Organising an Event

The Coronation of His Majesty The King

Celebrations for the King’s Coronation will take place between Saturday 6^th May 2023 – Monday 8^th May 2023.   Further information for the Coronation can be found on the Royal website .  The Government has put forward a proposal to extend opening hours from 11pm to 1am on Friday 5 May, Saturday 6 May and Sunday 7 May, ending on Monday 8 May 2023, for the sale of alcohol for consumption on the premises only and the provision of regulated entertainment and late night refreshment in licensed premises in England and Wales.  The extension of hours will not apply to those licensed for off sales only for example supermarkets and off-licences.   The proposal can be viewed here and this notification will updated when this has been approved.

Street Parties

Street parties are a traditional part of community life, they are a simple way for people to get to know their neighbours and meet members of the community.  You may want to hold a street party to celebrate the Coronation.  You don’t need a licence for most street parties.  But you may need to get an appropriate licence and permissions if you are planning to sell alcohol, play live pre-recorded music, hold an event on a highway that needs one or more roads closed.

Further advice on organising street parties can be found on Guide to Organising Street Parties  and www.streetparty.org.uk/

The Coronation Emblem

The official Coronation Emblem is available for use for all activities associated with the Coronation celebrations, including community and national events. It is free to download from the Royal website, where detailed usage guidance can also be found.

Licences

If you plan to provide alcohol for free at your event under normal circumstances you do not need a licence.  If you want to sell alcohol you will need a Temporary Event Notice (TEN)  Allow at least ten working says before the event.

You will need a TEN if you intend to

• Play live pre-recorded music for entertainment purposes.
• Hold live performances, film screenings or dancing.
• Sell alcohol.
• Sell hot food and drink between the hours of 11p.m. and 5a.m.

If you intend having a tombola or raffle tickets which are sold on the day and the prizes are not worth more than £500 in total then gambling regulations do not apply.  If tickets are sold in advance you will need to register yourself with Licensing as a Small Society Lottery

For further advice please contact Licensing on 01495 355485.

Road Closures

In order to hold a street party on or within the highway you must seek permission and obtain approval from the Council to ensure you can legally safely close the street to traffic. Think about what you want to achieve and submit the application form no later than 21 April 2023 to event.safety@blaenau-gwent.gov.uk.

For further advice please contact Highways on 01495 355629

Food Safety

Safe handling of food is essential at street parties, further advice can be found at the Governments website. Get everyone to bring food to share at set times so you can all eat together.  If you are cooking on barbecues never leave them unattended and cordon off to keep children and pets away.

For further advice please contact Environmental Health on 01495 357813 or environmental.health@blaenau-gwent.gov.uk

Bouncy Castles and other play inflatables

If you are planning on hiring or buying a bouncy castle or other play inflatable for your event, there are some simple precautions to help avoid any serious incidents.  The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) provide safety advice in relation to inflatable devices and is free to access on their website.

For further advice please contact Environmental Health on 01495 357813 or environmental.health@blaenau-gwent.gov.uk

Safety at Events

Some things you may wish to consider for your event is to carry out a risk assessment for your event and covid prevention measures.  For further advice on organising an event contact the Event Safety Advisory Group.  The threat from terrorism is real and unfortunately increasingly unpredictable, with public spaces and crowded areas being an attractive target for terrorists.  We would like you to consider what ‘you’ can do to reduce your risk and mitigate against the impact of such an attack.  As such, we recommend you carry out the ACT Awareness e-Learning on counter terrorism.

If you are planning to run a small or community event there are certain responsibilities you need to be aware of. You will need to think about who will be attending, the facilities they will need, what kind of activities you will have and any safety requirements.

Who can provide advice?

Blaenau Gwent ESAG (Event Safety Advisory Group) can help people plan and organise successful, safe events for the public within Blaenau Gwent.

The Council works with the Police, Fire and Rescue, Ambulance and others to offer advice and provide assistance to anyone planning an event.

We offer guidance on best practice to ensure the event is safe and meets all legislative, legal and operational requirements.

The Event Safety Advisory Group can offer guidance on:

• How you get started
• What you need to do
• Who to contact for specialist guidance

The main information we need from you is:

• What type of event are you planning
• Where it will take place
• When it will take place, date and time
• Who will be attending
• What numbers will be attending
• What facilities you need for your visitors. This includes toilets, first aid, drinking water and refreshments.
• Is your event for specific groups, such as children, teenagers, older people or people with disabilities?
• Do you need any specific facilities for these groups?
• What do you need to do to manage crowds safely?
• Is the proposed site the appropriate size for your attendance numbers
• Other information may also be requested, depending on the type of event you are planning.

The earlier you can provide us with your event notifications form, the better placed the ESAG will be to help you.

Issues you need to consider:

• Operational plan which will include a site plan and risk assessment
• Emergency plan, health and safety, legislation and litigation
• Road closures, signage, special effects, etc.
• Fire safety, stewarding, medical provision, toilets
• Disabled access, temporary structures
• Emergency vehicle access, car parking
• Sound / PA Systems, food and drink
• Waste disposal
• Public liability insurance
• Premises licence or a Temporary Event Notice (TEN)
• Others as necessary (depending on type of event).

How much notice does the Event Safety Advisory Group need?

The more notice we receive, the more time organisers have to plan effectively, especially if the event is large scale or requires licences and/or road closures.  Ideally we need the event notification form at least 3 months before your event is due to take place.

It normally takes 6 months to organise a small event and up to 12 months for a larger event.

Event Safety Advisory Group Meetings

Meetings are held regularly, but special meetings may be held to discuss large events.

Civil Contingencies Team
Telephone Number: 01495 311556
Email Address: event.safety@blaenau-gwent.gov.uk