Safety Certificate for Regulated Stands at Sports Grounds

Licence summary

If you operate a sports ground in the City of Westminster which is not designated as requiring a safety certificate, you will still require a safety certificate for any covered stand that holds 500 or more spectators.  A safety certificate for the stands are issued under the provisions of Part III of the Fire Safety and Safety of Places of Sport Act 1987.

A safety certificate may be either:

• a general safety certificate which covers the use of the stand for viewing an activity, or a number of activities, specified in the certificate for an indefinite period which starts on a specified date; or
• a special safety certificate which covers the use of the stand for viewing a certain specified activity or activities on a certain specified occasion or occasions.

One certificate may cover more than one stand.

Certificates are obtained from the Council and the licensee must comply with any conditions attached to a certificate.

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for a general safety certificate, you must be the person responsible for:

• the management of the ground; or
• the activity to be viewed from the stand on that occasion.

Regulation Summary

A summary of the regulation relating to this licence are available here.

Application Evaluation Process

Applicants must provide requested information and plans to the Licensing Authority within the time specified. If it is not provided within the permitted time the application will be deemed to have been withdrawn.

The Licensing Authority will determine if any stand in their area is a regulated stand. If it is determined that it is, a notice will be served on the person who appears would qualify to be issued with a general safety certificate. The notice will give details of their determination and the effects of the determination.

When the Licensing Authority receives an application for a general safety certificate for a regulated stand at a sports ground they must determine if the stand is a regulated stand and if it if the applicant is the person who qualifies for the issue of the certificate. If they have already determined that the stand is a regulated stand and have not revoked this decision, they must decide if the applicant is the person who qualifies for the issue of the general safety certificate.

If the Licensing Authority receives an application for a special safety certificate for a regulated stand they must determine if the applicant qualifies for the issue of a certificate.

The Licensing Authority must send a copy of an application for a safety certificate to the chief police officer of the area, the fire and rescue authority and the building 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 Licensing Authority 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 Licensing Authority will send a copy of the application to the chief police officer of the area, the fire and rescue authority and the building authority and shall consult them about any proposed amendment, replacement or transfer.

Will Tacit Consent Apply?

No. It is in the public interest that the authority must process your application before it can be granted. If you have not heard from the Licensing Authority within a reasonable period, please contact us. You can do this online if you applied through the UK Welcomes service [https://online.ukwelcomes.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/BGAuthenticate?site=2000] or use the contact details below.

Apply

To apply for a licence you can either apply online by clicking on the relevant application type or you can complete the forms below and send them to the council in the post.

Apply for a sport ground safety certificate



Tell us about a change to your existing circumstances

Register

A public register is available to view at the Council's Offices during normal office hours.  To make an appointment to view the register please contact the Licensing Service on 020 7641 8548 or alterntively email generallicensing@westminster.gov.uk.

Failed Application Redress

Please contact the Licensing Authority in the first instance.

Any applicant who is refused a general safety certificate because they are not considered to be an eligible person can appeal to the City of Westminster Magistrates' Court, 70 Horseferry Road, London SW1P 2AX.

An applicant who is refused a special safety certificate may also appeal to the court against a refusal based on grounds other than a decision that they are not an eligible person.

Licence Holder Redress

Please contact the Licensing Authority 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 City of Westminster Magistrates' Court, 70 Horseferry Road, London SW1P 2AX.

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.

The council operates a complaints procedure.  To view the complaints procedure or to make a complaint relating to the service you have received please click here.

Other Redress

Any person who is served with a notice determining that a sports stand is a regulated sports stand may appeal to the City of Westminster Magistrates' Court, 70 Horseferry Road, London SW1P 2AX.

Any person concerned with ensuring compliance with the terms and conditions of the safety certificate may appeal to the City of Westminster Magistrates' 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.

If there is a concern about noise, pollution, etc please contact Westminster City Council's Environmental Action Line on 020 7641 2000 (24 hrs) or email environmentalactionline@westminster.gov.uk.  Also should any person has a complaint relating to a licensed premises or suspect a premises is operating without the required licence please contact the Council's Licensing Inspectiors on 020 7641 3385 or email premiseslicensinginspectorate@westminster.gov.uk.

Any complaints relating to the manner in which the application has been dealt with by the Council should be made in the usual way by clicking here.

Trade Associations

Federation of Sports and Play Associations (FSPA)

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