REPORT TO PICKMERE PARISH COUNCIL
7th March 2023
AGENDA ITEM 9.6 CORONATION OF KING CHARLES III
1. REPORT
Coronation Celebration Event
1.1 Following discussion at your February meeting, your Chair was going to seek to bring about a discussion involving the various interested parties in the parish about the holding of an event to celebrate the Coronation. This was considered to be an event to be organised by the local community, and the Parish Council was not formally involved in it.
1.2 The Chair will comment on progress in this respect, but it is pointed out that if an organisation or person unrelated to (or not previously authorised by) the Council wishes to organise such an event on Council land, then normal practice would require such person/organisation to provide for prior approval:
• confirmation of appropriate event insurance,
• an event licence (if relevant),
• a risk assessment for the holding of the event
• details of arrangements for the event’s organisation – including its aims, who is to be invited, arrangements for entry (is entry to be free or paid), arrangements for refreshments, arrangements for on-the-day management of the event, and then for clearing up afterward, including cleaning of the Pavilion if this is to be used.
1.3 One of the key movers in relation to this project has responded as follows:
“The Pickmere Residents Group would like to hold a Coronation event on the IROS field on Monday 8th May. The event will be a picnic with voluntary entertainment. To provide this I have a group of residents who will be working together to ensure the event is a success. We will have 1st Aid, insurance and a risk assessment in place for the event.”
1.4 It has further been confirmed that access to the Pavilion facilities is also requested. This is intended to be “a very basic event with residents coming with their own picnic and chairs”. The event “is for the residents of the village who would like to join in. Any rubbish would be taken home. The organisers would ensure cleaning of the toilets and mopping of the floor in the Pavilion and a check on the field to make sure it’s left clean and tidy as found.”
1.5 Apparently the insurance is “set up ready to go”.
1.6 It may be helpful to clarify that the equipment contained within the IROS container is owned not by the Parish Council but by Pickmere Community Group, and therefore would not be covered by any Parish Council consent given to the above.
Event to support Coronation celebration
1.6 Separately, a request has been made from Pickmere Residents Association to hold a jumble sale in the Village Hall on 15th April 2023 to raise funds for the Coronation picnic, the request being to book the hall from 9.00 am to 5.00 pm. At the time of writing clarification is awaited as to whether the request is for ‘free’ use of the hall or whether a hire fee is offered.
1.7 In addition, the Association has asked if there would be any objection to having a “bacon buttie van” in the VH car park during the sale to alleviate the need to use the VH kitchen. Again it is not clear whether a rental fee would be offered for such a facility and hopefully further information will be available in time for your Council meeting. However, another key aspect is that such a van, together with the potential congregation of customers waiting to be served etc, is likely to take up a significant part of the small car park, thus meaning more vehicles than would normally be the case having to park on the road throughout the event.
2. RECOMMENDATION
2.1 That the report be noted and Council consider the requests further.
Jack Steel
Clerk to the Parish Council