REPORT NO 978/00

ANGUS COUNCIL

CIVIC LICENSING COMMITTEE - 26 SEPTEMBER 2000

THE SAFETY OF SPORTS GROUNDS ACT 1975 (AS AMENDED)

DESIGNATED SPORTS GROUNDS AND REGULATED STANDS IN ANGUS

REPORT BY THE DIRECTOR OF LAW AND ADMINISTRATION

ABSTRACT

This Report deals with the annual inspection by The Tayside Sports Grounds Safety Team of , Arbroath and the regulated stands at Links Park, Montrose, Glebe Park, Brechin and Station Park, Forfar.

1. RECOMMENDATION

The Committee is asked:-

(i) to note the outcome of the annual inspections of the sports ground at Gayfield Park, Arbroath and the regulated stands at Links Park, Montrose; Glebe Park, Brechin and Station Park, Forfar and the responses from the respective Clubs;

(ii) to approve the revised crowd capacities listed in the Appendix to this Report, and where relevant, incorporate them into the respective General Safety Certificates; and

(iii) to remit to the Tayside Sports Grounds Safety Team to follow up the various matters raised in the Inspection Reports with the Clubs concerned.

2. BACKGROUND

Under Section 1 of the Safety of Sports Grounds Act 1975, sports grounds designated by the Secretary of State, being sports grounds with accommodation for more than 10,000 spectators, require a General Safety Certificate. There is one such sports ground in Angus, namely Gayfield Park, Arbroath and a General Safety Certificate has been issued in respect of that ground.

Section 26 of the Fire Safety and Safety of Places of Sport Act 1987 requires that a General Safety Certificate be issued in respect of stands for 500 or more spectators, referred to as "regulated stands" in sports grounds which are not designated under the 1975 Act. There are three non-designated sports grounds in Angus, namely Links Park, Montrose; Glebe Park, Brechin and Station Park, Forfar for which General Safety Certificates have been issued in respect of the regulated stands at these grounds.

It is recommended good practice that any sports ground or regulated stand which is the subject of a General Safety Certificate should be inspected annually. This is done by the Tayside Sports Grounds Safety Team which follows up these inspections with formal Reports on the outcome to the certifying authority (ie Angus Council).

3. 2000 INSPECTIONS

The 2000 inspections of the Angus grounds/stands have taken place and copies of the Reports on the Team's findings are available in the Councillors' Lounge. All of the Clubs were given the opportunity to comment on the Inspection Report pertaining to their ground/stands and the responses, if any, are attached to the relevant Reports.

From examination of the responses, the management of all the Clubs do appear to be continuing to take their responsibilities seriously and, within the limits of their resources, are tackling the matters which have been highlighted in their particular Reports. As members will be aware, concern has been expressed in previous years about the situation at Gayfield Park, Arbroath, and it is pleasing to note that the Club are currently preparing plans for the refurbishment of the stand and this would go a long way to improving overall spectator safety at the ground.

4. CROWD CAPACITIES

The Safety Team has been examining crowd capacities at all the designated grounds throughout Tayside and, in the case of Angus, the regulated stands at Glebe Park, Station Park and Links Park. The Team set up an assessment sub-group to go into this matter in some detail having regard to the latest edition of the “Green Guide” which recommended a more scientific approach to calculating capacities. This involved the calculation of physical and safety factors (P&S factors). For Angus, the four football grounds are listed in the appendix to this Report together with the recommended capacities for each section of the ground. These figures should be incorporated in the General Safety Certificates for Gayfield Park, which remains a “designated sports ground”, and for the regulated stands at the other grounds. It is therefore recommended that these revised capacities be incorporated in the amended Certificates. However, it should be noted that these could only be used for an all ticket game if appropriate segregation, entry, and ticketing arrangements were in place.

5. CONCLUSION

The Inspection Reports and the responses from the Football Clubs indicate that serious efforts are being made to deal with spectator safety. Nevertheless, the Tayside Sports Grounds Safety Team will continue to monitor the situation at each ground in Angus on a regular basis and, if necessary, will advise the Council on whether any action is necessary in connection with the Safety Certificates.

6. CONSULTATION

The Chief Executive, Director of Finance, Director of Planning and Transport and Director of Roads have been consulted in the preparation of this Report.

6. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

None.

CATHERINE A COULL Director of Law and Administration

NOTE: No background papers as defined by Section 50D of the Local Government () Act 1973 (other than any containing confidential or exempt information) were relied on to any material extent in preparing the above Report.

\\slawstjament02\fdata\wp\cttee\rp2000\97800.doc APPENDIX

GAYFIELD PARK, (ARBROATH FOOTBALL CLUB)

ACCOMMODATION LOCATION CAPACITY

Stand West 715

Covered (Standing) Enclosures: North 415 East 783 South 415

Terraces: North West 394 North East 438 South West 405 South East 455 Total Capacity 4020

GLEBE PARK (BRECHIN FOOTBALL CLUB)

ACCOMMODATION LOCATION CAPACITY

*Stand North West 1228

Stand South West 290

*Covered (Standing) Enclosure South East 912

Terrace North East 630 Total Capacity 3060

STATION PARK (FORFAR FOOTBALL CLUB)

ACCOMMODATION LOCATION CAPACITY

*Stand North 739

*Covered (Standing) Enclosure South 1320

Terraces: East 389 North East 280 North West 102 West 1810 Total Capacity 4640

LINKS PARK (MONTROSE FOOTBALL CLUB)

ACCOMMODATION LOCATION CAPACITY

*Stand South 1334

*Covered (Standing) Enclosure West 980

Terrace North and East 976 Total Capacity 3290

*Denotes “regulated stand” for which the Council is required to issue a General Safety Certificate in terms of Section 26 of the Fire Safety and Safety of Places of Sport Act 1987.