2012 will see the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and Olympic celebration's which we recognise are very special once in a lifetime occasions and we want to help everyone celebrate. These Guidance Notes and the application form will help you organise your event so it meets all the necessary requirements and leave you free to enjoy the day!

Street parties are a popular way for residents to celebrate major national days of celebration such as Coronations, Royal Weddings and Jubilees. They are a good excuse to get to know your neighbours and can build stronger communities, bringing together people of all ages.

Please let us know about all Street Parties not just those that require a road closure

First things first!

Have you considered holding your event in a nearby park, green, public open space, field, village hall, garden, sports field, pub or other suitable facility? It is much safer for you and your guests and you won’t need to worry about road closures. You will need to seek permission of the land owner and whilst we would like to know about your event, you may not need approval from the councils unless you require a licence for your entertainment, sale of alcohol or music.

Check that the arrangements for your street event don't clash with any other events in your area. We will hold a list of events and you can check our events calendar for those events that have already been planned in your area. If your event does clash with another, you may need to be flexible with the date that you hold your event or may find this is the ideal opportunity to join forces and make it an even bigger community celebration.

Let us know early about your plans and we will be able to advise you. Remember, if two or more events are held at the same time in a local area they can cause traffic problems, so it's a good idea to plan ahead and check with us.

Temporary road closures
Safety is our prime concern for you, your guests and other road users and we will do our very best to advise you so that your event can go ahead. If you are planning a street party or any other event on the public highway you will need to submit the simple application form for approval. This is absolutely essential, even if the road will be closed for just a few minutes. A temporary closure means that all vehicles are kept out but the road is open to pedestrians. Once you have submitted your form, you will receive acknowledgement of receipt. Your local councils will consider your application and aim to respond within 2-3 weeks, so please don’t leave it to the last minute, we may need to discuss other options available to you if there is a conflict with other events. Remember there may be other Olympics / Diamond Jubilee events not necessarily just Street Parties in your area.

Dates for your Event
2012 will prove to be a very busy year in Buckinghamshire for street parties and events, especially as we are a host county for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Please ensure you apply early for your street event to avoid disappointment. You can hold your event on any day throughout 2012, so are not restricted to the bank holiday for the Diamond Jubilee or during the Olympic Games period, but the event must clearly be to celebrate either the Diamond Jubilee or the Olympics.

What's needed for a temporary road closure?
Notification – Please complete the application form and submit to County Council's Roadspace Management Team  streetparties@buckscc.gov.uk

They hope to provide a response within 2-3 weeks, but as the event draws closer and volume of applications increases, this may take longer, so please submit your application in plenty of time.

• Legal fees - You'll be glad to know that the district and county councils will share the legal fees and meet the cost of the statutory advertising involved which means the organisers will not be charged for the legal costs associated with applying for road closures.

• Public liability insurance - BCC recommends that for all street parties organisers have public liability insurance of not less than £2 million pounds for a traditional street party.
For events of a larger nature it is a requirement that cover is obtained for not less than £5 million. We would consider this necessary where the party/event is being advertised to the wider community, where tickets are being sold or where entertainment is being provided.

This can be obtained for a small premium from a reputable insurance broker.
• Example of insurance brokers
http://www.financeredirect.co.uk/insuranceproducts/streetevent/index.htm

http://www.events-insurance.co.uk/pages/royal-wedding-street-parties

http://street-event-insurance.com/

Buckinghamshire County Council does not promote any one company and many others are available on line.

• Signage - You will need to tell us the extent of the proposed closure and may need to consider any diversions for through traffic, particularly if the alternative route is long. The County Council's Road Space Management Team can give you advice about what signs may be required and where they need to be placed, we will try to keep this to a minimum, but signs and barriers are required to keep you, your guests and other road users safe and ensure your closure meets the legal requirements. The event organiser is responsible for providing, putting up and removing all signs afterwards. The AA, RAC or reputable traffic management company will be able to help you with these if you feel unable to do so, but they will make a charge. Signs giving advance warning of the closure should be displayed a week before the event to advise road users of the closure.

Companies that may be able to supply signage:
Street Furnishings Ltd: Tel: 01189 404717
Graphiti Art Ltd: www.graphitiart.co.uk 01628 674264

You are advised not to make your own signs or use inappropriate barriers to close the road. Buckinghamshire County Council does not promote any one company and many others are available on line.

• Emergency services - The council will liaise with the emergency services on your behalf. There will be numerous different types of celebrations, so early notice of your event is essential to enable the emergency services to plan ahead.

• Safety - You are advised to carry out a risk assessment for your event so you are well prepared for any possible eventuality. An example of a risk assessment form can be found on: www.sampleforms.org/event-risk-assessment-form.html

Site Clearance
The event organiser should ensure that the site is clear after the event and that no litter is left on the highway.

Further Advice
Further information is available from the County Council's Roadspace Management Team on 0845 2302882 or by email to streetparties@buckscc.gov.uk.

Bucks County Council have further information on their website including a toolkit you can download to help support and celebrate this occasion. It offers advice on road closures, licensing, insurance and possible ways to celebrate www.buckscc.gov.uk/bcc/leisure/street_parties.page

A few other points to remember:
• Emergency services vehicles will need access at all times with a minimum of 3.5m width available.

•  If you intend to sell alcohol, a Temporary Event Notice will be required. Please contact the district council's licensing team: licensing@aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk You may also need a temporary event notice if you intend to have outside music.

• Liaise with your neighbours. Remember, not everyone may wish to be part of your celebrations, so out of courtesy, advise everyone of what is happening, when and where.

• You must have contingency plans in place in case of accidents, medical emergencies, fire etc. These should be covered by your risk assessment document. Don't forget "The Event Safety Guide" is available as a free download of the document at: www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/priced/hsg195.pdf

• If you wish to hold any other kind of event on the public highway to celebrate these special occasions, please contact the Roadspace Management Team in the first instance.

Date Updated: 13/03/12