Event Resources

Any organisation holding an event must have public liability insurance (PLI) and provide a copy of this insurance to Council before the event can be approved. The insurance may cover the organisation annually or it may be specifically for the event. Singleton Council must be listed as an interested party on the event organiser’s certificate of currency. This can be organised through the event organiser’s insurance company. Organisers should consider obtaining legal advice prior to the event. Items that warrant consideration include:

• liability for injuries
• liability for acts or omissions
• liability for financial obligations incurred in responding to major emergencies occasioned by the event

Most organisations have insurance cover for events held on land, however, most public liability policies exclude water based events.

Any events that include activities on the water such as canoe races, cross-lake swims, boat races or sail-pasts in their events should first contact their insurance company, as additional insurance cover may be required. In this instance, the event should be specifically listed on your coverage. 

All other parties engaged for the event, including but not limited to contractors, operators and performers, must supply a PLI certificate to you prior to the event. It is your responsibility to hold a copy of all insurances and other relevant certificates on-site during the event.

Council requires a risk assessment to be submitted as part of our event application process. 

Click here to download the risk assessment template*

The weather is an important consideration for the safety, comfort, and enjoyment of attendees at outdoor events. It is important to consider:

• potential weather impacts and to include them in your risk management plan
• the impact of adverse weather on the bump-in and bump-out of your event
• the climate of your location when choosing a date for your event (some months are typically hot, cold, wet, dry, clear or cloudy).
• solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation levels for daytime events
• arrangements to deal with adverse weather conditions, such as shelter, water, first aid, sun cream, insect repellent and heating how to secure structures and dangerous items
• how to protect leads and wiring
• provision of pathways over muddy areas
• insurance to protect you against financial loss in the case of cancellation

In the case of extreme weather, it may be necessary to cancel or postpone your event to ensure public safety and security. Before the event, you should establish:

• conditions for cancellation/postponement and how you will share these with attendees (such as on the event’s website, social media pages or the reverse of tickets)
• who is responsible for deciding to cancel/postpone
• at what time you need to make a decision about cancelling or postponing an event
• how you will advise staff, volunteers, performers and attendees of the cancellation or postponement
• contingency plans if your event is still able to go ahead (document these plans and provide to staff and volunteers during the pre-event briefing).

It is advisable to monitor weather forecasts in the lead-up to your event so you can plan for the predicted weather conditions. On the day, consider sharing up-to-date weather information and any aspects of the event that may be affected (eg paths and facilities) through social media and other communication channels. This can help attendees make informed decisions about attending, particularly guests with accessibility needs.

Click here to download the weather contingency plan.

Any road closure within the local road network system must be submitted to Council for consideration and approval. A road closure can be a partial road closure (one lane closed), a full road closure or a moving road closure such as marathons, fun runs, cycling events, parades and marches. NSW Police can assist with moving road closures on a user-pays system. Some cycleways and footpaths are considered ‘road reserve’ rather than community land and events on these areas must also be approved by Council.

A Traffic Management Plan is necessary for all road closure applications. Traffic management plans must be completed by appropriately qualified and accredited traffic control plan designers and must be completed in accordance with RMS Traffic Control at Worksites Manual and AS 1742.3.

Upon acceptance of the Traffic Management Plan (TMP), a meeting may be required so that a safety audit/inspection can be conducted. If this is the case, a Council staff member will contact the relevant parties and arrange a suitable meeting time.

Temporary road closure applications will incur an administration fee to cover the cost of advertising the proposed road closure in local newspapers and may attract inspection fees for the day(s) of the event. Please refer to Council’s Fees and Charges document for more details.

Road closure applications must be received by Council at least 2-3 months in advance, depending on the type of event.

Events that draw a large number of patrons must employ trained and accredited traffic controllers to implement the Traffic Management Plan at the event. Where appropriate, details of the firm or individuals employed for traffic control should be provided, including their name, contact phone number and their accredited certificate number and PLI.

A traffic management plan must be submitted to Council with your event application if applicable to your event. 

Click here to download the traffic management plan* template.

When planning an event, you are legally required to provide access for people with disability. The Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA) is Commonwealth legislation that provides uniform protection against unfair and unfavourable treatment for all people with a disability in Australia.

The NSW Government has developed the Toolkit for Accessible and Inclusive Events which aims to assist event organisers in creating an event that is accessible to all members of the community. The Toolkit also provides a checklist of access solutions you could apply to your event.

Click here to download the Singleton event accessibility checklist.

Being waste wise should be an integral part of your event plan. It is your responsibility to manage the event’s waste and leave the site and its facilities clean and tidy. It is also important to have waste avoidance and recycling objectives incorporated into each stage of the event planning process and to specify the intended strategies to achieve them.

The Waste Wise Events Guide available from the NSW EPA contains practical information, case studies and resources to assist.

Depending on the size of your event, you may be required to complete a Waste Management Plan.

Click here to access the event waste wise management plan* template.

Click here to access the Hunter Resource Recovery event bin request.

Being water wise should be an integral part of your event plan. It is your responsibility to manage the availability of water to your event, including temporary stalls, mobile food + drink outlets, and portable toilet facilities. 

Click here to access the event wastewater management plan* template.

Event organisers are responsible for the overall management of food vendors, including site placement, provision of services (such as waste and access to power and water), risk management and required approvals. All businesses, including not-for-profit and charity fundraisers, are required to sell safe and suitable food in compliance with the Food Standards Code. This includes businesses that sell food to the public at temporary events such as fairs, festival, markets and shows.  

You will need to obtain a copy of the vendor’s appropriate certifications/approvals that enable them to act as either a temporary food stall or mobile food vendor. These include:

• Food Safety Supervisor Certificate - Food businesses operating mobile food vending vehicles may need to appoint a Food Safety Supervisor if the food they prepare and serve is: ready-to-eat, potentially hazardous (eg needs temperature control); not sold and served in the supplier’s original package.

• Mobile food vending vehicle inspection letter- Inspections are conducted annually by Council’s Environmental Health Officers (authorised officers under the Food Act 2003). The Officer checks that appropriate food safety practices are in place, such as temperature control, cleanliness, hand washing and labelling – meeting the requirements of the Food Standards Code.

• Public Liability Insurance Certificate (minimum $20M)

If you are having food vendors at your event, you must submit a Food Business Notification Form with your event application. 

Click here to download the Food Business Notification Form*.

The Communications Plan will give you direction in communicating key messages related to your event to the targeted audiences that you want the messages to reach.

Click here to download the event communication plan template.

A Welcome to Country is a ceremony performed by Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Elders, or Traditional Owners who have been given permission, to welcome visitors onto their traditional land. A Welcome to Country occurs at the beginning of a formal event, and can take many forms, including singing, dancing, smoking ceremonies, or a speech in traditional language and/or English.

If you would like a Welcome to Country performed at your event, click here to download the Welcome to Country application.

If your event is likely to attract a crowd, we recommend you lodge a notification of intention to hold a public assembly with the NSW Police Force.

Click here to download the notice of intent to hold a public assembly form.