| Licence summary | If you operate a sports ground that holds more than 10,000 spectators, you may be required to hold a safety certificate. A safety certificate may be either:
You must comply with any terms or conditions attached to a certificate. Fee details are available upon application. A one-off safety inspection is carried out before a permanent licence is issued. The Safety of Sports Grounds Act 1975 (as amended by the Fire Safety and Safety of Place Act 1987) is concerned with the safeguarding of spectators at sports grounds, but not with risks inherent in participation in the sporting activity or with safeguarding employees. Thurrock Council is a 'Certifying Authority' for sports grounds located in the borough. Certifying Authorities are required to issue safety certificates for grounds designated by the Secretary of State. Designated grounds are those with a capacity of more than 10,000, or in the case of Premier or Football League ground more than 5,000. Thurrock currently does not have a sports ground coming into this category. The certificate contains such terms and conditions as the Certifying Authority considers necessary or expedient to secure reasonable safety at the stadium when it is in use for the specified activity or activities. The specified activities could include non-sporting activities in addition to the sporting activities which initially attract the application of the Act. Certifying Authorities have similar powers in respect of regulated stands. These are stands which have a capacity of 500 or more spectators under cover at any sports ground. There are a few 'Regulated Stands' in Thurrock. Officers from a Certifying Authority have the power to enter and inspect any sports ground and can issue a notice prohibiting or restricting the admission of spectators to a sports ground or to any part of it (whether or not the ground is designated) if the risk to their safety is judged to be serious enough to justify doing so. When required, the council will co-ordinate safety group meetings for sports grounds, bringing together representatives from the sports ground management, police, ambulance and fire services. Reference should be made to the 'Guide to Safety at Sports Grounds' which was issued jointly by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Scottish Home and Health Department. This publication, known as the 'Green Guide', provides advice to ground management and certifying authorities in order to assist them in the assessment of how many spectators can be safely accommodated in a sports ground. The guide contains advice on all aspects of safety and applies equally to all sports. It has no statutory force but its recommendations will be given force of law at individual grounds by their inclusion in safety certificates issued under the 1975 or 1987 Acts. |
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| Eligibility criteria | To be eligible for a safety certificate, you must be likely to be in a position to prevent contravention of the terms and conditions of a certificate. |
| Regulation summary | A summary of the eligibility criteria for this licence |
| Application evaluation process | Applicants must provide requested information and plans to the council within the time specified. If the applicant fails to provide the requested information within the specified time the application will be deemed to have been withdrawn. The council will consider if the applicant is in a position to prevent any breach of the terms and conditions of a certificate. The council must send a copy of an application for a safety certificate to the chief police officer of the area, and the fire and rescue authority. Each of these bodies must be consulted about the terms and conditions to be included in a certificate. If an application is made to transfer a certificate the council must determine if the person to whom the certificate is to be transferred, if they made an application, would qualify for the issue of a certificate. The applicant may be the current holder of the certificate or the person to whom the certificate is to be transferred. The council must send a copy of a transfer application to the chief police officer of the area, and the fire and rescue authority. They shall consult them about any proposed amendment, replacement or transfer. |
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| Failed application redress | Please contact the council in the first instance. Any applicant who is refused a safety certificate because they are not considered to be an eligible person can appeal to the Magistrates court. An applicant who is refused a special safety certificate may also appeal to the Magistrates court against a refusal of his application based on grounds other than a decision that they are not an eligible person. |
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| Licence holder redress | Please contact the council in the first instance. Any licence holder who wishes to appeal against a condition attached to, or the omission of anything from, their safety certificate, or against the refusal to amend or replace a safety certificate, may appeal to the Magistrates court. They may also appeal to the county court against an order of the Magistrate's court. |
| Consumer complaint | We would always advise that in the event of a complaint the first contact is made with the trader by you - preferably in the form a letter (with proof of delivery). If that has not worked, if you are located in the UK, Consumer Direct will give you advice. From outside the UK contact the UK European Consumer Centre. |
| Other redress | Any person concerned in ensuring compliance with the terms and conditions of the safety certificate may appeal to the Magistrate's court against any condition attached to, or the omission of anything from, a safety certificate, or against the refusal to amend or replace a safety certificate. |
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01375 652652
01375 652359
