Apply to hold an event in Walsall

Event organisers are responsible for planning, organising and running events. To host an event, you need to:

• complete an event planning application
• create an event management plan (EMP)
• ensure your event is in line with government guidance
• conduct a risk assessment
• provide proof of public liability insurance
• provide food hygiene certificates and insurance

Apply to hold an event

If you want to host an event within Walsall Borough, you need to complete an event planning application.

This application will be reviewed by the Walsall safety advisory group (known as SAG). SAG offers advice and guidance to event organisers. The group is made up of council services and the emergency services.

SAG meeting dates

SAG meet regularly via Teams to review event applications. Meetings start at 10am on:

• 30 October 2024
• 27 November 2024
• 18 December 2024

You can find more information in the SAG's terms of reference document.

As the organiser, it's up to you to make sure your event is held correctly. We aren't responsible for advice you get from outside organisations, agencies and bodies, or if industry advice and guidance has changed.

What you should include in your EMP

As an event organiser, you're responsible for the safety of people attending and working at the event. An EMP ensures that you're able to do this.

EMPs are used to help organisers and anyone involved understand:

• what kind of event it will be
• what safety arrangements are in place
• how the event will be managed

How detailed your plan is depends on the event you're holding. Within your plan, you should include:

• who is responsible for safety at the event
• how people working at the event will communicate with each other
• what action will be taken in case of an emergency

SAG can work with you to build out this plan if needed.

Covering health and safety in your EMP

Your EMP must cover the topics within Health and Safety Executive’s event safety guide. You will also need to consider what you will do about:

• welfare and sanitary facilities including accessible toilets, baby changing, etc.
• noise management
• traffic control in and around the site
• medical cover/facilities
• waste management (including collection/disposal)
• lost children policy/procedures
• special effects (pyrotechnics, lasers, etc) if necessary

Read more find more information about health safety and event insurance.

Government guidance

The government's 'can do' guide for event organisers covers a range of events and is not specific to open air/outdoor events.

Who to contact within the council

You will need to contact various teams within the council as part of your application. These teams, as well as reasons you may need to contact them for your event, are listed below.

Notifying the police and ambulance service

You will need to contact West Midlands Police and West Midlands Ambulance Service to let them know you're hosting a large event. They can advise you about event safety and potential risk of injury.

It also means that they can provide appropriate medical support if needed.

The police can't close any roads for your event. Find out more about traffic management at your event.

Promoting your event

There are rules about where you can display posters and signs on council land like streets, street furniture and lamp columns. If you want to put signs up on non-council land, you will need to get permission from the landowner.

If you have any questions about your event application, you can email SAG.