This policy applies to all individuals, groups, or organizations (“Hirers”) that book and use the village hall for any event or activity. It forms part of the hire hall agreement. By making the booking, the Hirer agrees to comply with the following safeguarding terms. These requirements are designed to protect children and vulnerable adults and to clarify the division of responsibilities between the Hirer and the Hall’s Trustees.
- Sole Responsibility of the Hirer: The Hirer accepts that they have full responsibility for safeguarding during their use of the hall. The charity’s trustees and staff are not responsible for supervising the Hirer’s activity or the participants. The Hirer must take all necessary steps to ensure the safety of children and vulnerable adults involved in their event. The charity does not provide vetting or oversight of Hirers’ events, that is the Hirer’s duty. This includes ensuring appropriate conduct of all persons attending and running the event.
- Safeguarding Policy and Procedures: If the Hirer’s event will involve children (anyone under 18) or vulnerable adults (adults at risk), the Hirer must have appropriate safeguarding arrangements in place. Typically, this means the Hirer should have their own Safeguarding Policy or child protection procedures relevant to their activities. The Hirer should ensure that all members of their organization/party are aware of and follow their safeguarding procedures. If the Hirer does not already have a safeguarding policy (for example, an informal group or a private hire involving children), they must agree to abide by the principles of the Hall’s Safeguarding Policy and any instructions or codes of conduct provided by the Hall management. By proceeding with the hire, the Hirer warrants that they understand their safeguarding obligations.
- DBS Checks and Legal Compliance: The Hirer is responsible for ensuring all people working or volunteering at their event who are legally required to undergo vetting have valid Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks and/or other necessary clearances. Where law or regulation deems a DBS check necessary (for example, for individuals performing Regulated Activities with children or vulnerable adults), the Hirer must comply with those requirements before the event. We do not collect this documentation; it is the Hirer’s duty to ensure they have done the necessary checks on their personnel. By hiring the hall, the Hirer affirms that all leaders, instructors or supervisors involved in their activity are suitable to work with the relevant age group.
- Safe Conduct and Supervision: The Hirer must ensure that their event is conducted safely with regard to participants who are children or vulnerable adults. Children and young people should always be properly supervised by responsible adults. No person under 18 may be left in charge of other children or vulnerable adults at any time. There should be an adequate ratio of adult supervisors to children to maintain control and safety. At least two adult supervisors should be present for any group involving children or vulnerable users, to prevent any situation where an adult is left alone with a child. The Hirer must also ensure that no child or vulnerable adult is left unattended on the premises during the hire. If the event involves activities like photography or filming and includes children, the Hirer is expected to obtain parental consent in advance, in line with safeguarding best practices (e.g. no photographs of minors without permission). All aspects of the activity must comply with relevant safeguarding guidelines to create a safe environment.
- Reporting Incidents or Concerns: The Hirer agrees to report any safeguarding concern, incident, or allegation that arises during their use of the hall immediately to the appropriate authorities. For example, if any form of abuse or harm is suspected or disclosed at the event, the Hirer must contact the Police, Children’s Services, Adult Social Care, or other relevant authority without delay. In an emergency where someone may be in immediate danger, the Hirer should call 999 at once. Additionally, the Hirer must inform the hall’s trustees as soon as possible about any serious safeguarding incidents that occur on the premises. This notification allows the hall management to fulfill its own duty to follow up and make any required reports to the Charity Commission or regulators. Remember that it is the Hirer’s responsibility to act , do not wait for a trustee or staff member of the hall to observe the issue. The Hirer should also record details of any incident and actions taken, in accordance with their own safeguarding policy procedures.
- Indemnity and Acknowledgment: The Hirer acknowledges that the charity and its trustees are not supervising the event and are not liable for the actions or omissions of the Hirer in relation to safeguarding. The Hirer shall not hold the village hall trustees responsible for any failure on the Hirer’s part to meet safeguarding requirements. The Hirer further agrees to indemnify the charity’s trustees against any claims or legal consequences that result from the Hirer’s negligence or failure to safeguard participants. (In plain terms, the Hirer is accountable if something goes wrong due to lack of proper safeguarding on their part). However, this does not restrict or excuse the charity from taking action if a concern comes to light, the trustees will still report issues as needed, as per their obligations.
By implementing the above provisions, the Trustees clarify the boundary between its role and the Hirer’s role in keeping people safe. The trustees remain focused on maintaining a safe venue and responding to any concerns that arise, while the Hirer is fully responsible for preventing abuse or harm during their event. These arrangements are in line with UK safeguarding law and Charity Commission expectations, ensuring that everyone, trustees, Hirers, and participants, understands their obligations. The cooperation of all Hirers in following this Safeguarding Policy is appreciated and is essential to provide a trusted environment where everybody feels safe when using the village hall.