The land-hire booking process - guidance for Event Organisers

 

Your responsibilities as an Event Organiser

Please read all of the following information carefully, before progressing with your event planning

You should be aware that the safety of personnel at an event is the responsibility of the Event Organiser (EO), and the EO is legally required to provide insurance cover for anyone working at or attending their event, including volunteers.

The event booking process

This events portal is designed to make booking Council-owned land for event use as straightforward as possible. This site is for Event Organisers wishing to hire one of Somerset Council's parks or open spaces in Taunton or West Somerset.

In order to make a land-hire booking, you need to create an account by checking venue availability, choosing an event space, and then following prompts within the portal to make a 'Draft' or 'Pending' booking (multiple event bookings can then be made under one account in the future, if required). 

How it works

Once you have booked your space, you will need to upload event planning documentation to the portal for review by the Council's Events Coordinator. Your event space will be formally reserved and your booking made 'Provisional' only when the Council is satisfied with the standard of competence displayed within your plans.

Event planning documentation and timescales:

To allow sufficient time for relevant Council departments and / or partnering authorities to review event plans, the following timescales must be observed, for submission of your event planning documentation:

 

Confirmation of your land-hire booking is pending the submission of the following satisfactory event planning documents as a minimum:

  1. Public liability insurance (PLI) – minimum of £5M or £10M, depending on event scale - to cover your event date(s), plus build and break-down periods
  2. Event Management Plan (EMP): EMP template
  3. Event risk assessment (RA): Risk assessment template

Other supporting documents which may be required - depending on the scale, location and nature of your event – include:

  • A Traffic Management Plan (TMP) 
  • A site layout plan
  • Machinery operating certificates where applicable
  • Relevant PIPA or ADIP certificates for any fairground rides inflatable play equipment
  • For events of a particular category or scale, you will also be required to complete and submit details of the medical cover you intend to provide at your event to the South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT), using the following form: Event organisers medical notification form to SWASFT

This list is not exhaustive, and the type and number of documents required is specific to each individual event; generally, smaller scale events will require less extensive planning documentation.

Event licensing and timescales:

An event does not require a licence in isolation, however, certain activities undertaken at events are licensable. These include – but are not limited to – the following:

  • The sale and consumption of alcohol at a premises or venue
  • The provision of regulated entertainment
  • ‘Street’ trading
  • Charitable collections

Should you select any licensable activities as part of your portal booking, the Council's Licensing Team will be notified and will contact you directly regarding your event requirements.

Licensing enquiries can be submitted to: environmentalhealth.west@somerset.gov.uk

Please note that some licensing applications are subject to a significant consultation period and processing time, so ensure you check here and can meet these, prior to submitting any application: Somerset Council Licensing

Attendance at Safety Advisory Group (SAG) meetings:

For larger-scale events or those requiring a road closure, or where crowd control may be of concern, you may be invited to attend a meeting of Somerset Council's Safety Advisory Group (or SAG). The aim of the SAG is to provide expert safety and planning advice to event organisers, through consultation with Council partners such as local blue light services (police, fire, ambulance) and internal departments including Environmental Health, Licensing and Highways.

More information about the SAG can be found here: SAG - Terms of Reference

What happens next...

Once received, your documentation will be reviewed and the Events Coordinator will be in touch via the portal to discuss your event and the suitability of your plans. Throughout the event planning process, you will be kept up-to-date on the progress of your plans via emailed links which will be generated when changes are made or comments added to the 'Notes' section within your event booking. 

Terms and conditions of hire - the Event Permit

Only once Somerset Council is satisfied with your event planning documentation will your event booking status be ‘Confirmed’ and an Event Permit issued; this document details the terms and conditions of hiring Council-owned land, and you will be required to sign and return the permit before commencing your event build.

The permits / terms and conditions can be viewed here:

Costs, including road closure applications

Please refer to the ‘Event Spaces’ section of the event portal to find the daily hire cost for each individual space. A one-off administration fee (per booking) will also be charged for the issuing of your Event Permit. You will be invoiced directly, in advance of your event date.

Additional fees may apply for event licensing and / or the submission of any road closure applications:

Somerset Council Licensing

Closing a road for an event

Further event planning guidance and resources

For more information on event planning, please go to the ‘Resources’ tab. For guidance on holding events on or near to a public highway (road), please visit the Somerset Council website: Guidance to holding an event on or near a public highway.

General enquiries can be submitted to: events.west@somerset.gov.uk