Safety Advisory Group - SAG

Information event planning, safety and welfare

North Devon Council fully supports community events taking place throughout its district. To help ensure the safe running of events in the area the Council co-ordinates a North Devon Safety Advisory Group (SAG).

What is the SAG?

The SAG is made up of representatives from the District and County Council (Food Health and Safety Team, Environmental Protection, Licensing, Highway Authority), and emergency services (Devon and Cornwall Police, Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service and South West Ambulance Service).

The SAG meets monthly to review event applications and provide advice on public safety and on occasion will debrief events having taken place. These meetings are held virtually and there is an expectation that the event organiser attends the SAG meeting. 

What is the role of the SAG?

The main aim of the SAG is to promote high levels of safety and welfare at events by providing advice and guidance and to reduce adverse impacts on the community. Safety Advisory groups are not empowered to approve or prohibit an event from taking place, and do not have any legal powers or responsibilities. However, individual representatives of organisations forming the SAG may have powers to require event organisers to comply with their legal obligations. It is the responsibility of event organisers to ensure that they are aware of their legal responsibility, and comply with all the legislation relevant to the activities undertaken.

What events need to attend a SAG?

The SAG should be the first point of contact for anyone in North Devon planning an event. The guiding principle is that events presenting a significant public safety risk (whether in terms of numbers of people attending or the nature of the event and/or the challenge of the environment) should provide notification of their event to the Safety Advisory Group. 

Typical examples of features of an event which are likely to involve the SAG would include: 

  • Where 500 or more attendees are expected
  • Pyrotechnics
  • Temporary demountable structures, marquees and inflatable structures 
  • Road closures or any other temporary traffic management arrangement
  • Food Concessions 
  • Alcohol
  • LPG (propane) etc.
  • Events on or near water 
  • Event considered high risk based on the event or challenges of the environment
  • Request by any core SAG partner

How and when to notify SAG of a planned event

Please complete the event notification form to notify us of your event. 

To gain maximum benefit from the SAG process notification of an event should be at the earliest opportunity. For an event involving up to 2,000 people, a minimum of three months’ notice is required. When planning a larger event a minimum of six months’ notice is required. 

What documents are expected?

In order to provide advice the SAG requests that the following documentation, be emailed to SAG@northdevon.gov.uk

  • Event management plan (including sections on noise, traffic management, and  medical planning)
  • Risk assessments (including fire risk assessment)
  • Public liability insurance (minimum of £5 million)
  • Food safety self assessment checklist for caterers 
  • Road closure documentation
  • Location and site map

The Purple Guide 

The advice given by the SAG members is not a replacement for arrangements and documents, which exist to guide persons through the processes and procedures of organising events. It is the responsibility of the event organiser to understand, plan and organise a structure for safely managing the event.

It is highly recommended that organisers gain a copy of The Purple Guide to Health, Safety and Welfare at Music and Other Events. This document was drawn up by the Events Industry Forum in consultation with the UK events industry, including representatives from regional and national Government.

Licensing

The submission of a SAG event notification form is separate from any licence, permit or notice application that you may need to make. All statutory timescales for the licensing of the sale of alcohol, regulated entertainment, late night refreshment, street collections etc. must also be met and applications must be submitted separately to the licensing authority where relevant. Please see the council’s licensing webpages for more information. 

Stewards and security personnel

The organiser is responsible for matters of public order and the accurate monitoring and recording of all persons within the event site and to be in a position to make such information immediately available on request to the Emergency Services or Council Officials. They are also expected to deal in the first instance with any disturbance using legal means.

Any person employed at the event to control admissions, keep order, remove people causing disorder, or searching premises or people must be licensed by the Security Industry Authority

Events on Council land

The SAG is not responsible for giving permission to use District or County Council land or granting licences for events. Individuals wishing to use any park, open space, car park etc. that is owned/managed by the District council should make an appropriate application.

Food safety 

Organisers must make the council aware of any food traders they intend to use at the earliest opportunity. Catering at an outdoor event, or from mobile facilities, is a high risk activity and may carry with it the possibility of causing food poisoning to a large number of people.

Organisers should request caterers provide evidence of compliance with food safety by completing the food safety questionnaire checklist for traders at events. Completed checklists should be sent to foodandsafety@northdevon.gov.uk

Nuisance (noise, lighting etc.)

Guidance on noise matters related to events is available, and for those events taking place in the Exmoor National Park, it is suggested that consideration is made in respect of the International Dark Sky Reserve

Waste

One event can generate a lot of waste - you must provide an adequate number of rubbish bins around the site where they will be required most such as by bars and catering outlets.

Organisers should make arrangements to regularly empty the bins, and to satisfactorily dispose of the rubbish at the end of the event. Only licensed contractors can remove waste. It is recommended you consider making provision for recycling waste to avoid recyclables going to landfill. Arrangements for waste disposal are the responsibility of the event organiser. 

Further information is available on our trade waste and recycling page. Guidance is also available from Plastic Free North Devon. 

Police matters – crime and disorder

Organisers should consider guidance from Devon and Cornwall Police.  

 Event organisers should consider what steps they can take to make their event safer for all and a less attractive target to terrorism. The Purple Guide chapter on counter terrorism is available on Protect UK.

Traffic management 

If a formal traffic order is required, you must allow at least three months’ notice to process the order.

A request for a road closure does not automatically guarantee one will be granted. Devon County Council will need to be satisfied that the event will not cause any unnecessary risks to road users and pedestrians or create unnecessary traffic congestion. If there are temporary highway restrictions for your event you should include these when notifying the SAG of your event. For further information for special events is available

Fire safety

Event organisers should include provide a fire risk assessment with their event notification. Guidance from Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service on fire safety at public events is available.

First aid and medical planning

Event organisers are asked to notify South Western Ambulance Service of their event. Organisers are also encouraged to refer to the Purple Guide to ensure they have the correct level of medical cover and to utilise the SWASFT Event Organisers Self-Assurance Form

Risk assessments

We strongly recommend all event organisers document a risk assessment. Whilst the Health and Safety Executive does not sit on the SAG, information in respect of undertaking risk assessments and guidance on running events safely is available on their website. A template risk assessment has also been produced to help. 

Insurance

Event organisers could be held legally liable for the costs or damages for any injuries, etc.

Which may occur during an event. You can insure this risk via a public liability insurance policy. It is recommended that this insurance be arranged with a minimum limit of indemnity of £5 million. In many instances a greater level of cover may be needed. If you do not have this cover any claim could be made against all the organisers and their private finances.

Event organisers should also consider employers liability insurance for paid workers, and they should check with their insurers whether insurance if required for volunteers. When using specialist contractors, they should check that contractors have their own public liability insurance and that the contractor complies with any policy terms and conditions. Ask to see a copy of their policy.

In case of emergency 

In the event of an emergency occurring during the course of the event, the Emergency Services should be contacted immediately as for any other incident which might involve damage or injury to life or property.

Organisers should consider actions to be taken in the event of an emergency and this should be recorded in their Event Management Plan. This should include how organisers intend to seek the attendance of emergency services if things do go wrong, pre-planned messaging by way of a clear communication plan and how they will access the site in such circumstances.

Contact details

If you require further information regarding the SAG process please contact the SAG Co-coordinator on 01271 388873 or e-mail SAG@northdevon.gov.uk. 

The following documents are provided to assist event organisers but these are not substitutes for existing technical guidance or documents otherwise available: