Agenda item

Event Policy and Suitability of Events Documents

Minutes:

Penny Button, Director of Safer Neighbourhoods introduced the report and made the following points:

 

  • The Events Policy was first put in place in 2016;
  • Elle Sutton, Community Officer has been working on making a number of updates, including changes to the terms and conditions that have to be signed by the event organiser;
  • There is also an additional document attached to the policy which details what is on offer, i.e. the council land that can be hired by organisers;
  • There is also content on reduction of carbon emission;
  • The Suitability Events Documents controls the advertising associated with events;

 

  • A recommendation has been made that cabinet make a decision on whether date restrictions  should be in place for when beach events can take place;
  • Events sites have been updated;
  • Currently the council is charging for standard sites and Premium sites;
  • Once the update policy has been adopted by council, the charging rates would be for small, medium and large sites;
  • The costs are divided into community costs, commercial costs and enthusiasts costs;
  • Officers have spoken to events organisers and have received some feedback;
  • The policy proposal will be going to Cabinet on 18 November 2021.

 

Members made comments and asked questions as follows:

 

  • Was the insurance premium the same for all events?
  • The policy was now more readable and set out impressively;
  • Safety Action Group: Having a 4 week deadline to respond before the vent was not adequate. It was too short a deadline;
  • It would be a good idea for TDC to inform town/parish councils of upcoming events, so that no other events are organised around the same time. this would prevent smaller events being drowned out by bigger events that have larger sound systems;
  • Has the Climate Change officer been consulted?

 

  • Can the council transfer carbon offsetting to events organisers?
  • When parish councils are holding non commercial events on council land they are still charged for using council land. Why was this the case and could this not be changed?
  • Small groups that would like to host events are charged for officer time. Was that the case? If it was, this would put off any small groups from hosting events. Could this be considered?
  • The events notification form to be submitted at least 14 weeks before the hosting of the event: Although this has been reduced from 16 week; this was still too long, why?
  • Circulating a list of events would be handy. Can this be done?
  • Lighting of the beacon in June 2022: There is a need to plan for the health and safety measures to be put in place for that event;
  • It would be good for the district council to work closely with the town and parish councils on events matters.

 

Penny Button responded to Member comments and questions as follows:

 

  • The 14 weeks deadline is an absolute minimum. Discussions with event organisers would have started long before that deadline
  • Elle Sutton has been working on improving liaison between the council and parish/town councils regarding the hosting of events;
  • In summer the council works with Kent Police regarding the security for events in the district. Officers also monitor the social media to see if there are any barbeques being planned for the beach;
  • Carbon offsetting: The council does not have the ability to force events organisers. However officer encourage events organisers to think of ways of carbon offsetting for their events and build the that into the promotion of those events;
  • Charging parish councils for events on TDC land: There is a cost to hiring council land but this is an issue officers could look into and advise. However there is a need for consistency of approach. Lighting the beacon is not charged for by TDC 
  • The road closures that are done by KCC and that is where the process is long;
  • The council was moving towards digitalisation and events hosting applications will be made online and it will make sharing of information easier;
  • Health & Safety Officers would be able to assist with setting up a protocol for such measures for the lighting of the beacon event in June 2022.

 

Councillor Paul Moore proposed, Councillor Austin seconded and Members recommended to cabinet to agree that TDC liaise with Town and Parish Councils and Margate Trustees informing them of events happening locally in order to better manage the hosting of events in the district.

 

Subject to the above recommendation Councillor Tomlinson, Councillor Paul Moore seconded and Member agreed to recommend the updated Events Policy to Cabinet for adoption.

Supporting documents: