# Martyn’s Law for Councils: A Step-by-Step Guide

> Is your council ready for Martyn's Law? OnePlan helps you map qualifying sites, evidence thresholds, and build your compliance plan by Spring 2027.

**Published:** 2026-09-29 | **Updated:** 2026-10-31 | **Author:** oneplansync
**URL:** https://www.oneplan.io/articles/martyns-law-local-government-guide
**Type:** post

**Categories:** Event safety and compliance

![Martyn’s Law for Councils: A Step-by-Step Guide](https://oneplan.sites.aigrowthagent.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/80/2026/10/1792193573812-4c9b18f08900-1024x572.webp)

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## Content

*Written by: Paul Foster, Founder, CEO, OnePlan | Last updated: October 10, 2026*

## Key Takeaways

- Martyn’s Law (Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025) applies to any council-controlled premises or event that meets the four statutory tests, with commencement expected in spring 2027.
- Qualifying premises are identified by four tests: public accessibility, Schedule 1 use, a 200+ occupancy threshold, and no Schedule 2 exclusion. These tests bring town halls, libraries, leisure centres, and household waste recycling centres into scope.
- The responsible person is the party with control of the premises for its Schedule 1 use. Councils may also have a duty to cooperate where they have partial control of enhanced tier sites or qualifying events.
- Standard tier (200–799 people) requires public protection procedures. Enhanced tier (800+) adds documented risk assessments, vulnerability-reduction measures, and SIA notification requirements.
- OnePlan helps councils map qualifying sites, calculate crowd capacity thresholds, and produce exportable plans that support SIA notifications and Safety Advisory Group coordination.

[See how OnePlan maps your qualifying sites](https://www.oneplan.io/book-demo/?utm_term=martyns-law-local-government-guide&utm_campaign=ai_growth_agent)

## Step 1: Understand The Statutory Vocabulary And Who This Guide Is For

This guide is for UK local authority events managers, events officers, community events coordinators, emergency management and resilience officers, town clerks, public works managers, and the police, fire, and traffic stakeholders they work with through Safety Advisory Groups (SAGs). Councils own and operate a wide portfolio of premises and run public events, and the Act’s scope turns on statutory tests rather than on the label “council building.”

The following terms appear throughout the [Home Office statutory guidance (updated 25 August 2026)](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-terrorism-protection-of-premises-act-2025/terrorism-protection-of-premises-act-2025-statutory-guidance) and the SIA’s regulator guidance. Precise use of these terms underpins any council readiness programme:

- **Qualifying premises:** premises that satisfy all four statutory tests in section 2 of the Act.
- **Responsible person:** the individual, organisation, or company with control of the premises for the purpose of its Schedule 1 use.
- **Public authority:** a body whose premises used to provide facilities or services to the public fall under Schedule 1 of the Act, expressly including household waste recycling centres.
- **Specified use:** Schedule 1 to the Act lists 17 categories of specified use, including halls etc, libraries, museums and galleries etc, entertainment and leisure activities, visitor attractions, and public authorities.
- **Standard tier:** qualifying premises where 200–799 individuals (including staff) are reasonably expected to be present at the same time from time to time.
- **Enhanced tier:** qualifying premises where 800 or more individuals (including staff) are reasonably expected to be present at the same time from time to time.
- **Duty to cooperate:** the obligation under section 8 of the Act for any person with some control of enhanced tier premises or a qualifying event, without being the responsible person, to cooperate with the responsible person so far as reasonably practicable.

This article explains the statutory tests and points to official guidance. It does not issue legal rulings. Readers should follow the [Home Office statutory guidance (updated 25 August 2026)](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-terrorism-protection-of-premises-act-2025/terrorism-protection-of-premises-act-2025-statutory-guidance), the [SIA’s guidance on its role as regulator](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/martyns-law-keeping-up-the-momentum), and their own legal advisers.

[Explore OnePlan for council premises mapping](https://www.oneplan.io/book-demo/?utm_term=martyns-law-local-government-guide&utm_campaign=ai_growth_agent)

## Step 2: Apply The Four Statutory Tests To Your Council Assets

Scoping the council estate works as a decision tree, not a blanket classification. [Under section 2 of the Act](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-terrorism-protection-of-premises-act-2025/terrorism-protection-of-premises-act-2025-statutory-guidance), a premises qualifies only when all four tests are satisfied:

1. The site meets the definition of premises, such as a building, part of a building, or a building together with other land, and that building is accessible to the public to any extent.
2. The premises is wholly or mainly used for one or more uses listed in Schedule 1.
3. It is reasonable to expect that from time to time 200 or more individuals (including staff) may be present at the same time.
4. The premises is not excluded under Part 1 of Schedule 2.

Applying those tests to common council asset types shows that most public-facing council buildings fall in scope, while a few commonly overlooked assets, notably household waste recycling centres, also qualify:

- **Town and city halls:** [under Schedule 1, paragraph 17(1) of the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025, use of premises by a public authority for the provision of facilities or services to visiting members of the public is a specified (Schedule 1) use](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-terrorism-protection-of-premises-act-2025/terrorism-protection-of-premises-act-2025-statutory-guidance), and such premises may be qualifying premises if they are wholly or mainly used for that use. Where 200 or more individuals including staff are reasonably expected from time to time, the premises qualifies.
- **Libraries, museums, and galleries:** named explicitly in Schedule 1. Sites where collections are exhibited outdoors or partly outdoors are also covered.
- **Leisure and sports facilities:** gyms, leisure centres, swimming pools, and sports grounds all appear in Schedule 1 under “entertainment and leisure activities” or “sports grounds.”
- **Public halls and community centres:** covered under the “halls etc” Schedule 1 use, which includes village halls, community centres, and venues for hire.
- **Visitor attractions:** attractions of cultural, historic, touristic, or educational value, including heritage railway lines, fall within Schedule 1.
- **Household waste recycling centres:** [expressly named in the statutory guidance](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-terrorism-protection-of-premises-act-2025/terrorism-protection-of-premises-act-2025-statutory-guidance) under the “public authorities” Schedule 1 use. This asset type is the most commonly missed example in council estate audits.

A council building falls in scope only when each test is met, and the answer can differ building by building. The occupancy test is based on what can [reasonably be expected “from time to time,” meaning occasionally](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-terrorism-protection-of-premises-act-2025/terrorism-protection-of-premises-act-2025-statutory-guidance), rather than continuously. Relevant evidence includes safe occupancy limits, historic attendance, booking information, and the way the premises are used.

The event dimension adds a further layer. Temporary events and the premises used for them can bring a council into scope even where the day-to-day building is not a qualifying premises. Where a council hires a park to an event organiser, the organiser typically becomes the responsible person for the qualifying event. Where the council retains control of the site, it may remain the responsible person. See also [Martyn’s Law For Council Events: A Portfolio-Scoping Guide](https://oneplan.io/articles/martyns-law-city-council-events/?utm_term=martyns-law-local-government-guide&utm_campaign=ai_growth_agent) for event-portfolio detail.

[Book a demo to see the four-test audit in action](https://www.oneplan.io/book-demo/?utm_term=martyns-law-local-government-guide&utm_campaign=ai_growth_agent)

## Step 3: Identify The Responsible Person And Map The Duty To Cooperate

[Under section 4 of the Act](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-terrorism-protection-of-premises-act-2025/terrorism-protection-of-premises-act-2025-statutory-guidance), the responsible person is the individual, organisation, or company with control of the premises for the purpose of its Schedule 1 use. Control generally means having possession or occupation of the premises and the right and ability to make management and use decisions, particularly decisions about who may remain on site.

For council-controlled premises, this usually works as follows:

- Where the council occupies and manages a qualifying premises for its principal Schedule 1 use, the council is the responsible person.
- Where the council owns a building but a third party operates it under a lease or licence and controls it for the Schedule 1 use, the third party is typically the responsible person as operator rather than the council as landlord.
- Where a council controls the area of a park or other site in which a qualifying event takes place, it may be the responsible person for that event even if another organisation delivers operational aspects.
- Where premises have more than one Schedule 1 use, the [principal-use determination](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/terrorism-protection-of-premises-act-principal-use-of-premises/terrorism-protection-of-premises-act-principal-use-of-premises-accessible) identifies the responsible person as the party with control for the principal use.

The duty to cooperate under section 8 of the Act applies where a council has some control of enhanced tier premises or a qualifying event without being the responsible person. In that situation, the council must cooperate with the responsible person so far as reasonably practicable to help meet the Act’s requirements. Where there are multiple responsible persons, for example where qualifying premises form part of larger qualifying premises, they must coordinate with each other so far as reasonably practicable.

The Act generally limits responsibility to the premises in scope rather than neighbouring land that happens to share ownership. Start by identifying who actually controls occupation, access, management, event use, and security decisions at each site. Those answers determine who the responsible person is. Where control is split, record the arrangement in writing and set up cooperation and coordination arrangements before duties commence. Committee report writers should note that the responsible person and duty-to-cooperate mapping are two distinct governance outputs.

With the responsible person identified, the next step is to understand how much that person must do at each site, which depends on the site’s tier.

## Step 4: Determine Standard Tier Vs Enhanced Tier For Each Qualifying Site

Once a site qualifies, the tier determines the scale of the duties. The two tiers split on occupancy:

- **Standard tier (200–799 individuals):** qualifying premises where 200 to 799 individuals, including staff, are reasonably expected to be present at the same time from time to time.
- **Enhanced tier (800+ individuals):** qualifying premises where 800 or more individuals, including staff, are reasonably expected to be present at the same time from time to time.

Tier determination is a per-premises judgment based on reasonable expectation rather than a single council-wide label. [The statutory guidance](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-terrorism-protection-of-premises-act-2025/terrorism-protection-of-premises-act-2025-statutory-guidance) notes that relevant evidence may include safe occupancy limits, historic attendance, booking information, and the way the premises are used. Staff are included in the count.

The deliverables differ meaningfully between tiers. At standard tier, the responsible person must consider what public protection procedures are appropriate and reasonably practicable, covering:

- Evacuation, moving people out of the premises.
- Invacuation, moving people to a safer place within the premises.
- Lockdown, securing the premises to prevent individuals entering or leaving.
- Communication, providing information, alerting people to danger, and giving instructions.

At enhanced tier, the responsible person must additionally consider public protection measures to reduce the premises’ vulnerability to acts of terrorism, produce a documented risk assessment, and [submit required information to the SIA under the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) (Notification Requirements) Regulations 2026 (SI 2026/793)](https://legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2026/793/made). An enhanced tier responsible person that is an organisation must also designate a senior individual under section 10 of the Act.

Invacuation and lockdown arrangements can conflict with fire evacuation. Develop the two plans together so a lockdown arrangement does not impede escape routes required under fire safety legislation.

## Step 5: Understand Who Regulates And Enforces

Those tier-based duties only matter if someone checks them. [The Security Industry Authority (SIA) is the designated regulator for the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/martyns-law-keeping-up-the-momentum). Once duties commence, the SIA will support compliance and carry out desk-based assessments and on-site inspections under a risk-based approach. It can issue compliance notices, restriction notices, and penalty notices.

Standard tier premises face civil penalties of up to £10,000 for non-compliance. [Enhanced tier premises and qualifying events face a maximum non-compliance penalty of the greater of £18 million or 5% of qualifying worldwide revenue for the most recent complete accounting period](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2025/10/section/18?view=plain). Where the person has no accounting period, or their first accounting period has not ended, the maximum is £18 million.

Under the [Terrorism (Protection of Premises) (Notification Requirements) Regulations 2026 (SI 2026/793)](https://legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2026/793/made), responsible persons for qualifying premises must notify the SIA within three months of commencement day. For qualifying events, notification is required within 14 days of the event date being first publicised after commencement. Notifications must be submitted via the SIA’s online portal, which will be available on GOV.UK when the requirement commences. The SIA’s final section 12 guidance, explaining how it will exercise its regulatory functions, was expected to be published in autumn 2026 following a [public consultation that closed on 12 June 2026](https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/martyns-law-draft-section-12-statutory-guidance).

## Step 6: Distinguish Martyn’s Law From ACT For Local Authorities

Martyn’s Law and ACT for Local Authorities (Action Counters Terrorism) cover different workstreams and should appear separately in committee reporting.

The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 creates legally enforceable duties for qualifying premises and events that meet the four statutory tests. Its scope is defined by buildings, Schedule 1 uses, and occupancy thresholds. [Open-access parks, gardens, and other open-air recreational premises without measures to secure or check access are generally excluded under Schedule 2](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-terrorism-protection-of-premises-act-2025/terrorism-protection-of-premises-act-2025-statutory-guidance).

[ACT for Local Authorities is a Counter Terrorism Policing service offer run by NaCTSO](https://www.protectuk.police.uk/act-local-authorities). It addresses protective security and preparedness planning across public spaces owned, managed, or influenced by local authorities, including open public spaces and hostile vehicle mitigation. These areas sit outside the scope of the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 (Martyn’s Law) and complement it by focusing on open spaces rather than venues and events.

[ACT awareness products, including free e-learning on ProtectUK](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-terrorism-protection-of-premises-act-2025/non-statutory-supplementary-document-c-further-resources-and-learning), are advisory rather than statutory. Councils will typically need both workstreams running in parallel: the statutory premises compliance programme under the Act, and the broader protective security and open-space planning work under ACT and ProtectUK guidance.

Keeping the two workstreams distinct in committee papers avoids treating ACT training as a substitute for the Act’s statutory procedures or assuming the Act’s premises duties cover open public spaces outside its scope.

## Step 7: Build A Dated Readiness Sequence To Spring 2027

With commencement expected in spring 2027, councils have a defined window to build a governance programme. A practical sequence from October 2026 to spring 2027 looks like this:

- **October–November 2026:** Conduct a premises audit across the council estate. Apply the four statutory tests to every building and event space. Record the assessment for each site, including the Schedule 1 use determination, occupancy evidence, and any Schedule 2 exclusion.
- **November–December 2026:** Map the responsible person for each qualifying site. Record split-control arrangements and identify where the duty to cooperate applies. Produce a responsible-person register for committee reporting.
- **December 2026–January 2027:** Draft public protection procedures for each qualifying premises, covering evacuation, invacuation, lockdown, and communication, cross-checked against existing fire risk assessments and emergency plans.
- **January–February 2027:** For enhanced tier premises, draft the documented risk assessment and vulnerability-reduction measures. Designate the senior individual for each enhanced tier site.
- **February–March 2027:** Deliver staff training and awareness. Walk-test procedures at qualifying sites. Integrate Martyn’s Law readiness into existing Safety Advisory Group and resilience arrangements.
- **On commencement (spring 2027):** Submit notifications to the SIA via the online portal within the three-month window for qualifying premises and within 14 days of first publicity for qualifying events.

This sequence feeds directly into a committee report or cabinet paper. The premises audit and responsible-person register form the evidence base. The procedure drafts and training records are the deliverables. The notification timeline is the compliance milestone. Integrating the sequence with existing SAG meeting cycles keeps police, fire, and licensing stakeholders aligned before commencement.

For further detail on emergency planning integration, see [Martyn’s Law Emergency Planning: A Step-by-Step Guide](https://oneplan.io/articles/martyns-law-emergency-planning-guide/?utm_term=martyns-law-local-government-guide&utm_campaign=ai_growth_agent).

[Plan your 2027 readiness timeline in OnePlan](https://www.oneplan.io/book-demo/?utm_term=martyns-law-local-government-guide&utm_campaign=ai_growth_agent)

## Step 8: Map Qualifying Sites And Evidence Thresholds With OnePlan

The premises audit and responsible-person mapping described above generate a significant documentation workload. OnePlan provides a single source of truth for that workload, with one to-scale, live plan of each qualifying site and event so the audit has a spatial foundation rather than a folder of static PDFs.

**Build your event as a team inside OnePlan: design and manage any physical space on one integrated, live plan**

OnePlan’s crowd capacity calculator lets a council outline any area on a live satellite map and instantly see standing capacity. The people-per-square-meter density is selectable, so teams can test different assumptions. This directly supports evidencing the 200 and 800 thresholds for SIA notification, Safety Advisory Group meetings, and committee papers. OnePlan supports standing crowd capacity calculations only, not seated capacity. For ingress and egress planning around qualifying premises and events, the [arrival calculator](https://calculators.oneplan.io/arrival?utm_term=martyns-law-local-government-guide&utm_campaign=ai_growth_agent) provides estimated queue length and queue time for ticket checks and security screening. The [exit calculator](https://calculators.oneplan.io/exit/calculator?utm_term=martyns-law-local-government-guide&utm_campaign=ai_growth_agent) uses exit width, crowd size, and flow rate to estimate exit capacity.

![Festival planning example inside OnePlan: the base layer is a zoomable satellite or street map, and everything placed on it (tents, stages, crowd barriers, toilets, vehicles, staff, signage, routes) stays accurately to scale as you zoom](https://cdn.aigrowthmarketer.co/1780620510054-c5429587ebad.png)**Festival planning example inside OnePlan: the base layer is a zoomable satellite or street map, and everything placed on it (tents, stages, crowd barriers, toilets, vehicles, staff, signage, routes) stays accurately to scale as you zoom**

Exportable high-resolution maps, up to A0 and print-ready, give SAG meetings and committee papers a single authoritative visual. Auto-generated Bill of Quantities reports then support contractor coordination. Plans can be shared as live, view-only links so police, fire, and licensing stakeholders always see the latest version without anyone resending files.

**With OnePlan, you can place barriers, tents, and more inside its integrated, live planning tool**

Local government teams already use OnePlan to deliver this kind of cross-department coordination. [Eagle Mountain City](https://www.oneplan.io/case-studies/how-eagle-mountain-city-saves-70-planning-time-and-achieves-5x-roi-organizing-community-events-using-oneplan/?utm_term=martyns-law-local-government-guide&utm_campaign=ai_growth_agent) cut planning time by 70%, from 8–10 hours down to a few hours per event, and reported a 5x return on investment by moving to a single, all-encompassing layout shared across fire, police, facilities, and other departments. The [City of Greater Dandenong](https://www.oneplan.io/case-studies/how-the-city-of-greater-dandenong-plan-their-events-with-oneplan/?utm_term=martyns-law-local-government-guide&utm_campaign=ai_growth_agent) uses OnePlan to plan its community events with the same collaborative approach.

OnePlan is free for a first event (up to 25 objects), so a council can start on one qualifying site, map the premises, calculate standing capacity, and produce an exportable plan before scaling across the estate. See also [Martyn’s Law For Parks & Indoor Facilities Explained](https://oneplan.io/articles/martyns-law-parks-and-rec/?utm_term=martyns-law-local-government-guide&utm_campaign=ai_growth_agent) for site-specific planning detail.

[Start your first qualifying site plan in OnePlan](https://www.oneplan.io/book-demo/?utm_term=martyns-law-local-government-guide&utm_campaign=ai_growth_agent)

## Common Challenges In Council Readiness Programmes

Council teams running Martyn’s Law readiness programmes encounter a consistent set of practical obstacles.

- **Siloed tools and duplicated work:** events, public works, police, fire, and parks teams each maintain separate plans. The cause is usually the absence of a shared platform. A single cloud-based plan that all departments can view and update removes the multiple document versions and the version-control chaos that follows.
- **Recreating separate maps for each stakeholder:** producing a different layout for fire, police, and facilities is time-consuming and creates inconsistency. A single to-scale plan with live, view-only sharing means every stakeholder works from the same map.
- **Slow approval cycles:** static PDFs emailed for comment produce slow, fragmented feedback. Exportable high-resolution maps and live plan links accelerate SAG and committee approvals by giving decision-makers a clear, current picture.
- **Reliance on outdated GIS or Google Earth imagery:** older imagery leads to plans that do not reflect current site conditions. OnePlan’s base layer uses regularly updated satellite and street map imagery, often more current than a council’s own GIS.
- **Limited staff capacity:** small events teams cannot absorb a large new compliance workstream without efficiency gains elsewhere. Reusable templates and a single source of truth reduce the per-site planning burden so staff can redirect hours into higher-value work.

## Measuring Success Across Your Estate

A Martyn’s Law readiness programme for a council estate has practical indicators of progress that can be tracked and reported to committee.

- A complete premises audit with tier determinations recorded for every building and event space.
- A responsible-person register with split-control arrangements and duty-to-cooperate obligations documented.
- Fewer revisions to plans between draft and SAG or committee approval.
- Smoother Safety Advisory Group and committee approvals, evidenced by reduced round-trips on plan submissions.
- Reduced site visits, with remote measurement and layout validation replacing manual on-site measuring.
- Stronger cross-department alignment, with police, fire, licensing, and parks teams working from the same live plan.

Simple ways to track outcomes over time include maintaining version history on a single live plan so changes are auditable and building a repeatable annual review cycle into the council’s events and resilience calendar. The premises audit should be reviewed whenever circumstances change, such as following refurbishment, a licence change, or a change in how a premises is used.

## Advanced Planning Considerations And Next Steps

Council teams that have completed the foundational readiness sequence can strengthen their programme with several next-level steps.

- **Standardising templates across multiple council venues:** a single OnePlan template for each venue type, such as leisure centre, town hall, or community centre, means the premises audit and procedure documentation can be replicated consistently across the estate rather than rebuilt from scratch for each site.
- **Reusing plans year on year:** qualifying premises rarely change tier every year. A live plan built for the 2027 notification cycle becomes the foundation for the annual review, with updates tracked rather than recreated.
- **Scenario planning for evacuation, invacuation, and lockdown:** OnePlan’s to-scale maps let teams walk-test procedure scenarios before the day. Overlay evacuation routes, invacuation holding areas, and lockdown perimeters on the same plan, and conflicts with fire escape routes surface at the desk instead of during an incident.
- **Post-event refinement:** after each qualifying event, the plan and capacity evidence can be updated to reflect actual attendance. This strengthens the occupancy evidence base for future tier determinations and SIA notifications.

As noted in Step 8, the free first-event tier lets a council prove the workflow on one site before scaling. For a broader introduction to Martyn’s Law, see [Martyn’s Law Explained: A Guide For Event Organizers](https://oneplan.io/articles/what-is-martyns-law/?utm_term=martyns-law-local-government-guide&utm_campaign=ai_growth_agent).

[Talk to OnePlan about multi-site council rollouts](https://www.oneplan.io/book-demo/?utm_term=martyns-law-local-government-guide&utm_campaign=ai_growth_agent)

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Do Councils Have To Comply With Martyn’s Law?

Yes, where the four statutory tests are met. The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 applies to any qualifying premises or event that a council controls, regardless of whether the council owns the building. Scope is determined by the statutory tests in section 2 of the Act, rather than ownership or the label “council building.” Councils should follow the Home Office statutory guidance and seek their own legal advice on specific premises.

### Which Council Premises Are In Scope?

Any council-controlled building that is accessible to the public, wholly or mainly used for a Schedule 1 use, expected to hold 200 or more individuals (including staff) at the same time from time to time, and not excluded under Schedule 2 is a qualifying premises. Common council assets that may qualify include town halls, libraries, museums, leisure centres, community halls, visitor attractions, and household waste recycling centres. Each building must be assessed individually against the four tests.

### What Is The Standard Tier For Council Venues?

Standard tier is the 200–799 band defined in Step 4. At this tier, the responsible person must consider what public protection procedures are appropriate and reasonably practicable, covering evacuation, invacuation, lockdown, and communication. Standard tier premises must also notify the SIA within three months of commencement. The duty at standard tier focuses on procedures rather than specialist equipment or physical alterations.

### When Does Martyn’s Law Come Into Force?

The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 received Royal Assent on 3 April 2025. The government committed to a minimum implementation period of 24 months, and commencement of the substantive duties is expected in spring 2027. Preparatory provisions, including the SIA’s regulatory machinery, came into force on 15 June 2026. No fixed calendar date for full commencement had been confirmed as of October 2026, so councils should monitor Home Office and SIA announcements for the commencement order.

### What Is A Council’s Duty To Cooperate Under Martyn’s Law?

Under section 8 of the Act, any person or organisation that has some control of enhanced tier premises or a qualifying event, without being the responsible person, must cooperate with the responsible person so far as reasonably practicable to help meet the Act’s requirements. For councils, this typically arises where a third party operates a qualifying event on council-controlled land, or where council premises form part of a larger qualifying premises operated by another responsible person. The duty to cooperate is distinct from being the responsible person and does not transfer legal responsibility.

### Is A Household Waste Recycling Centre In Scope?

Potentially yes. Household waste recycling centres are expressly named in the Home Office statutory guidance under the “public authorities” Schedule 1 use, which covers any premises used by a public authority for the provision of facilities or services to members of the public. Whether a specific centre qualifies depends on whether all four statutory tests are met, including whether 200 or more individuals, including staff, are reasonably expected to be present at the same time from time to time. Councils should assess each centre individually.

### Does The Act Cover Open Public Spaces?

Open-access parks, gardens, and other open-air recreational premises without measures to secure or check access are generally excluded under Schedule 2 of the Act. The Act requires a building to be present and accessible to the public. Open public spaces are addressed by separate workstreams, including ACT for Local Authorities and ProtectUK guidance on hostile vehicle mitigation and open-space protective security. Councils should run both workstreams in parallel and keep them distinct in committee reporting.

### How Can A Council Evidence The 200 And 800 Thresholds?

The Home Office statutory guidance states that relevant evidence may include safe occupancy limits, historic attendance data, booking information, and the way the premises are used. Councils should document the method used to calculate the greatest number of individuals reasonably expected to be present at the same time, as this figure must be submitted to the SIA as part of the notification. OnePlan’s crowd capacity calculator lets a council outline any area on a to-scale map and instantly see standing capacity, providing a spatial evidence base that can be exported for SAG meetings and committee papers. The Home Office’s non-statutory Supplementary Document A sets out further methods for assessing reasonable expectation of attendance.

[Book a OnePlan demo to evidence your thresholds](https://www.oneplan.io/book-demo/?utm_term=martyns-law-local-government-guide&utm_campaign=ai_growth_agent)

## Read Next

- [Martyn’s Law for Council Events: A Portfolio-Scoping Guide](https://oneplan.io/articles/martyns-law-city-council-events/?utm_term=martyns-law-local-government-guide&utm_campaign=ai_growth_agent)
- [Martyn’s Law: The Evidence Playbook for UK Venues and Events](https://oneplan.io/articles/martyns-law-compliance-guide/?utm_term=martyns-law-local-government-guide&utm_campaign=ai_growth_agent)
- [Martyn’s Law for Parks & Indoor Facilities Explained](https://oneplan.io/articles/martyns-law-parks-and-rec/?utm_term=martyns-law-local-government-guide&utm_campaign=ai_growth_agent)
- [Martyn’s Law Emergency Planning: A Step-by-Step Guide](https://oneplan.io/articles/martyns-law-emergency-planning-guide/?utm_term=martyns-law-local-government-guide&utm_campaign=ai_growth_agent)
- [Martyn’s Law for Event Planners: A Step-by-Step Guide](https://oneplan.io/articles/martyns-law-event-planning/?utm_term=martyns-law-local-government-guide&utm_campaign=ai_growth_agent)

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    - **Name:** What Is The Standard Tier For Council Venues?
      **Answer:**

      - **Text:** Standard tier is the 200–799 band defined in Step 4. At this tier, the responsible person must consider what public protection procedures are appropriate and reasonably practicable, covering evacuation, invacuation, lockdown, and communication. Standard tier premises must also notify the SIA within three months of commencement. The duty at standard tier focuses on procedures rather than specialist equipment or physical alterations.
    **Question:**

    - **Name:** When Does Martyn’s Law Come Into Force?
      **Answer:**

      - **Text:** The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 received Royal Assent on 3 April 2025. The government committed to a minimum implementation period of 24 months, and commencement of the substantive duties is expected in spring 2027. Preparatory provisions, including the SIA’s regulatory machinery, came into force on 15 June 2026. No fixed calendar date for full commencement had been confirmed as of October 2026, so councils should monitor Home Office and SIA announcements for the commencement order.
    **Question:**

    - **Name:** What Is A Council’s Duty To Cooperate Under Martyn’s Law?
      **Answer:**

      - **Text:** Under section 8 of the Act, any person or organisation that has some control of enhanced tier premises or a qualifying event, without being the responsible person, must cooperate with the responsible person so far as reasonably practicable to help meet the Act’s requirements. For councils, this typically arises where a third party operates a qualifying event on council-controlled land, or where council premises form part of a larger qualifying premises operated by another responsible person. The duty to cooperate is distinct from being the responsible person and does not transfer legal responsibility.
    **Question:**

    - **Name:** Is A Household Waste Recycling Centre In Scope?
      **Answer:**

      - **Text:** Potentially yes. Household waste recycling centres are expressly named in the Home Office statutory guidance under the “public authorities” Schedule 1 use, which covers any premises used by a public authority for the provision of facilities or services to members of the public. Whether a specific centre qualifies depends on whether all four statutory tests are met, including whether 200 or more individuals, including staff, are reasonably expected to be present at the same time from time to time. Councils should assess each centre individually.
    **Question:**

    - **Name:** Does The Act Cover Open Public Spaces?
      **Answer:**

      - **Text:** Open-access parks, gardens, and other open-air recreational premises without measures to secure or check access are generally excluded under Schedule 2 of the Act. The Act requires a building to be present and accessible to the public. Open public spaces are addressed by separate workstreams, including ACT for Local Authorities and ProtectUK guidance on hostile vehicle mitigation and open-space protective security. Councils should run both workstreams in parallel and keep them distinct in committee reporting.
    **Question:**

    - **Name:** How Can A Council Evidence The 200 And 800 Thresholds?
      **Answer:**

      - **Text:** The Home Office statutory guidance states that relevant evidence may include safe occupancy limits, historic attendance data, booking information, and the way the premises are used. Councils should document the method used to calculate the greatest number of individuals reasonably expected to be present at the same time, as this figure must be submitted to the SIA as part of the notification. OnePlan’s crowd capacity calculator lets a council outline any area on a to-scale map and instantly see standing capacity, providing a spatial evidence base that can be exported for SAG meetings and committee papers. The Home Office’s non-statutory Supplementary Document A sets out further methods for assessing reasonable expectation of attendance.

  **BlogPosting:**

  - **Headline:** Martyn's Law for Councils: A Step-by-Step Guide
  - **Description:** Is your council ready for Martyn's Law? OnePlan helps you map qualifying sites, evidence thresholds, and build your compliance plan by Spring 2027.
  - **DateModified:** 2026-10-10T10:19:54.654Z
  - **Image:** https://cdn.aigrowthmarketer.co/1780620510054-c5429587ebad.png
  - **InLanguage:** en-US
    **Person:**

    - **Name:** Paul Foster
    - **JobTitle:** Founder, CEO
    - **Description:** Paul Foster is the CEO and founder of OnePlan, a platform for event and venue planning, digital twins, and crowd management. With over 15 years of experience leading complex global projects across sport, music, culture, and major events, he helps organizers design safer, smarter, and more collaborative event operations.
    - **Image:** https://cdn.aigrowthmarketer.co/1780493825011-5c11ad09e7eb.jpeg
    - **Url:** https://www.linkedin.com/in/fosteroneplan/
      **Organization:**

      - **Name:** OnePlan
      - **Url:** https://www.oneplan.io/
    **Organization:**

    - **Name:** OnePlan
    - **Url:** https://oneplan.io


---

## About OnePlan

> **OnePlan** — Event Planning Software - OnePlan - Get Started Free

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## Citations

- [PowerPoint Alternatives for Emergency Access Maps](https://www.oneplan.io/articles/best-powerpoint-alternatives-emergency-maps)
- [Canva Alternatives for Emergency Access Planning Maps](https://www.oneplan.io/articles/best-canva-alternatives-emergency-maps)
- [Does Martyn’s Law Apply in the US? What Venues Face Instead](https://www.oneplan.io/articles/does-martyns-law-apply-us)
- [Martyn’s Law for Council Events: A Portfolio-Scoping Guide](https://www.oneplan.io/articles/martyns-law-city-council-events)
- [Martyn’s Law: The Evidence Playbook for UK Venues and Events](https://www.oneplan.io/articles/martyns-law-compliance-guide)

---

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