UPTON-by-CHESTER VILLAGE HALL TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF HIRE

The management of the Upton-by-Chester Village Hall is vested in the Board of Management whose powers and composition are defined in the constitution, a copy of which may be obtained from the Secretary. Under the provisions of the constitution, the Board of Management is empowered to make rules or to withdraw or amend them. The Board does not maintain an on site presence such as a Caretaker or Board member.

1. Acceptance of Terms and Conditions Use of the Village Hall is subject to the following terms and conditions of hire. The nominated representative must agree to and sign the booking acceptance form (covering a period of up to 12 months), prior to the use of the Hall.

2. Equal Opportunities The Village Hall shall be open to all members of the community regardless of race, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, religious or political beliefs or marital status.

3. Applying to use the Village Hall.

(a) Applications for the once off use of the Hall shall be made to the Caretaker and applications for regular use of the Hall shall be made to the Booking Secretary.

(b) The Board of Management, Booking Secretary or Caretaker have the right to refuse any application for the use of the Village Hall facilities, provided that the Booking Secretary or Caretaker report their actions to the next meeting of the Board of Management. The Board of Management may refuse an application to use the Village Hall's facilities if the use by a particular association or individual presents a risk of public disorder or of alienating the Village Hall's beneficiaries or supporters. If in any doubt, the Booking Secretary or Caretaker shall report the matter to the Chairman who, in consultation with other Board members, will decide whether or not to allow the letting.

(c) All arrangements for the use of the Village Hall facilities are subject to the Board of Management reserving the right to cancel bookings when the premises are required for use as a Polling Station, or if they reasonably consider that the hiring will lead to a breach of these Terms and Conditions of Hire, or for whatever reason the premises are rendered unfit for the intended use.

(d) Regular user groups of the Village Hall shall normally have priority use of its facilities but all arrangements to hire facilities made with outside bodies and individuals shall be honoured by the Board of Management except as provided for in (c) above.

(e) The hirer shall not sublet the Hall or any part thereof.

(f) The hire of the Hall does not entitle the hirer to use or enter the premises at any time other than the specific hours for which the Hall has been hired, unless prior arrangements have been made with the Booking Secretary or Caretaker.

4. Hours of Opening Facilities at the Village Hall are usually available for the use of regular users and ad hoc hirers between the hours of 9.30am to 11.00pm.

5. Maximum Capacity Fire regulations restrict the total capacity of the Hall to 200. When people are seated at tables, the number of people seated must not exceed 150.

6. Health and Safety The Village Hall’s Health and Safety Policy and Procedures must be read, fully understood and adhered to at all times. The hirer shall comply with all conditions and regulations made in respect of the premises by the Fire Authority, Local Authority, Licensing Authority or any other regulations applicable to activities being undertaken by the hirer, particularly in connection with any event which constitutes regulated entertainment, at which alcohol is served or provided or which is attended by children.

7. Supervision The hirer or person in charge of an activity shall be over the age of 18 and shall be on the premises for the entire duration of hire or duration of the activity. He/she shall not be engaged in any duties which prevent him/her from exercising general supervision. When premises or any part of them are used for public entertainment there shall be a minimum of two persons, neither of whom shall be less than 18 years of age, on duty where under 100 persons are attending the entertainment. The number of attendants required is increased to three if more than 100 persons are present (the maximum capacities as stated in section 5 must, of course, be observed). When the majority of those present at the entertainment are less than 16 years of age and when many people with disabilities are expected to attend, the number of adult supervisors will be increased according to any local council requirements. All persons on duty shall be instructed in their essential duties with respect to fire and other emergencies.

8. Safety of Vulnerable People Bookings for groups other than private parties involving children under 8 years of age or vulnerable adults will only be accepted if the organisation can produce evidence of affiliation to an appropriate governing body. For private parties a ratio of one adult to five children will be required. Any individual wishing to run classes or events for unaccompanied persons under the age of 16, other than a private party, must produce a Criminal Records Bureau certificate before their hire will be accepted.

9. Public Liability Appropriate Public Liability Insurance is held by the Board of Management for the use of the facility. User groups are advised to consider the need for Public Liability Insurance to cover their own activities.

10. Sale of Alcohol The Village Hall’s Premises Licence does not allow for the sale of alcohol. No alcohol is permitted to be sold on any part of the premises without the express permission in writing of the Board of Management, following which the hirer is responsible for issuing the necessary Temporary Event Notice (TEN) to the licensing authority. Because there is a limit on the annual number of TEN’s we are allowed, permission may not be granted but failure to obtain permission before issuing a TEN will result in the immediate cancellation of the event without compensation.

11. Regulated Entertainment Our Premises Licence allows for the provision of a range of regulated entertainment but only between certain hours of the day. If the purpose of the hire is to provide entertainment to an audience for a profit then the hirer must obtain the permission of the Board of Management. If permission is granted but a TEN has to be issued because the event is not covered by our licence, then the hirer is responsible for issuing the TEN to the licensing authority.

12. Use of Copyright Material The premises are licensed with the Performing Rights Society for the performance of copyright music. However, no copyright dramatic or musical work shall be performed, whether live or from a recording, without an appropriate licence held by the hirer, in person or by affiliation. The hirer shall indemnify the Hall Management against any infringement of copyright which may occur during the period of hire.

13. Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Nothing shall be done on or in relation to the premises in contravention of the law relating to betting, gaming and lotteries, and the persons or associations responsible for functions held in the Village Hall shall ensure that the requirements of the relevant legislation are strictly observed.

14. Damage and Failure of Equipment The hirer is responsible for any damage caused to the Hall, its property or its environs, occurring during the full period of using the Hall facility, and will be liable for any reinstatement cost. Any damage must be reported to the Caretaker. Any failure of equipment belonging to the Village Hall must be reported in the maintenance book or reported to the Caretaker on conclusion of the hire.

15. Storage The permission of the Board of Management must be obtained before goods or equipment are left or stored at the Hall, except that the Booking Secretary or Caretaker are authorised to grant permission for the overnight storage of goods or equipment brought to the Hall for a particular function or event. No equipment should be left in the Hall by way of a donation without the agreement of the Board of Management.

16. Loss of Property The Board of Management of Upton Village Hall cannot accept responsibility for damage to, or the loss or theft of Village Hall users' property or effects.

17. Car Parking Cars shall not be parked so as to cause an obstruction at the entrance to or exit from the Village Hall. For evening and weekend functions with a high attendance, additional parking can sometimes be made available. The Chairman or other member of the Board of Management must be informed at least one month before the event so that arrangements can be made.

18. Nuisance

(a) Litter shall not be left in or about the Village Hall.

(b) Except in the case of trained guide dogs, no animals shall be permitted on Village Hall premises.

(c) Hirers and organisers of events in the Village Hall are responsible for ensuring that the noise level of their function is not such as to interfere with other activities within the Hall or to cause inconvenience to the occupiers of nearby houses and property. People should avoid all undue noise on arrival and departure.

(d) The Hall Management reserves the right to terminate a booking where the meeting has become disorderly or where offensive material or behaviour is in evidence.

19. Cleaning and Security Village Hall users must accept responsibility for returning furniture and equipment to their original positions and for securing doors and windows of the premises before leaving. They must ensure that radiators are left in the full on position and that all lights are extinguished. All users shall also leave the premises and surrounding area in a clean and tidy condition. If this condition is not met the hirer shall be responsible for any additional cleaning or waste disposal expenses incurred.