CONDITIONS OF HIRE






SCHEDULE 1. Hire Rates

The hire rates £8.00 Regular Users, £12.00 Casual Users per hour and Cockwood School £6.50 per hour for access to all rooms within the Parish Hall. This rate includes heat, light, water and power.  Reductions in the rate may be available to residents of Cockwood and for all day or multi-day events. All enquiries should be referred to the Booking Manager.

Facilities include the use of :  Seating (60 metal chairs), 12 large tables.  Kitchen - refrigerator, 6-ringed gas oven, microwave, electric warming plate, water boiler (urn), kettle, crockery and cutlery.  Multiple 3-pin sockets distributed throughout the Village Hall. All portable electrical equipment must be suitably wired and rated (see Schedule 2, clause 9).  Television Receiving Licence and a 60in flat screen T.V.  Broadband and Wi-fi, plus an up to date sound system.

Disabled and wheelchair access to all parts of the Village Hall,  including a disabled toilet suitable for use by disabled persons.

Games equipment includes skittles, ball games (such as but not limited to indoor football, cricket, squash or any game involving a ball repeatedly hitting the walls).  

SCHEDULE 2  - Standard Conditions of Hire

These standard conditions apply to all hiring of the Village Hall. If the hirer is in any doubt as to the meaning of the following, the Parish Hall Committee should be consulted.

a) The hirer hereby acknowledges that they are aware of and understand the following: 

The action to be taken in the event of fire, including calling the Fire and Rescue Services and evacuating the hall. The location and use of fire equipment. Exit routes and the need to keep them clear (ASSEMBLY POINT VILLAGE GREEN). Appreciation of the importance of fire doors and of closing fire doors at the time of the fire. 

(b) In advance of an entertainment or play the Hirer shall check the following items:

That all exit routes are free of obstruction and can be safely used. That fire doors are not wedged open. That exit signs are illuminated. That there are no obvious fire hazards on the premises. All means of exit from the premises must be kept free from obstruction and immediately available for free public exit.

5. Health and Hygiene: The hirer preparing, serving or selling food, must observe all relevant food health and hygiene legislation and regulations. In particular, dairy products, vegetables and meat on the premises must be refrigerated and stored in compliance with the Food Temperature Regulations. The premises are provided with refrigerator and a thermometer.

6. Electrical Appliance Safety: The hirer shall ensure that any electrical appliances, including privately owned appliances, brought by them or by speakers or performers engaged by them, for use in the village hall, shall be safe, in good working order and used in a safe manner.  Appropriate and up to date certificates (as per Electricity at Work Regulations 1989) must be held available on the day of hire of the Parish Hall.

7. Indemnity:   a) Public Liability - Indemnity to the Hirer automatically included is cover for individuals and/or groups hiring the village hall for a private function who have no public liability cover of their own. This cover is provided for non-commercial activities, which are for the benefit of the local community. 

 b) Commercial Hirer's shall indemnify and keep indemnified each member of the Village Hall Management Committee and the Village Hall's employees, volunteers, agents and invitees against  (a) the cost of repair and any damage done to any part of the premises including the cartilage thereof or the contents of the premises (b) all claims, losses, damages and costs in respect of damage or loss of property or injury to persons arising as a result of the use of the premises (including the storage of equipment) by the Hirer and (c) all claims, losses, damages and costs suffered or incurred as a result of any nuisance caused to a third party as a result of the use of the premises by the hirer. 

c) Commercial Hirer's shall take out adequate insurance to insure the hirer and members of the hirer's organisation and invitees against the hirers liability under paragraph 10b and all claims arising as a result of the hire and on demand shall produce the policy and current receipt or other evidence of cover to the Secretary.  Failure to produce such policy and evidence of cover will render the hiring void and enable the Secretary to rehire the premises to another hirer.  The Village Hall is insured against any claims arising out of its own negligence. Any queries regarding this clause to be directed to the Secretary.

8.  Accidents and Dangerous Occurrences: The hirer must report all accidents involving injury to the public to a Committee Member of the  Parish Hall Committee as soon as possible.              

9.   Explosives and Flammable Substances: the hirer shall ensure that   a) highly flammable substances are not brought into or used in any part of  the premises and that no internal decorations of a combustible nature  (e.g polystyrene, cotton wool) shall be erected without the prior written permission of the Management Committee. No decorations are to be put up near light fittings or heaters. Naked flames are not permitted. Fireworks of any type are strictly prohibited and must not be brought into the Hall.

10. HEATING: THE CENTRAL  RADIATORS MUST NOT BE COVERED AND THE THERMOSTAT must not be altered

11.  Drunk and Disorderly Behaviour and Supply of Illegal Drugs: the hirer shall ensure that in order to avoid disturbing neighbours to the Parish Hall and avoid violent or criminal behaviour; care shall be taken to avoid excessive consumption of alcohol. Drunk and disorderly   behaviour shall not be permitted either on the premises or in its immediate vicinity. Alcohol shall not be served to any person suspected of bing drunk or to any person suspected of being under the age of 18. Any person suspected of being drunk or to any person being drunk under the influence of drugs or who is behaving in a violent or disorderly way shall be asked to leave the premises. No illegal drugs may be brought onto the premises.  

 12.   Animals: the hirer shall ensure that no animals agreed by the Village Hall Management Committee what so ever are allowed in the kitchen or within 3 meters of food serving.

  13.  Compliance with the Children's Act 1989:  the hirer shall ensure that any  activities for children under eight year of age comply  with the Childrens's Act of 1989 and any subsequent amendments thereto and that only fit and proper persons who have passed the appropriate Criminal Recorders Bureau checks have access to the children (checks may also apply where children over the eight years of age and vulnerable adults taking part in events and activities). The hirer will provide the Booking Manager with a copy of their Child Protection Policy on request. No alcohol is to be sold, served or consumed at Children's Parties.

14.  Signage and Fly Posting:  the hirer shall seek approval from  the Management Committee for  any signage to be erected in, or in the vicinity of the Village Hall.The hirer shall not carry out or permit fly posting or any other form of unauthorised advertising for any event taking place at the Parish Hall, and shall indemnify and keep indemnified each member of the Village Hall's Management Committee accordingly against all actions, claims and proceedings arising from any breach of this condition. Failure tp observe this condition may lead to prosecution by the Local Authority.         

15. Noise:  the hirer shall ensure that the minimum of noise is made on arrival and departure, particularly late at night and early in the morning. The hirer shall, if using sound amplification equipment, make use of any noise limitation device provided at the premises and comply with any other licensing condition for the premises.the morning. 

16. Sale  of Goods: the hirer shall, if  selling goods  on the premises , comply with Fair Trading Laws and any code of conduct or practice is used in  connection with such sales. In particular, the hirer shall ensure that the toal prices of all goods and services are prominently displayed, as shall connection with such sales. In particular, the hirer shall ensure that the total prices of all goods and services are prominently displayed as shall be the Organiser's name and address and that any discounts offered are based only on Manufacturer's Recommended Retail Price.            

17. Stored Equipment: the Village Hall accepts no responsibility for any stored equipment or other property brought into the or left at the premises and all liability for loss or damage is hereby excluded. All equipment and other property (other than stored equipment) must be removed at the end of each hiring or fees may be charged for each day or part of a day at the fee per hiring until the same is removed. 

18. Cancellation: if the hirer wishes to cancel the booking before the date of the event and the Parish Hall is unable to conclude a replacement booking, the question of the payment or repayment of the fee shall be at the discretion of the Parish Hall Committee. The Parish Hall Management Committee reserve the right to cancel this hiring by written notice to the hirer in the event of  -

     (a) the hall being required for use as a Polling Station for a Parliamentary or Local Government elections or by-election; 

     (b) the Parish Hall Management Committee reasonably considering that (i) such hire will lead to a breach of licensing conditions,if applicable, or other legal or statutory requirements, or (ii) unlawful or unsuitable activities will take place at the premises as a result of this hiring. 

           (c) the premises becoming unfit for the use intended by the hirer. 

      (d) an emergency requiring the use of the premises as a shelter for victims of, or those at risk of, a natural disaster; 

   (e) commercial hiring Parish Halls are usually held on strict trusts with the Charity Commission for the purpose of a Village Hall. The Management Committee is bound to ensure that the hall is administered in accordance with those trusts. Accordingly, the Parish Hall is bound to preserve and hereby reserves the right to terminate this Agreement by not less than 7 days notice in writing to the hirer in the event of the Village Hall being required on the same day/time for the fulfilment of its charitable purpose. In any such case thee hirer shall be entitled to a refund of any monies already paid, but the Parish Hall shall not be liable to the hirer for any resulting direct or indirect loss or damages whatsoever.                                                                                                                                 

19.   End of Hire: the hirer shall be responsible for leaving the premises and surrounding area in a clean and tidy condition, properly locked and    secured unless directed otherwise and any contents temporarily removed from their usual positions properly replaced, otherwise the Village Hall shall be at liberty to make an additional charge. All signage (if any) erected by the hirer of the hirer representative along the highway must be removed within 12 hours of the end of hire.

20.   No Altererations: No alterations or additions may be made to the premises nor may any fixtures be installed or placards, decorations or other articles be attached in any way to any part of the premises without the prior written approval of the committee. Any alteration, fixture or fitting or attachment so approved shall at the discretion of the Village Hall remain in the premises at the end of the hiring. It will become the property  of the village hall unless removed by the hirer who must make good to the satisfaction of the Parish Hall Committee or, of any damage caused to the premises by such removed.

21. No Rights: the Hiring Agreement constitutes permission only to use the premises and confers, no tenancy or other right of occupation on the  hirer.