to be pissed off with my council insisting on liability insurance for Royal Street party?

[ChocolateHelps]

I've got together with 2 other mums in my road to organise a lunch street party on Sunday 12th June for the Queens 90th birthday celebrations. They'll be lots of street parties going on that day. I was a kid during the silver jubilee and remember this sort of thing and if love my kids to have a similar memory.

The council have finally come back to us to say we are allowed to close our road for the duration of the lunch party but they insist with either buy £5 million public liability insurance or a single individual (ie me) signs a waiver to say I'd be personally responsible for any accidents or losses or damage incurred because of the street party.

Other councils around the country aren't insisting on this insurance and from what I can find it's likely to be useless anyway.

The cheapest I've found is £53 which is pretty steep for a one day policy. My business PLI is £160 for the year!!

Feel like contacting national press just to cause a fuss!!!

I thought most councils required it

£53 doesn't sound very expensive - how many people will be there?

Councils do require it. I've been involved in some of the street party organising and it is needed - councils are organising some of the parties themselves but will already have public liability insurance.

Just sign the form, which is unenforceable anyway.

You could ask one of your local Councillors if have means to pay it? In my Council they have a small pot of funding for stuff like this.

I'm not sure what law school Hodooooor went to but please dont sign the form. I'm surprised that you didn't think of the insurance tbh, it's all over the internet that events like this and bigger are under threat of cancellation because of PLI.

I work in local press (NI) & can assure you the community groups here fund the insurance etc themselves.

Although grants were up for grabs here the group pays for the stuff & council refunds them.

To be clear - the grants were for parties, not insurance.

Most community groups/organisations will have insurance of their own but I'm thinking you're not part of a group.

What would you be insuring? Damage to road? Or damage to next doors table?

We are not a group, just mums who live in the same street. We thought it would be fun way to meet more families in our street and good excuse for a party!

This website describes the insurance as being totally over the top, unnecessary and many councils simply don't insist on it for a very simple residents only street party

www.streetparty.org.uk/insurance.aspx/

You could become a more formal group (create various documents like equalities, child protection templates on the internet), create a constitution, get a bank account with all 3 of you on it as signatories, look at pli, and then I suspect you'll be able to apply for a couple of hundred quid towards the event from the Council. Again, I'd ask your local Councillor there will be a team or someone in your Council who can help you set it all up with templates etc... Sounds faffy and it is at first but you can do other events then with further funding.

Talk to the Council and your local Parish or Town Council (if you have one) and certainly your local Councillor to see if they can provide a grant of the like for the insurance.

I ran a lunchtime BBQ for staff (of a council) and had to get a license as we were having live music! It didnt cost very much (and our social club paid), but I had to take the responsibility! seemed silly as the council is also the licensing authority, but those be the rules!!!!

Don't sign it then. But do tell us all exactly how they make one individual, who they know to not have insurance, liable for an entire public street? Which does not cease to be a public space just because it is closed to traffic?

Here's a hint...they can't.

Might be worth asking local supermarket if would sponsor community event maybe supply free balloons or advertising stuff. Pic in local paper cheaper advertising than £55!

Ooh Akiree that's a good idea! We have a giant tesco very nearby!

YABU -,it is public space. What do you think will happen if someone breaks their neck and sues?

They're mad to offer you the waiver option TBH

Yes, it's a public space. Same as it would be the day before a party and the day after, and the liability is with the same people everyday.

A thoroughfare - not designed for partying, drinking or shinning up lampposts with bunting between their teeth.

If the council sanction a party by closing a road, they have to cover themselves (aka protect council tax payers funds).

It seems obvious.