Events safety information for organisers

About SAG

SAG is made up of members from Durham County Council, the police, the fire and rescue service and the ambulance service. SAG's role is to promote and encourage high standards of public safety and wellbeing at events held in County Durham.

SAG has an additional duty on our behalf to ensure that any event which is to be held on our land has all appropriate safety measures and legal certification in place before permission is granted to use the land for the event. A minimum of £5million public liability insurance is required for all events, except for fireworks events which require a minimum of £10million.

Events on council land

If your event is to be held on council land you must contact the Council's Corporate Property and Land team who will assist you in gaining permission. 

A minimum of six weeks advance notice is required to arrange a Licence to Occupy and a minimum fee of £60 will be charged to cover some of the cost in producing this.

Risk Assessment information

Health and safety risk assessment 

By law, you must protect workers and others you employ (including contractors, volunteers, customers and other users) from risks to their health and safety

The Health and Safety Executive has produced detailed information that will help you ensure that your event is safe for you, your staff and your customers: Health and Safety Executive (HSE): event safety

Useful links

The following links may help you make sure your event is as safe as possible:

• Health and Safety Executive (HSE): event safety
• Gov.uk: Organising a street party
• Gov.uk: Reducing the spread of respiratory infections, including COVID-19, in the workplace
• Events Industry Forum
• Purple Guide

If you have any further questions on planning your event, please contact us.

Tell us about your event

If you notify us of your proposed event, SAG will provide relevant guidance and feedback. For large events (more than 500 people), please contact us with your event details at least six months before the event takes place. For smaller events (less than 500 people), this should be at least three months before the event takes place. 

National Counter Terrorism Security Office guidance

As part of organising your event it's important to consider security. To help event/security managers, the National Counter Terrorism Security Office have issued guidance on increasing the protection of crowded places from a terrorist attack:

• ProtectUK