Agenda item

This report provides details of event requests for consideration by the Conservators.

The Conservators received a report providing details of event requests for the Downs.

The following matters were considered:

a)            Refusal of policy to regulate small groups. It was noted that in the Conservators’  refusal of the policy to regulate small groups on the Downs (see Minute 38, above) they had expressed that they did not wish to approve the use of the Downs for such activities. The application for guided walking tours (included within this item) would therefore be refused.

b)            Concerns over impact of granting approval. The Conservators expressed concern that granting approval to the use of the Downs for events could have a negative impact on the condition of the Downs and their use for other activities, such as race horse training. This related to all events, but in particular to large events.

c)            Large events on the Downs. The Conservators expressed concern at the potential impact of large events on the Downs and requested clarification of the number of attendees involved. The Downs Manager informed the meeting that the number of participants stated in the Committee report included all entrants, organisers and observers for the event. The Race for Life event already approved by the Conservators to be held on the Downs in 2017 had been limited to 4,000 participants. The Conservators considered that only 1 large event should be permitted on the Downs each year, and that as the Cancer Research UK Race for Life had already been approved for 2017, the application for the Alzheimer’s Society, Memory Walk on 24 September 2017 would therefore be refused.

d)            Limits on number of events. The Conservators were informed that the agreed Event Management Strategy for the Downs had limits on the number of each category of event which could be held per year. It was noted that none of these limits had yet been reached. The Conservators requested that the level of these limits be reviewed at a future meeting.

e)            New event organisers using the Downs. The Conservators considered that event organisers who had not previously used the Downs should be restricted to 1 event in their initial application, to ensure that there were no issues with their usage or post-event clean-up.

Following consideration, the Conservators:

(1)          Decided to:

·                     Approve the Royal Pigeon Racing Association: Pigeon Racing Liberations on various Saturdays between May – September 2017

·                     Approve the First Stride Events Ltd: 5km & 10km running races on Sunday 20 August

·                     Refuse the First Stride Events Ltd: 5km & 10km running races on 18 June and 29 October 2017

·                     Refuse the Guided Walking Tours on Sundays from 2 July – 13 August 2017

·                     Approve the EDMAC Cloud Tramp on Saturday 5 August 2017

·                     Approve the Omni Terrier Derby on Sunday 27 August 2017

·                     Refuse the Alzheimer’s Society Memory Walk on Sunday 24 September 2017

·                     Approve the Tadworth Athletics Club: Tadworth Ten on Sunday 7 January 2018

·                     Approve the 79th Pioneer Run for Veteran Motorcycles on Sunday 18 March 2018

·                     Refuse the Alzheimer’s Society Memory Walk on Sunday 23 September 2018

(2)          Noted the Calendar of Events for 2017/18, subject to the decisions on applications detailed above.

(3)          Noted the fees and charges to be applied to each event.

(4)          Requested officers to present a review of the limits placed on the maximum number of events permitted per year to a future meeting.