Safety Advisory Group – Terms of Reference Checklist

Ensuring reasonable safety at a sports ground involves considering the risks of physical injury or harm for all people present at a sports ground. This includes risks from crowd disorder and anti-social behaviour or terrorist activity. It also means ensuring that all people at a sports ground are protected, not just spectators.

This has raised the need for certifying authorities to consider if changes might be required in the Safety Advisory Group (SAG) terms of reference.

The SAG terms of reference are generally specific to the local authority or ground and have a variety of interpretations, but local authorities may wish to consider the following when checking their terms of reference for possible changes:

  • Have adjustments to wording been made throughout the document to reflect the new understanding?
    • For instance, consider changing the word ‘spectators’, where appropriate, to other more generic terms such as “those present during an event”
  • Have police counter terrorism officers been added to the list of people who may be invited to attend SAGs?
  • Have arrangements that protect the confidentiality of discussions on sensitive counter terrorism matters been included in the Group arrangements?
    • If not, local authorities may wish to consider inserting the following wording, as appropriate:

Where a meeting will discuss confidential counter terrorism information and/or intelligence, only the following people/representatives shall be present for those discussions. (insert list)

  • Have the arrangements to share information and record minutes of SAG meetings been outlined bearing in mind the sensitivity of counter terrorism information and/or intelligence?
    • If not, local authorities may wish to consider inserting the following wording, as appropriate:

Any written papers relating to confidential counter terrorism information and/or intelligence shall be marked according to the Government Security Classification Policy (GSCP).

The minutes of meetings will be adapted to ensure that, in relation to counter terrorism information and/or intelligence, the aims of the GSCP are not compromised.

  • Does the section on the role of police include advising the local authority on matters related to counter terrorism?
  • Does the section on the role of police include advising the local authority on matters related to crowd disorder and anti-social behaviour?