a beer tent or other bar area

Regulated Entertainment - in thepresence of an audienceThis includes:• The performance of a play • Exhibition of a film • Performance of live music • Playing of recorded music to entertain an

audience (non-incidental) • Performance of dance • Any similar entertainment to

the above • Providing facilities which enable

the above

If your event is likely to contain any licensableactivities it must be licensed using one of thefollowing methods in order to comply withthe law.

Temporary Event Notices (TEN’s)Under the Licensing Act 2003 organisers ofsmaller events can now apply for a TemporaryEvent Notice (TEN). Each site can hold amaximum of 12 events covered by a TEN inany year and each separate event must be aminimum of 24 hours apart. A TEN applicationmust be made to the Licensing Authority atleast 10 days in advance of the event.

The Event Organiser must apply for aTemporary Event Notice (TEN) to cover theentire duration of the event (no longer than96 hours). MSDC requires that any bar at anevent on Council land must be operated by aPersonal Licence Holder. A TEN can also coverthe provision of regulated entertainment asdescribed earlier, but this must be stipulatedby the organiser when applying.

The capacity of the licensed event areacovered by a TEN must be closely monitoredby SIA qualified stewards and is strictlylimited to 499 people (including staff andperformers).

If your event requires the provision ofregulated entertainment to an audience ofmore than 500 people it cannot be coveredby a TEN. Please contact us well in advanceof your event (minimum 90 days noticerequired), if this is the case.

Premises LicencesWhere appropriate, MSDC may apply for aPremises Licence for a given park or openspace to permit Regulated Entertainment tolarger audiences (e.g. 500-4999 people).

In general, the District Council’s approach toPremises Licensing will be to facilitate aprogramme of cultural and community eventsat sites where larger audiences can be safelyaccommodated.

Please note, Mid Sussex District Council doesnot currently licence any of its Parks or OpenSpaces to permit the Sale of Alcohol. Anyevent organisers who require the supply ofalcohol to form part of their event mustapply for and be subject to the conditions ofa Temporary Event Notice.

For more information on The Licensing Act 2003please contact the Council’s Licensing Team:licensing@midsussex.gov.uk or 01444 477219 (Specific Licensing Enquiries)www.midsussex.gov.uk

For further information please go to theDepartment of Culture, Media and Sport'sWebsite: www.culture.gov.uk

Food & CateringFood and drink can often form an importantpart of an event and be profitable fororganisers. We recommend that you employa professional caterer if you are aiming tosupply food or drink to a large number ofpeople. For events on Council land we askthat anyone providing food or drink to thepublic is in possession of a Basic FoodHygiene Certificate.

For more information, please contact theCouncil’s Food Safety Team.Email: foodsafety@midsussex.gov.uk ortelephone: 01444 477419

Posters and AdvertisingLocal advertising is a great way to let peopleknow about your event. If you wish to put upposters advertising your event, pleaseremember ‘Fly Posting’ is illegal so make sureyou have the permission of the landowner.

In general, MSDC will allow posteradvertising on the site of the event no morethan two weeks in advance but you may alsorequire planning consent if your advertising isover a certain size. You will be responsible forremoving posters after the event. Contact usfor more information.

Road Closures and TrafficRegulations The Road Traffic (Special Events) Act cameinto effect in 1994. Events, for examplecarnival processions (which stop the flow oftraffic) are likely to require a Road Closure

Order. If your event is likely to causecongestion and therefore require trafficregulation, you must notify the Police andother Local Authorities. Advanced warningsignage in the affected areas will be essential.

Top tips for a successful eventWhere possible, plan your event at leasta year in advance. This will give you timeto develop your contacts and completeall the paperwork!

Keep your first event relatively smalland simple. If successful it can grow infuture years.

The more activities within your event, themore planning and paperwork required.Try and attract sponsors to help withfunding or advertising.

Notify all relevant authorities well inadvance (3-6 months).

Never cut costs at the expense of safety.

If you have any further questions pleasecontact us!

Organisers Must Consider: • Site Layout• Marshalling of Vehicles & pedestrians• Electrical Equipment & Cabling• Safety of Temporary Structures• Noise and Courtesy to Neighbours• Weather & Ground Conditions• Emergency Planning• Toilet Provision• First Aid• Catering

You Will Need:• A Detailed Site Plan• A Written Itinerary & Operating Procedure• Keys for Access• Water & Electricity Supply• Portaloos • Shelter (e.g. Gazebo)• Hazard Tape• Safety Fencing or Barriers• Emergency Plan• First Aid Provision• Signage• A PA System• Fully Briefed Marshals and Stewards• High Visibility Jackets