General
1. Sound health and safety procedures shall be in place to ensure that the library facilities are safe to use by members of the public, staff and visitors.
2. The library shall have 4 meeting rooms which may be used individually for small gatherings. Three of these rooms may be opened up to form a single, larger space with a maximum capacity of 80 people.
The Prevention of Crime and Disorder
1. The premises shall operate under library byelaws, and rules and regulations which define the conditions that users of the services must abide by. These include no rude or aggressive behaviour, no smoking, drugs and other substances etc. Staff shall be empowered to ask offenders to leave the premises.
2. There shall be a police presence in the building.
3. Torbay Council Security team shall patrol the building and may be called upon to deal with problems.
4. CCTV shall operate in the building.
Public Safety
1. Strict health and safety regime shall be in place.
2. Risk assessments shall be carried out to ascertain maximum attendance levels.
3. Fire risk assessment shall be carried out.
4. Fire drills shall be undertaken in accordance with policy.
5. Bomb threat drills shall be undertaken.
6. There shall be first aid capability.
7. Appropriate liability insurances shall be in place.
8. Maintenance of equipment and plant shall be in place.
The Prevention of Public Nuisance
1. Noise levels in the building shall be low and only audible in the building. The specific facility for making and playing music shall be in a sound proofed room.
2. Designated activities shall take place away from the public floor, thereby limiting disruption to other users.
3. Numbers of attendees shall be strictly limited, thereby avoiding queues outside the building etc.
The Protection of Children from Harm
1. The library service shall operate a policy for the safety of children in libraries based on guidelines issued by their professional body. Child/staff ratio shall be taken into account; details of attendees recorded for those children who may be left in library by parents; children under specified age not to be left in building as library staff do not act "in loco parentis"; guidelines on what to do if a child is left alone/appears to be distressed etc.
2. Where the proposed film club shall be showing a film, due regard shall be given to the requirements of the Video Standards Council (and BBFC classifications), of which the library service is a member.