Safety framework for public events ‘insufficient’

Lord Taylor recommended establishing SAGs in his report following the 1989 Hillsborough disaster, primarily to consider public safety at football stadiums.

However, Skeer said that threats and risks to public safety had “changed dramatically over the last 20 years”.

“Music concerts, fairs, airshows and celebrations have all been the setting for serious injury and deaths, she said.

“Sadly, occasions that bring together large crowds of people have also been a target for those causing harm and fear through acts of terrorism.”

Skeer said it was in relation to the arrangements for these events “that we found the framework to be insufficient”.

“We are concerned that the lack of legislation and statutory guidance for non-sporting events is leading to widespread inconsistencies in the police’s public safety operations,” Skeer said.

“They, and the public, deserve clarity so that police forces can work with local authorities and event organisers to protect the public.

“That is why we are calling for the government to carry out a review of public safety arrangements at events and the wider issues our inspection raises.

“This review, alongside the wider recommendations we make, will help make vital improvements to event safety.”

In all, the report made 37 recommendations, including the development of a national risk matrix for events, to include a threshold for escalation to a regional or national level.

It also proposed revised guidance for those involved in SAGs, and appropriate training for SAG chairs.

The report similarly called on the UK Resilience Academy to introduce a national oversight and monitoring function for SAGs.

It also suggested a requirement on the College of Policing to refresh the training on public safety command courses to encourage commanders to recognise, declare and manage critical and major incidents associated with events.