Council is aware of recent media speculation in relation to an event in Eidsvold. Council provides the following statement detailing Council’s understanding of the event and activities to date.
- Council was approached by a community member to hire the Eidsvold Sports Shed for a private party/event and booked this Council facility in May 2024.
- Council is now aware the private event has been promoted as a public event, the Eidsvold Bike Rally, since March 2024, yet full details were only brought to the attention of Council last week.
- Any temporary entertainment event, for events open to the public, require approval from Council, including the provision of public liability insurance.
- The assessment and approval process is undertaken by Council to ensure the safety of persons and surrounding environments, and so any risk associated with staging the event is not borne by ratepayers.
- Based on the event (bike rally) being open to the public, Council requested relevant information from the organiser, including evidence of public liability insurance.
- As a part of this request, Council offered possible solutions to enable the event to occur at the Eidsvold Sports Shed.
- At the time of this release, Council has not received the requested information.
- Council’s request for information and insurance is no different to what it seeks from other organisers of public events in the region.
- By requiring a public event organiser to have public liability insurance, Council is protecting the interests of attendees and ratepayers.
- It is a matter for the event organiser if they choose to take the event elsewhere.