Safety Advisory Group

The role of Oxford City Safety Advisory Group (SAG) is to provide advice to individuals and organisations planning a public event from fun runs through to major public gatherings. 

This advice is in addition to any legal requirements and government guidance. The recommendations given by Oxford City SAG are advisory only and it is for the event organiser to take such steps that are necessary to ensure an event is undertaken safely. However individual SAG members have their own legislative powers that may relate to parts of the events such as noise and traffic.

Oxford City SAG core members are officers from the emergency services (Police, Fire & Rescue Service and the Ambulance NHS Trust) and Council Services (Highways, Traffic Management, Building Control, Environmental Health and Licensing) working in Oxford. 

The Group meets at regular intervals throughout the year. 

Main Objectives

  • To promote high levels of safety and welfare at events by giving advice;
  • To promote good practice in safety and welfare planning for event;
  • To ensure events cause minimal adverse impact;
  • To ensure that any licensable activities have been granted the necessary permissions;
  • To provide advice to Event Organisers with regard to event controls and risk assessments.

Typical examples of events

  • Open air concerts and music festivals.
  • Trade shows.
  • Sporting events.
  • Horse shows, agricultural shows, dog shows car, caravan shows and similar.
  • Open air entertainment including theatre, opera and historic re-enactments.
  • Firework displays.
  • Large scale company parties.
  • Processions, marches and carnivals.
  • Religious events.

In exceptional circumstances Oxford City SAG may consider an event with unusual hazards or risks held inside a building. 

Oxford City SAG Constitution and Guidance.

Visit our Events pages for more information on events on Council-owned land in Oxford, and information about organising an event.