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Are you planning to make your event particularly memorable, bizarre or odd? 

Please think carefully before including unusual activities at your event as they can introduce additional risks which will need managing.

Some activities have published guidelines and health and safety advice.  Contact the Health and Safety Executive for information on how to obtain this.

Other events will need consultation with various agencies because of the risks involved.  Please seek advice if unsure.

The Council reserves the right to require some higher risk activities (such as fairs and amusements), to be dealt with by way of a separate licence granted directly with the activity operator.  You will be advised of such requirement as part of the application process.  

8.1          Public Highway/Footpath/Car Parks

In order to afford proper protection under the law, a public road, footpath has to be formally closed using a legal order (Temporary Traffic Regulation Order), so that in the rare event a motorist was to drive within the closed area causing damage/injury, there would be full legal redress by the damaged parties. Without a formal closure you, as the organiser, could be held responsible for any loss or damage and liable to be prosecuted by the Police for obstruction of the highway. Please note that Police Scotland can only close a road under Emergency Powers, a planned event would not come into the category of an Emergency.

To organise a closure, you must first contact the Council in order to discuss the feasibility of your request. Matters such as the likely disruption the closure may cause, diversion routes, public transport and access/egress arrangements for those living or working within the proposed closed area will all be considered.

If agreed you will be required to complete an application form giving full details of the closure and to obtain the necessary supporting signatures from all the residents / businesses that would be affected by the closure.            

IMPORTANT
84 days is the absolute minimum notice the Council needs to assess the implications of the closure and complete the necessary statutory requirements. It is recommended that longer periods of notice be given to prevent the likelihood of clashes of interest with street works and maintenance, which in some cases are planned six months in advance.

Your application, once received, will be processed, following which you will receive relevant documentation to allow you sign the road corridor and to proceed with your event.

You as the organiser are responsible for traffic management during the road closure, which first has to be approved by the Council. You will also be responsible for the provision and placing out of all necessary traffic and pedestrian barriers, advanced closure notices, traffic cones, road closed and diversion signs.

Depending on the size of the event, it may be advisable for you to consider employing a traffic management company to develop a traffic management plan and to provide and place out the appropriate signage. 

In addition to any closures, you will, in most cases, need to apply for a licence agreement for the use of Council owned land or facilities to run the event. The Council will assist you with this application.

Remember if you are in doubt, contact the Council for advice, at RAenquiriesMAKI@argyll-bute.gov.uk or telephone 01546 605514.  It is against the law to do certain things on public roads and footpaths and the penalties can be severe, not only from criminal prosecution, but also the possibility of civil action should someone suffer as a result of your failure to take the appropriate precautions.

Specific guidance on holding small street parties can be obtained by emailing the Council on RAenquiries@argyll-bute.gov.uk

Caravans and Camping

If you are planning to hold an event, which will involve caravans or camping activities, you will need to arrange to cover the following requirements.

You will need to supply with your application a detailed plan showing the following:

• Access and egress points;
• Fresh water supply points; 
• Washing/toilet facilities;
• Waste water disposal points; 
• Drinking water supply points; 
• Firefighting equipment points;
• Routes within camping area; 
• Spacing distances between units; 
• Emergency access points;
• Dog walking areas;
• Dog waste disposal.

This list is not exhaustive.

 Other requirements:

• Specific insurance cover for caravan or camping activities;
• Fire officer agreement (where necessary);
• Planning application approval (where necessary).

You will also need to enclose a copy of the proposed 'site' rules outlining, to the participants what they need to know and what they need to do in order that you can comply with the Councils conditions of use.

As this can be a complex area, you should consult the relevant Council representative for further clarification on the requirements of this area. 

If you are affiliated to national recognised bodies, such as the Caravan Club, they will be able to assist you with you preparations for this event.

Fireworks

Particular care will need to be taken by event organisers in the planning and supervision of these activities. It should be noted that only competent, trained persons can carry out pyrotechnic work on Council owned land.

Firework displays can cause considerable nuisance, distress and danger to those who have not been advised of, or considered in, the planning of the event. 

Displays should finish as early as possible and in most locations the use of ‘mortar shells’ and similar high noise fireworks is not generally considered appropriate.  Insufficient expectation by the community regarding this can result in the Police receiving well-intentioned reports of incidents of explosion to which they must commit resources.

You should also bear in mind the proximity of the coastline. Please contact the Maritime and Coastguard Agency with a minimum of 28 days notice regarding fireworks or similar displays.  They will advise on the related legislation based practices that must be followed to ensure public safety. 

These requirements are equally applicable to flying lanterns.

Temporary Demountable Structures

The safe design, erection, use and deconstruction of any temporary demountable structure (TDS), such as a marquee, viewing facility (temporary seating and viewing platforms) or stages, is an important consideration of event planning.

Competent people, accredited by a relevant accreditation body (such as the Marquee Users Technical Accreditation MUTAmarq), must be employed from the outset to design, construct, verify, inspect and dismantle.

The event organiser must ensure that the following key information and documents are available and communicated to all relevant parties: 

• Design concept;
• Construction drawings (erection and dismantling plans);
• Calculations (summary);
• Risk assessments and safe work method statements (erection and dismantling plans);
• Site layout plans;
• Wind management plans (taking account of gusting winds);
• Fire resistance certificates;
• Contractors competence (association/accreditation);
• Crew training/competency certificates;
• Structural completion certificates (sign off/handover certificates);
• Emergency contingency plans for structures;
• Lifting equipment and lifting accessory certificates of thorough examination and test. 

A suitable system of maintenance and inspection with the TDS contractor must be agreed. 

Fairs and Amusements

Fairgrounds and areas where amusement devices are placed are considered in health and safety circles as high-risk environments and therefore require greater controls. Whilst activities of this nature will be permitted on council land, these activities will be excluded from general event licences and will need to be the subject of a separate licence between the operator and the council. In addition to measures already discussed within this document, there are a number of other requirements that must be considered.

Devices shall not be used on council owned property (land or in buildings) until all the relevant documentation is supplied, and that adherence with the HSE’s codes of practice and guidelines and the councils own requirements is formally agreed. 

The event organiser shall draw to the attention of those providing fairground rides the Health and Safety Executive publication HSG175 - Fairgrounds and Amusement Parks to which they should comply. It should also be noted that the Council is requested by the HSE to compile a list of fairground type events taking place on its land. This list is passed through to the local HSE office. The HSE make unannounced visits to inspect safety standards at fixed and travelling fairs. They look at the levels of compliance with the standards set out in HSG175 (including maintenance of an up-to date operations manual containing all relevant documentation, e.g. the Declaration of Operational Compliance (DOC). They check that the DOC has been signed by a proven, competent inspection body, approved by the Amusement Devices Inspection Procedures Scheme (ADIPS).

Any showman or amusement device supplier providing fairground rides or amusement devices, for your event must supply the Council with the details of their:

• Insurance cover;
• Certification (ADIPS) for each device;
• Risk assessments; and 
• A detailed plan of the site.  

Note: If the device supplier does not belong to an association then an ADIPS type certification would be acceptable, providing that this certificate covers all the areas covered by an ADIP certificate and that the inspection etc is carried out by a competent person.

The controller of the ride must carry out inspections in accordance with HSG175 and complete a logbook, which is readily available for inspection by the relevant Council representative.

Inflatables

If a bouncy castle or other such inflatable device is to be provided, it must be erected and operated in accordance with HSE Guidance and have a certificate issued by either the National Association for Leisure Industry Certification (NAFLIC); the Inflatable Play Manufacturers Association Inspection Scheme (IPMA); or Amusement Devices Inspection Procedures Scheme (ADIPS) appointed inspection body. In addition, each inflatable must have a clearly displayed and current, genuine inspection tag, denoting that it has been inspected by a competent inspector in accordance with the Performance Textiles Inflatable Play Accreditation (PIPA) Scheme. Verification that an inflatable has been inspected can be obtained via the PIPA website, by entering the relevant identification number of the inflatable.

Trampolines

Operators must be members of the British Gymnastics Association (formerly British Trampoline Federation), and follow their code of practice.

It should be noted that free fall bungee type rides, are not allowed on Council land. Please discuss your requirements regarding this type of ride with the Council’s representative.

Coin-operated children's rides 

This guidance has been developed in accordance with the steps and checks required by HSG175. The main features of the scheme consist of:

• Requirements for pre-use and in-service annual inspections; and
• The uses of a standard Declaration of Operational Compliance (DOC) form following annual test (thorough examination) and initial test inspections.  

Registered inspection bodies for coin-operated children's rides need to comply with similar, but simplified, registration requirements to other registered inspection bodies. Inspection bodies registered under the main scheme already meet this requirement. The scheme has two separate service quality schedules corresponding to the two inspections required by coin-operated children's rides: the pre-service initial test and the in-service annual test. 

The principal difference from the main scheme is that there is no need for the inspection body to be independent of the operating or ride manufacturing company. This does not mean that the standards for such rides should be lowered, as both inspection bodies and controllers need to follow the guidance in the relevant parts of HSG175.

Controllers need to have the following documentation before they use coin-operated children's rides:

• Declaration of Operational Compliance (DOC); 
• Report of initial test; and 
• Report of the annual test if ride is over one year old. 

Risk Assessment 

Before any amusement device or fairground ride can be used on Council owned land the Council’s representative must be in possession of a risk assessment for that device / ride. The area where the device(s) are to be located will also need a risk assessment.

Insurance 

A minimum limit of £5 million is required in respect of event coverage. It is the organiser’s responsibility to ensure that evidence of cover is obtained and presented to the council. This is in addition to general insurance requirements for events outlined earlier in this document.

Showman’s Guild 

Many fair grounds and amusement device operators are members of the Showman’s Guild. As a member of the Showman’s Guild members receive ‘member benefits’ such as help with their insurance cover. If your fair ground or amusement device provider is a member of the guild then you will also need to provide their membership number as proof before the council can accept their different insurance cover details. The membership number is usually annotated on the ADIPS DOC. This should be checked by the organiser.

Site Plan 

You should include as much detail as possible on your site plan. It will need to show any or all of the following were appropriate:

The distances between each ride/device; 

• Access/egress points; 
• Emergency vehicle routes; 
• Fire points; 
• Car parking areas; 
• Pedestrian routes; 
• Pedestrian barriers.

This list is not exhaustive.