Hosting an event

Safety Advisory Group (SAG)

Events classed as a major or large scale must be assessed by our Safety Advisory Group (SAG). Please read the terms of reference.

The SAG forum provides specialist independent advice to event organisers to promote high levels of safety and welfare at events, and are made up of representatives from:

• Kingston Council (representatives and service leads):
  • Chair
  • Administrative support 
  • Neighbourhood Managers
  • Community Safety
  • Licensing
  • Resilience Planning
  • Highways
  • Green Spaces / Parks Contractor
  • Environmental Health
  • Waste Services
  • Food Safety
• Metropolitan Police Service
• London Fire Brigade 
• London Ambulance Service
• Independent member(s): Non Category 1 representation.

You may be requested to attend a SAG meeting to discuss your event application in more detail if:

• 500 people or more are expected to attend
• road closures and/or traffic management is necessary
• alcohol is available or easily accessible
• amplified music is played (live, recorded or synthesised)
• the use of leisure waters are part of the event (e.g. river)
• major incident response requirements may need to be considered
• the event is considered unusual for the type of space that is being used or the area proposed is not usually used for events
• the event is a specialist event (e.g. festival/carnival)
• the area proposed is not usually used for events
• the event is a specialist event (e.g. festival/carnival)

The SAG will provide you with advice and recommendations to support your event taking place safely.

Crowd Management Plan

An essential part of any event management process is crowd management for your planned event. The purpose of the plan is to ensure that a large gathering of people is managed in an orderly and problem free manner. Without a crowd management plan in place events can be put at high risk that may result in general public disorder, personal injury and lead to fatalities.

The best way forward in crowd management is to focus on preventing incidents rather than responding to them.

Here are some useful sources of information on crowd safety.

• Working with Crowds - A site dedicated to the world of crowd safety management.
• Review of Crowd Behaviours - Understanding Crowd Behaviours: Guidance and Lessons Identified.
• Health and Safety Executive - Assess crowd safety risks and identify hazards.
• Health and Safety Executive - Managing crowds safely.
• Crowd Safety and Crowd Risk Analysis - The information on the website is for the specific purpose of collating reports of incidents to illustrate the common features associated with crowd safety.
• The Guardian news article - Crowd crushes: how disasters like Itaewon happen, how can they be prevented, and the ‘stampede’ myth.
• Wired news article - How Peaceful Crowds Turn Into a Deadly Crush
• Crowd Management at Mega Events: Lessons Learned and Preventions - Four crowd management strategies are thought to be capable of preventing major crowd disasters.

Counter-Terrorism and Security

The threat of terrorism in the UK is real, but with a little knowledge you can increase your safety and help protect yourself against a terrorist attack. Crowded places, events, public transport, and iconic locations throughout the country are some examples of locations that could be potential targets for terrorists.  

Below are some useful sources of information on Counter-Terrorism and Security:

• The Purple Guide - Counter Terrorism Chapter | ProtectUK
• Learn the importance of counter terrorism and security through ProtectUK's training
• ACT - Counter Terrorism training
• Report suspicious activity
• See, Check and Notify (SCaN) training

Kingston’s local area Counter Terrorism Protect Officer from the Metropolitan Police Service can offer counter terrorism advice. Should you wish to make contact with them please email events@kingston.gov.uk.