Running an event in your park? What are your legal obligations? : Parks Community UK

Please note that the following information is for guidance only and professional advice should be sought.

Permission from the landowner

You will need to get permission from the landowner prior to holding your event. There may be certain restrictions on the type of event that you can hold in a particular area and there may also be legal requirements that you will have to comply with so it’s important to seek advice as soon as possible.

All public events in parks, woodlands or green spaces will have to be approved. Please

be aware that even small events will require risk assessments and there may be health and safety and/or other legislation that applies. If you are not sure please seek further advice on this.

Land Use Agreement

Event Organisers are required to seek permission for the use of all Liverpool City Council Parks and Open Spaces for the purposes of their proposed Event.

Application for permission to use such land (for all usage, regardless of the size of the event, or any other Licence requirement) will, in the first instance be processed by completion of the “Land Use Application Form”.

Once the “Land Use Application Form” has been received and processed and the type of Licence/Permissions required is identified (ie Permissive Licence or full Premises Licence grant) either:

a) Permission for the use of such land may be granted (subject to conditions)

or;

b) The Application will be referred to the appropriate council department for further review.

Insurances

Even small voluntary organisations need insurance and must take responsibility for checking that they are sufficiently covered for damage, accidents, loss against property, volunteers and the risk associated with all activities. If your organisation is unsure that it is sufficiently covered, you should do something about it now.

Public Liability Insurance

A claim for damages could be made against a voluntary organisation if it is found legally liable for the death, injury or ill health of an employee, volunteer or member of the public. Public liability insurance, also known as third party insurance, covers an organisation for injury to people other than employees, arising from its negligence or failure to take reasonable care in carrying out its business. All of your organisation’s activities should be noted in the policy to ensure adequate cover. Double check that your insurer clearly understands what you do.

The policy is likely to need extending for special events. An organisation could find itself liable if a member of the public sustains injury, damage or financial loss from incorrect advice. Even if the advice is given free, or in the belief that it was correct, this is no defence if reasonable care was not taken in making it. A disclaimer notice emphasising that the advice is not necessarily correct is unlikely to be satisfactory.

How to get insurance

Voluntary organisations run a wide range of different activities and it is best to seek professional advice on what cover is appropriate for your particular group. To get advice on a ‘best buy’ you can ask an insurance broker – these are listed in the Yellow Pages. Buying from a broker should not cost you more as they earn commission from the insurance company. If you are involved or associated with a large organisation, you could seek advice from them. They can often arrange a better deal for their members because of the economics of scale in insuring a large number of organisations.

First aid

All events require a minimum of two dedicated first aiders and at all events make sure you have a stocked first aid kit. More first aiders may be required depending on the size and nature of your event.

Risk assessments

When running a public event, it is your responsibility to ensure that everyone concerned with the event is not put at risk. Identify all the things that have the potential to cause harm in the first instance. From this consider the chances of harm actually befalling anyone (the risk) and then plan, introduce and monitor measures to adequately control the risks.

Food hygiene certificate

This is required even if you are supplying food to members of the public on a ‘not for profit’ basis. Most caterers will have this but it is your responsibility to check.

Damage to Property

Contained within the ‘land use agreement’ is the requirement to ‘make good’ all damage incurred to the site to a reasonable standard at the organisers own expense by their own contractors.