Councils unite to set up events safety group

Membership will include PSNI, NI Fire and Rescue Service, the NI Ambulance Service and council officers from a number of services, Emergency Planning and Environmental Health among them.

Council Environmental Services Committee Chair, Councillor Jenny Palmer, said: “The two councils have followed the recommendation by Lord Taylor, after the Hillsborough disaster final report, that each local authority should set up a safety advisory group to provide guidance for local event organisers and to ensure that locally organised events are organised as safely as possible.

“The Lisburn and Castlereagh Safety Advisory Group will be a properly constituted group with formal terms of reference, planned meetings and written procedures.

“We would ask if you are the organiser of an event within the Lisburn City and Castlereagh Borough areas that you please inform us about your event well in advance so we can advise you of the safety requirements and relevant guidance. “

“The types of events the SAG would like to know about are sporting events, fireworks displays, community events, trade shows, open-air concerts, music festivals, historic re-enactments, street parties, animal shows, fairs, fetes, large-scale religious corporate events.”

Application forms are available at www.lisburncity.gov.uk and should be returned by email to [email protected] or by post to: Chairperson Safety Advisory Group, Lisburn City Council, The Island, Lisburn, BT27 4RL

Councillor Palmer added: “The next meeting of the Safety Advisory Group is scheduled for Wednesday 15 October and a selection of event organisers will be invited to attend to discuss their events.”

Safety Advisory Groups do not have statutory powers or responsibilities and are not empowered to approve or prohibit events from taking place.