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Community Hall Hireage Policy

Reference: P10-002
Status: Approved by the Council on 2 March 2010

Policy Purpose

This policy sets out general policies for the hire of Council owned and managed community halls and guidance to the booking process for potential hall hirers.

Policy Statements

This policy applies to all Council owned and managed community halls. The policy should be read in conjunction with the Council’s Venue Hire Agreement, which sets out terms and conditions of hire of halls (and other venues) once a booking is made.

1. Council owned or managed halls or community centres will be able to be hired from at least 7am to midday seven days a week, unless the condition or location of the facility requires the Council to limit the hire period.

2. Any persons wishing to hire a hall must make a booking request to the Council or where applicable the Council’s appointed hall custodian.

3. Bookings should be made a minimum of seven working days prior to the day the hire is due to commence to allow the appropriate hire contract to be arranged for signing by the hirer.

4. It is the responsibility of the hirer to ensure the hall they wish to hire is suitable for the purpose they require it for.

5. When making a booking the hirer must disclose to the Council for what purpose they wish to hire the hall, how long they wish to hire the hall for, how many people will be attending and any other details requested by the Council or custodian.

6. Hirers must agree to and sign a Venue Hire Agreement, which sets out the terms and conditions of the hall hire. The signed agreement must be returned, along with any payment due, to the Council prior to the hire commencing. The person signing the hire agreement must be over the age of 18 years.

7. Hire charges for the hire of Council owned halls are charged in accordance with those set out in the ‘Fees and Charges’ section of the Long Term Council Community Plan.

8. There are three categories of hire charges:

Casual users - hall users that book a hall for a one off event; one that does not occur on a regular (weekly, monthly or annual) basis.

Regular users (Category 1) - hall users that have a regular (weekly, monthly or annual) booking for Council owned halls and have a membership that contains less than 60% children and superannuitants

Regular users (Category 2 ) – hall users that have a regular (weekly, monthly or annual) booking for Council owned halls and have a membership that contains 60% or more children and superannuitants.

For the purpose of this policy children are under 14 years of age.

Users that qualify for regular user (category 2) status must supply the Council with membership data to confirm the qualification when first making a booking and thereafter on an annual basis to retain this status.

9. Hall users that do not supply the information on the anniversary of their first booking (or date of this policy’s adoption for existing users) will be charged the regular user (category 1) charges thereafter until the information is received by the Council.

10. The Council, at its discretion, may request any potential hirer to submit an event management plan prior to confirming the hire booking.

11. A refundable bond may be required for a hall booking. Bond payments must be deposited with the Council prior to the hire commencing.

12. The Council may, at its discretion and without reason, refuse an application for hire.

13. In the event that the Council or other public event organiser requires the use of the hired venue for civic or other purposes the Council is entitled to give notice in writing to cancel a hire booking at any time. The Council will endeavour to identify other venue options in such instances.

14.  As a minimum standard the Council will provide:

• Chairs.
• Tables.
• Kitchen facilities appropriate to the size and use of the venue.
• Toilet facilities.
• Entrances and toilet facilities are accessible to all hall users.
• Fire equipment.
• Heating.
• Cleaning product storage.
• Shared storage for user.
• Lighting.

A complete list of fixtures at each hall is available via the Council’s booking system.

15. The Council will respond to all maintenance and service requests within the timeframes set down in Asset Management plans or other Council policies or documents.

16. All Council owned halls and community centres will be inspected annually for maintenance and condition.

17. Hall custodians and users will be consulted annually to ascertain their needs and satisfaction with facilities.

Policy Contact

Community Asset Groups Parks.

Review of Policy

A review of this policy will be undertaken three years after its formal adoption or earlier if required.    

Reviewed three yearly (next review 2013).


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