Introduction

This policy is to promote the safe and responsible use of our facilities by making sure that Council-owned spaces are not used to spread extremist messages and ideologies.

Policy objectives

• Compliance with Prevent – Adhering to the Prevent duty by carrying out basic checks to reduce the risk of our venues being used for activities that could lead to radicalisation or extremism.
• Safety and Security – Take basic steps to make sure that events and activities do not pose a risk to attendees or the wider community.
• Inclusivity – Promote an inclusive atmosphere where diversity is respected, and all individuals feel valued and safe.
• Transparency – Provide clear guidelines and procedures for booking and using our venues, ensuring all users understand their responsibilities.

The types of venues covered by this policy include:

• Council owned and operated
• Libraries
• Leisure centres, including changing rooms
• Community centres and community assets
• Children’s centres

This list is not exhaustive, and any person concerned with the booking or hiring of Council owned and operated property should consult this guidance.

If you have concerns around arrangements for privately run events that are not held on Council premises, please refer to the Event Safety page.

Our policy

Somerset Council will not allow its venues or spaces to be used by:

• Any group that is banned or proscribed by law
• Organisations, groups or individuals who do not conform to our values (Equality, Fairness and Inclusivity)

Additionally, council spaces will not be used for political rallies, or demonstrations which spread hatred, intolerance, or any breach of criminal law.

In line with these aims, groups and individuals who wish to use Council spaces will be asked to provide sufficient information to allow Council staff to carry out basic safeguarding checks.

The information request will be used to verify:

• The identity of the individual who making the booking.
• If they are making the booking on behalf or a group or organisation, and if so, what is the nature or aims of that group
• The reason for the meeting or nature of the event the space is intended to be used for

Based on the findings, the Council may refuse to allow the use of its spaces where adherence to the Prevent duty cannot be confirmed with a reasonable degree of confidence.

To this end, the use of spaces and venue may be denied where requests for basic information are refused or go unanswered.

Cancellation

The Council reserves the right to refuse to grant, or cancel, permission with immediate effect:

• If any or all parts of the event are considered by the Council, in its reasonable opinion, to be harmful in any way; by way of inciting violence, hatred or extremism of any kind.
• If the organisers are found to have falsely represented the event at the time of booking and are subsequently found to breach the principles set out here.

Supporting Legislation

This Policy is in place to ensure that Somerset Council meets its statutory responsibility with regards to several pieces of legislation.

• Statutory guidance issued under s29 of the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 makes explicit reference to the `Use of local authority resources’ and outlines expectations of partnership working and that `, local authorities should ensure that publicly-owned venues and resources do not provide a platform for extremists and are not used to disseminate extremist views’ through the establishment of a responsible booking policy for public venues.

• As a responsible authority under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, the Council also has a statutory duty to work in partnership with other agencies to reduce and prevent crime. Maintaining public order is a priority for a Local Authority and the Police, therefore when an event poses a risk to the general public, there are grounds to review and reconsider venue hire. Where the property is not under Local Authority control, they can provide advice to the property owners/occupiers.

• The Human Rights Act 1998 sets out the fundamental rights and freedoms that everyone in the UK is entitled to. In some limited situations, certain freedoms are qualified meaning that public authorities may interfere with them. This is only possible where the authority can show that its action has a proper basis in law, and is necessary and ‘proportionate’ in order to protect public safety, public order, Health or morals, the rights and freedoms of other people.

• The Equality Act 2010 requires public bodies to have due regard to the need to eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct prohibited by the Act as well as advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and people who do not. The latter relates to the need to tackle prejudice and promote understanding.