Quick guideOrganising a public event - Safety Advisory Group
East Devon District Council fully supports events taking place throughout its district. Many wonderful events are organised by businesses, committed groups and volunteers who put in often huge amounts of time and energy to arrange them and open to the public.
The scope of events can be very large, from an afternoon preschool fund raiser, a firework display, a vintage transport display, to a very complex event such as music festivals with music stages, public displays, retail sales, on-site accommodation and food vendors.
An event organiser has prime responsibility for protecting the health, safety and welfare of everyone working at, or attending an event.
To help ensure the safe running of events in the area the Council co-ordinates an East Devon Safety Advisory Group (SAG).
What is the SAG?
The SAG is made up of representatives from the Councils and Emergency Services:
East Devon District Council:
Corporate Safety
Beach Safety
Events
Environmental Health
Licensing
Emergency Planning
Devon County Council:
Highways
Devon and Cornwall Police:
Police Licensing
Contingency, Operations and Events Planners
Other members may attend from time to time, including Traffic Officers and Local Policing teams.
Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service:
Fire Safety Officers
South Western Ambulance Service:
EPRR Officers
Other (if required):
Landowners
RNLI
Coastguard
The SAG review event documents as they are submitted. The SAG then meets monthly to 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. If you are not asked to attend a SAG meeting, members may contact you directly to provide advice/guidance.
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. The Safety Advisory Group (SAG) provides advice and guidance to event planners and organisers of events in staging their events, and help them understand their individual responsibilities and those of other agencies involved.
What events need to attend a SAG?
The SAG should be the first point of contact for anyone in East 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
- New events
How and when to notify SAG of a planned event
To gain maximum benefit from the SAG, you should give notice of your event at least three months before the event is taking place. This is to give us time to understand the basic details and areas of planning that may require additional advice. All final drafts of documentation must be submitted to the SAG email, 10 working days before the SAG meeting.
In order to provide advice, the SAG requests that the following documentation, be emailed to SAG@eastdevon.gov.uk
- Event management plan (including sections on noise, traffic management, emergency procedures and medical planning)
- Risk assessments (including fire risk assessment)
- Road closure documentation
- Location and site map
You will also need to directly notify South Western Ambulance Service Trust of your event. Please click here to be taken to the form.