Full Conditions and Regulations of Hiring Accommodation.
Interpretation
The owner of the Council’s halls, the Metropolitan Borough Council of Dudley, is referred to as “the Council”. The expression The Town Hall or Hall includes Town Halls, Civic and Cornbow Halls and all rooms in connection therewith or with any of them.
Applications for Hire
All applications must be made in writing on the appropriate application form. The Council reserves the right to refuse any application without stating its reason for doing so.
from persons under 18 years of age; or
if made otherwise than upon the official application form.
Applications must be completed and returnedwithin 10 daysor the date it is to be hired may be given to someone else. No public announcement of any function shall be made until the application for accommodation has been accepted on behalf of the Council by notice in writing.
If the Council accepts the application the person signing the application form shall be deemed to be the hirer and, as such, the person responsible to the Council for the payment of the hiring fees and the observance of these Conditions and Regulations.
In the case of pop, rock and similar events, the Council will require evidence that the Hirer has successfully organised similar events previously.
Where the Council is not familiar with the organisation, references may be requested prior to approval of venue hire.
Accomodation
The following table shows the maximum number of persons, excluding staff and attendants, which shall at any time be allowed in the accommodation. The exact numbers will depend on the layout of furniture required.
Please note that these figures are the maximum for each Hall. Numbers may reduce dependant upon your requirements.
In connection with functions not specified, or where special arrangements are required, the maximum number allowed shall be decided by the Council, whose decision shall be final.
Accommodation type
Dudley Town Hall
Stourbridge Town Hall
Brierley Hill Civic Hall
Halesowen Cornbow Hall
Number of people that can be accommodated in a close seated Concert style
Number of people that can be accommodated Tables & chairs (no dance floor space)
Town Hall: 300
Banqueting Hall: 60
Town Hall: 340
Wollaston Studio: n/a
Amblecote Room: n/a
300
Halesowen Cornbow Hall: 200
Green room: n/a
Charges
Charges for hiring shall be in accordance with the current scale of charges and any amendments made by the Council to such scale.
Where a hire includes either live or recorded music the Hirer will be responsible for all legal returns due to Performing Rights Society Ltd.
The Hirer shall not sub-let the accommodation or any part of it without the written agreement of the Manager.
Equal Opportunities Policy Statement
The Council has a positive Equal Opportunities Policy. The aim of the policy is to ensure that no individual or organisation receives less favourable treatment on grounds of sex, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, social class, responsibility for dependants, age, trade union or political activities, religious beliefs, spent offences or is disadvantaged by any conditions or requirements which cannot be shown to be justified.
The Council wishes all Hall Hirers to apply these principles to all events and activities which they may organise in Borough Halls and to have policies and procedures designed so as not to discriminate intentionally or unintentionally against any group or individual on any unjustifiable grounds. The Council encourages Hall Hirers to respond to any special needs experienced by particular groups.
Box Office Facilities and Event Promotion
Dudley Council is able to offer box office facilities to Hirers. Hirers wishing to use the system will be required to enter into a separate agreement with the Council concerning this service and to complete the appropriate paperwork. For any seated event, whether tickets are to be sold for it or not, the hirer will be issued with a copy of the wheelchair policy and the appropriate seating plan. Hall hirers who wish to sell their own tickets will be expected to adhere to these and will be liable for ensuring that their event complies with the Disability Discrimination Act. In these circumstances all contact and management of box office processes becomes the responsibility of the Hirer although advice will be available from the Venue Manager and/or Box Office Administrator should this be requested.
Responsibility for the promotion of events lies with the Hall Hirer. The Council takes no responsibility for promotion. The Hall Manager(s) may offer to assist Hirers with promotion but where such assistance is given it must be agreed and negotiated in advance and such arrangements are separate to the Hall Hire Agreement. The Council is not responsible for any failure to promote any Hirers’ event.
The Council shall be entitled to cancel the hiring:-
If at any time prior to the commencement of the function it shall appear to the Council that the Hirer has made a material omission from or misstatement in the application form.
If, at any time prior to the commencement of the function, the programme or other details of particulars referred to in Clause 6 have not been supplied or, if supplied, have not been approved by the Council.
If any sum or deposit payable is not paid by the hirer by the date upon which it is due.
In the event of the Council themselves requiring the accommodation on the date on which it has been hired in connection with an occasion of National Rejoicing or Mourning or for a purpose which, in the opinion of the Council, is of Civic or National Importance by giving the hirer Notice of Cancellation; or
In the event of the accommodation being required on the date upon which it has been let to the Hirer for the purpose of Parliamentary or Local Elections, by giving to the Hirer such notice of cancellation as the Council considers reasonable in the circumstances.
In the event of the individual, organisation or activities infringing the law or licensing regulations.
In the event of unforeseen circumstances whereby accommodation booked is not available for a function, the Council will seek to re-locate the event or function in alternative, suitable accommodation.
The Hirer may, with the consent of the Council, surrender or postpone the hiring provided that any request is made in writing and delivered to the Hall Manager accompanied by the balance of the charges payable in respect of the hiring.
The Hirer shall pay to the Council the amount incurred by the Council in making good any damage to, or loss of, the building, furniture, carpets, furnishings, fixtures and fittings or any article or equipment belonging to the Council arising directly or indirectly out of the hiring of the accommodation.
Unless due to the negligence of the Council or breach of statutory duty by the Council, the Hirer shall be responsible for their visitors / invitees to the function including their safety and well-being whilst attending the function. It is, therefore, the responsibility of the Hirer by way of indemnity to effect insurance against all claims, costs or demands in respect of personal injury and / or loss or theft of and / or damage to property howsoever suffered or incurred by any person or company whatsoever which may arise out of the hiring of the accommodation to the value of £2,000,000. The Council may require such insurance to be effected and to the production of evidence of the same. Failure to comply shall result in the cancellation of the hiring.
The Hirer shall indemnify the Council against all actions, claims, costs, demands and the like made against the Council and attributable either directly or indirectly to the hiring of the accommodation on the Terms, Conditions and Regulations herein contained.
The Hirer shall, at all times, be responsible for the maintenance of good order during the function, shall provide security attendants and stewards as requested by the Council and shall ensure that no undesirable person is permitted to enter, remain or otherwise make use of the accommodation, and that no-one trespasses on parts of the Hall not hired by the Hirer. Upon the instructions of the Curator the Hirer shall remove or cause to be removed any persons from the accommodation hired. The Council is not required to provide such supervision in any manner whatsoever.
The Hirer shall disclose to the Council the net Box Office receipts taken at their event within 4 weeks following the event. This information is required by law to form part of the Council’s return to The Performing Rights Society Limited.
The Hirer must seek all permissions required to perform works and make arrangements for the payment of any taxes or of any royalties chargeable in respect of the function.
The Hirer shall comply with the conditions on which the Justices License for music, dancing and stage plays are held.
In cases where the Hall is required later than the closing hours fixed under the Music and Dancing License, application will be made by the licensee to the Justices for consent to an extension of time provided always that should such application be refused no refund of the hiring fee will be made. The fee payable for any extension of the Music and Dancing License will be recovered from the Hirer concerned.
No person shall be admitted by payment at the door after 10.30pm.
If the Main Hall is used for any purpose for which the Curator considers it necessary to cover the floor or any part thereof, the Hirer will be required to pay an additional fee for suitable floor covering to be provided.
The Hirer shall be responsible for providing an adequate number of stewards which will be determined by the Authority.
A cleaning charge will be levied on the Hirer if the premises are not left in a clean and tidy condition.
If the event or function requires the use of firearms, pyrotechnics or any other special stage effects, permission must be obtained in writing from the Council by giving at least 1 months prior notice of such request.
No person under the age of 18 shall be allowed to use sound or lighting equipment.
No bottled gas shall be brought onto the premises.
If stage drapes need to be returned by the Council to their original location after the function then an appropriate charge will be levied on the Hirer.
If radio microphones are to be used they must be of a type approved (D.T.I. Standard MPT 1345). Brierley Hill Civic Hall, Dudley Concert Hall and Stourbridge Town Hall have a license which allows microphones to MPT 1350 to be used. These three halls can also use Channel 69 frequencies. The use on non-approved equipment is not permitted.
Any stage lighting lanterns which are moved or refocused must be returned to their original position(s) after use. If this has to be undertaken by the Council then an appropriate charge will be levied on the Hirer.
