Community Centres terms of hire

Crawley Borough Council (“the council”) agrees to hire a community centre ("the venue") to the person detailed in the online booking confirmation (“the hirer”), for the purpose of the specified event.

• regular hirer means a hirer who books 12 or more regular events at a particular venue in any calendar year
• occasional hirer means a hirer who books a one off or occasional event

Where there a difference in the terms and conditions related to regular and occasional hirers, this is noted in the terms.

Where the term hirer on its own is used, it refers to all hirers.

Any breach of these terms and conditions may result in immediate ejection from the venue and refusal of hire in the future.

Subject to section 4, the council grants the hirer for the hire period (the “hire period”) a right to enter and use the venue in accordance with these conditions. The hirer accepts and acknowledges the following:

1. The hirer or a designated responsible adult (aged 21 or over) must be on site throughout the hire period
2. The hirer will be in charge of all security during the event
3. The hirer must make sure there are suitable policies and procedures in place for the safeguarding of all users, including child protection
4. The hirer must make sure the building is vacated on time, quietly and rooms have been left clean and tidy
5. The hirer agrees not to do or permit to be done anything on the venue which may be or become a nuisance (whether actionable or not), annoyance, inconvenience or disturbance to the council or to any other hirers of the venue, or occupiers of neighbouring property
6. All hirers should leave no more than one bin bag of rubbish in the community centre bins. Please take all excess rubbish home with you to avoid overflow in the communal bin area

1. Crawley Borough Council has a responsibility to eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation; prevent people being drawn into terrorism; advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between different groups so will not hire its community centres or spaces to anyone or organisation in conflict with those aims
2. The council will not hire premises or spaces for purposes that conflict with our policies on Equality and Diversity, Safeguarding, Counter Terrorism and Security, or that are in breach of the Equality Act 2010, Children Act 2004, Human Rights Act 1998, Care Act 2014 and the Counter Terrorism and Security Act 2015. This legislation will also be taken into account when considering whether to accept a booking
3. The council also reserves the right to not hire premises or spaces to people or organisations whose views or conduct are not in accordance with the Public Sector Equality duty to:

• eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation
• prevent people being drawn into terrorism
• advance equality of opportunity between different groups
• foster good relations between different groups

4. The council will not hire premises for purposes that are likely to cause offence to public taste and decency, except where the possible offence is balanced or outweighed by other factors (e.g. freedom of expression or artistic merit). This will ultimately be determined by the Facilities Manager who will make a determination as to whether to hire the premises or space on a case by case basis
5. The council will report individuals or organisations to the Police if it is believed that they may have committed a public order or incitement to hatred offence (or any other criminal offence) on council premises
6. When hiring the premises or spaces, the council expects the hirer to observe exemplary standards of behaviour and conduct with regard to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults. The hirer is responsible for being fully aware of issues concerning the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults. 
7. Any possible risks involved in proposed activities must be considered by the hirer and appropriate action must be taken to protect everyone involved. The council reserves the right to cancel any bookings where the safeguarding conditions within its safeguarding policy are not adhered to

1. The on-duty Facilities Officer can be reached on 07702 847 765 or 01293 438362
2. Regular hirer: The on-duty officer will meet you for your first hire to unlock for you and will provide you with a key for your future hires
3. Occasional hirer: The on site duty officer will meet you at the venue at the start of your hire
4. The Hirer is responsible for ensuring the venue is securely locked at the end of the hire period and shall indemnify the council for any loss or damage suffered as result of the hirer’s negligence in this regard

1. Regular hirers can make payment online, by direct debit or by telephone at the time of booking. Funds must be received one month in advance of your hire
2. Occasional hirers can make payment online or via telephone at the time of booking. Funds must be received at the time of booking
3. If you are applying for either a Temporary Events Notice (TEN) or Security Industry Authority (SIA) door supervisors, then we cannot accept any payment until three working days after we have received a copy of the TEN, or we have checked the names and numbers of the SIA door staff. Once these have taken place then we will advise you that we are now in a position to accept full payment. If no TEN or SIA door supervisors are required, then we will proceed with the booking payment in full. See section 7 for more information
4. Any damage or breakages incurred during your hire, will be the your responsibility – we will invoice the hirer to recover these costs
5. Please note, our prices change annually on 1 April

1. The hirer can cancel before 4 weeks of the booking taking place without being charged. Any cancellation within 4 weeks prior to the booking will be charged in full
2. The council may cancel the booking without notice in the event of any security alert or emergency or any other reason or cause outside the control of the council. In the event of any booking being cancelled by the council any fees paid by the hirer will be refunded to the hirer but the council shall not be liable or required to pay compensation for any loss sustained as a result of or in any way arising out of the cancellation of the booking 
3. The Council may cancel the booking if the Hirer has misrepresented to the council the purpose for which the booking has been made or if the Hirer is in material breach of these conditions. In such circumstances the full fee paid shall be forfeited by the hirer
4. The council reserves the right to ask the hirer, its agents, servants, guests and invitees to leave on the basis of unacceptable behaviour amounting to a breach of these conditions. In such circumstances the full fee paid shall be forfeited 
5. The council will make every effort to keep facilities open in the event of bad weather. Please check on our website to see whether there are any disruptions

1. The council does not allow the following within our community centres and its grounds:

• gas
• fireworks
• sky lanterns
• smoke, bubble or dry ice machines
• hard footballs
• naked flames - with the exception of small cake candles (excluding sparkler candles)

2. It is the hirer’s responsibility to ensure the total number of people attending, does not exceed the maximum capacity allowed for the venue hired and that their event complies with health and safety and general legislation
3. All hirers must read the fire safety note on our website. This website also has helpful advice about safe use of electrical equipment and bouncy castles, as well as information about selling tickets, alcohol and temporary events notices

1. Any loss, damage or breakages incurred during your hire is the hirer’s responsibility and he/she must report it to the Facilities Officer immediately on 07702 847 765
2. The council has obtained insurance cover in respect of its own legal liability for individual claims which cannot be excluded by law and nothing in these conditions limits any liability which cannot legally be limited, including liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence and fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation
3. The hirer is responsible for making its own arrangements for the insurance of loss, damage or for third party claims. It is recommended that the Hirer obtains insurance cover in respect of all risks which may be incurred by the hirer, arising out of the booking such as cancellations. The hirer should have sufficient public liability insurance
4. The council does not provide a first aid kit in the community centres

1. As the Police consider these events to be high risk, we are required to notify the police licensing team the full name and address of the person the party is being arranged for. Once the licencing team confirm the event can take place we will ask you to employ SIA accredited door staff
2. To confirm your booking you will need to provide our office with their full names and SIA registration number. You will require two SIA staff for up to 100 guests and one additional door staff for every 50 guests thereafter
3. Door staff must be provided with a list of invited guests to ensure the numbers are adhered to. When booking a party it may be anticipated that some of the guests will still be 17 years old or younger, it is the responsibility of the hirer to ensure an individual under 18 years of age does not consume alcohol in any of our community centres, as these are not licensed premises

Further information and guidance on Security Industry Authority is available on the GOV.UK website.