Synopsis Of Responses To The Consultation On The Proposal Of Adopting The Sports Grounds Safety Authority’s Guide To Safety At Sports Grounds And Departmental Response

Sports & Lottery Branch Active Communities Division March 2018

Background to consultation

1. The Department for Communities 4. The SGSA is currently undertaking (DfC) is responsible for the legislative a major exercise to rewrite their framework for safety at sports grounds guidance which will result in version 6. in Northern Ireland (NI). This includes This extensive rewrite will consolidate the provision of guidance under Article their position on significant and 22 of the Safety of Sports Grounds important guidance on safety at sports (Northern Ireland) Order 2006. grounds topics. The new guide will recognise and build upon the need to assess risk and develop levels of safety 2. In 2007, the Department’s predecessor, which are proportionate to that risk and the Department of Culture, Arts the achievement of reasonable levels of and Leisure, provided a substantial, safety for each ground. 275-paged, technical guide ‘The Northern Ireland Guide to Safety at Sports Grounds’ (NI Guide) to assist 5. As part of the rewrite, the SGSA held an stakeholders in NI to comply with the informative event, on the wider definition 2006 Order. The NI Guide also provided of safety, in the Public Record Office in NI assistance to stakeholders on meeting in June 2017. Consultation on version 6 the requirements of the new sports of the Guide is due to take place early grounds safety certification scheme. in 2018 with the new guide expected to This NI Guide was based on the 4th be issued later in the year. edition of the Sports Grounds Safety Authority (SGSA) ‘Guide to Safety at Sports Grounds’ (SGSA Guide) and was produced by Sport NI’s Sports Grounds Safety Advisory Unit (SGSAU) on behalf of the Department.

3. The 4th edition of the SGSA Guide was refreshed in 2008, providing additional advice on risk management, counter- terrorism and training of stewards, producing version 5. The NI Guide was not subsequently updated.

3 Synopsis of Responses to the Consultation on Safety at Sports Grounds Guidance

NI Consultation

6. The purpose of the NI consultation 7. A list of stakeholders targeted with this was to seek stakeholders’ views on the consultation is provided in the Annex. appropriateness of adopting the SGSA new guide in place of the NI Guide; 8. The consultation ran from 21 December and in particular, to identify any issues 2017 to 14 February 2018 and this may cause. The Department’s aim is contained 5 questions: to ensure that safety guidance provided for sports grounds in NI is current, exemplary and of the highest quality.

QUESTION 1: QUESTION 4: Which safety guide do you or your Do you have any concerns about safety organisation, currently reference when guidance for sports grounds in NI? considering safety issues at sports grounds?

QUESTION 5:

QUESTION 2: Do you wish to provide any other Do you think NI should consider adopting comments? the Sports Grounds Safety Authority (SGSA) Guide to Safety in Sports Grounds?

QUESTION 3: Do you wish to raise any issues on the potential adoption of the SGSA Guide in NI?

4 Consultation Replies

9. The Department acknowledges and • One guide would provide consistency welcomes all consultation responses • Standardisation of safety guidance and comments. across all sports in NI • NI guide is out-of-date 10. The Department received a total of 29 • SGSA are viewed as international responses. The breakdown of responses experts in this field was as follows:

Number Category One concern raised was: • That any new guidance would need 17 Sports Clubs and National to recognise the uniqueness of NI Governing Bodies and sports, such as, GAA and the regional differences between NI 8 Local Government and GB (7 District Councils)

4 Emergency Services 13. Of the 7 respondents that were not in favour of adoption of the SGSA guide, 11. Based on the responses to Question only 3 give a reason: 1, just over four-fifths (24) of the respondents indicated that they • One respondent noted that the currently refer to the NI Guide when guidance would not be applicable to considering safety issues at sports their sport as it does not take place grounds with the remaining fifth (5) in sports grounds currently referring to the SGSA Guide. • One was concerned about the relevance to local sports 12. Based on the responses to Question • A third indicated that clubs are 2, just over three-quarters (22) of used to the NI Guide and the more respondents agreed that the Department onerous SGSA guide could close should consider the adoption of the SGSA some grounds and force clubs out Guide. The rationale provided was: of business

5 Synopsis of Responses to the Consultation on Safety at Sports Grounds Guidance

14. In response to Question 3, 11 • Need to have an opportunity to respondents raised issues on the feed into new SGSA guide potential adoption of the SGSA Guide. • NI guide does not take cognisance In addition to the concerns raised of all safety considerations in response to Question 2, outlined • Organisations are not aware of in paragraphs 10 and 11 above, the their roles and responsibilities following points were made:

16. The responses to Question 5 (general • Need for guide to be proportionate to comments) did not contain any risk for smaller sports grounds in NI additional observations to those • Concern on the wider definition already noted above. of safety and the inclusion of counter terrorism

15. In response to Question 4, 8 respondents raised the following general concerns on safety guidance for sports grounds in NI:

• Lack of suitably qualified and/or trained persons working in district councils to oversee or enforce legislation and/or guidance

6 Summary of substansive Consultation Responses

17. There were 29 responses to the • The requirement for SGSA to enable consultation. 22 of those 29 responses NI to feed into the SGSA version 6 were in favour of consideration being guide consultation given to the adoption of the SGSA • The need for a proportionate risk guide. The main reasons were: methodology to be applied for smaller sports grounds. • To ensure the guidance to be applied was consistent, standardised and up 19. Following the results of the to date for all sports grounds in NI consultation, the Department carried • It removes misunderstandings due out a screening exercise and is to the existence of 2 guides satisfied that if the decision is taken • The SGSA are the leading authority to adopt the SGSA guide this will not in this field and NI could benefit lead to any discriminatory or negative from their international expertise differential impact.

18. There were 4 main concerns raised through the consultation on the proposal to consider the adoption of the SGSA guide. These were:

• On the widening of the definition of safety • The need to recognise the uniqueness of NI sport grounds including various sports, such as, GAA

7 Synopsis of Responses to the Consultation on Safety at Sports Grounds Guidance

Departmental Response to Substantive Consultation Responses

20. The Department notes that the • The SGSA has advised that the new majority of the consultation responses SGSA guide will not be sport specific, highlighted significant reasons to rather, it will cover all sports. support the adoption of the SGSA Guide to replace the NI Guide. These reasons • If the decision is taken to adopt the are detailed in paragraph 17. SGSA Guide the SGSA has agreed to fully consult with NI stakeholders 21. The consultation did not expose any prior to the launch of version 6 substantial reasons to prevent the Department’s consideration of the • The SGSA has advised that it already adoption of the SGSA Guide in NI. operates a proportionate risk Taking each of the 4 main concerns methodology for smaller venues raised, as detailed in paragraph 18, in turn the Department would advise the following: 22. The consultation has demonstrated clearly that the majority of respondents would, subject to consultation on • It is appropriate for NI safety at version 6, be in favour of the SGSA guide sports grounds guidance to reflect being adopted for use in NI. best international practice through

the expansion of the definition of safety to take into account counter terrorism. The recent incidents that have occurred in England and Europe provide a sound rationale for taking this approach

8 List of Consultees for Safety at Sports Grounds Consultation

A variety of groups/organisations, including, Sports Governing Bodies district councils; emergency services; sport • GAA County Boards governing bodies; local architects; and others • Rugby were consulted with as part of this process • Northern Ireland Football League as follows – • NI Aikido Association • Ulster Coarse Fishing Federation District Councils • Ulster Angling Federation Ltd • Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council • GB Archery • Ards and North Down Borough Council • Irish Football Association • Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon • Athletics NI Borough Council • Ulster Branch Badminton Union of Ireland • City Council • Basketball NI • Causeway Coast and Glens • GB Boccia Federation Borough Council • Irish Bowls Federation • Derry City and Strabane District Council • Irish Athletic Boxing Association • Fermanagh and Omagh District Council • Canoeing Association of Ireland • Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council • Speleological Union of Ireland • Mid and East Antrim Borough Council • • Mid-Ulster District Council • Dancesport NI • Newry, Mourne and Down District Council • UK Dodgeball Association Ltd • Horse Emergency Services • Northern Ireland Fencing Union • Northern Ireland Ambulance Service • Fitness Northern Ireland • Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service • Northern Ireland Association • Police Service NI of Aeromodellers • Ulster Flying Club • Ulster Council GAA

9 Synopsis of Responses to the Consultation on Safety at Sports Grounds Guidance

• Ulster Gliding Club • Northern Ireland Ten Pin • Goalball UK Bowling Federation • Northern District Irish Ladies Union, • Triathlon Ireland NI Region • UK Ultimate • Golfing Union of Ireland, Ulster Branch • Northern Ireland Volleyball Association • Ulster Hockey • Irish Water and Wakeboard Ski Federation • Northern Ireland Ju Jitsu Association • British Weight Lifting • Northern Ireland Judo Federation • Northern Ireland Wrestling Association • Northern Ireland Karate Board • Yoga Fellowship of Northern Ireland • Royal Life Saving Society • 2&4-Wheel Motorsport Steering Group Others • Mountaineering Council of Ireland • St John’s Ambulance • Netball Northern Ireland • Pro Paramedics • Irish Olympic Handball Association • BUFC • Parkour UK • Order of Malta • Ulster Council, Racquetball Association • Eventsec of Ireland • NIFOSA • Ulster Federation of Rambling Clubs • Northern Ireland District Council Safety • British Roller Sports Federation of Sports Grounds Lead Officers Group • , Ulster Branch • Chief Leisure Officers Association • • Irish Rugby Football Union Local Architects • Royal Yachting Association (NIC) • Blamphin + Associates • Royal Scottish Country Dancing Society • The Boyd Partnership • Northern Ireland Federation of • Bryson Architects Shooting Sports • C60 Design Architects + Town Planners • Ulster Squash • Consarc Design Group Ltd • British Sub Aqua Club • Dempsey Architects • Irish Surfing Association • Doherty Architects • Swim Ulster Ltd • DON Architects Ltd • Table Tennis Ulster • Gregory Architects • Taekwondo Association of Northern Ireland • Hall Black Douglas

10 • Hall McKnight Architects • Waddington McClure Architects • Hamilton Architects • BGA Architects Ltd • HLM • Alan Cook Architects Ltd • Hughes McMichael • Bernard Dinsmore Chartered Architect • JNP Architects • Blue Clarity Architecture Ltd • Kennedy Fitzgerald Architects LLP • Farrell Kelly Associates • Kriterion Conservation Architects • Fletcher Architects (NI) Ltd • McAdam Design • Gerry Hamill Chartered Architect • McGaw Architects • Hutcheson Irvine Partnership • McGonigle McGrath • McAdam Stewart Architects • Martin McKernan Chartered Architects • JL O’Hagan & Co. Ltd • McLean & Forte Partnership • RE Quinn Architects Ltd • Neil Mathews Architects • David Wilson RIBA Chartered Architects • Noteman McKee Architects • Keys & Monaghan Architects Ltd • Ostick + Williams • ADMS Ltd Architects • Robert McIlwaine LLP • ASI Architects Ltd • Harry Rolston Architect Ltd • Patrick Bradley Architects • RPP Architects Ltd • Caroline Dickson Architects CA • WDR & RT Taggart • Farren Architects • White Ink Architects • GM Design Associates Ltd • Clarke and Whiteman Architects • W&M Given Architects • Bell Architects • Hamilton Architects • Glenn Massey Architect Ltd • The Harbour Studio • Knox and Clayton • Kriterion Conservation Architects • McCready Architects • Manor Architects Ltd • R Robinson & Sons Ltd Chartered • RPP Architects Ltd Architects & Civil Engineers • Tracey Architects • Warwick Stewart Architects • Clarman Partnership Ltd • da architects ltd • Colm Donaghy Chartered Architect • DSC Architects Ltd • HBK Architects • Fletcher Architects (NI) Ltd • Michael Herron Architects • McCreanor & Co Architects • McCarter Hamill Architects • Tate Stevenson Architects Ltd • Teague & Sally

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