Kings Heath Boys

Lettings Policy

1. Purpose of this policy

This policy is intended to:

  • Maximise community use of the School premises whilst minimising the impact on School and its activities.
  • Simplify decision making with regard to letting requests.

The letting of the School premises by the community and other interested users is welcomed, subject to the following conditions. The appendix to this policy sets out specific/additional conditions applicable to lettings of the Facilities.

2. Bookings

  • Use of the premises for School functions will take priority over lettings.
  • Multi-lets will take priority over individual one-off bookings.
  • Decisions whether to permit lettings will be made by the Headteacher (such authority being delegated by the Governing Body). If the Headteacher believes a letting should not be permitted she will report the reasons to the Governing Body. The Governing Body’s decision is final.
  • The School premises will not be let to individuals or organisations if there is reason to believe that the name of the School will be brought into disrepute.
  • Public liability insurance must be seen prior to accepting any event unless the School and its advisers are comfortable that its own public liability insurance covers the hirer's group. Advice will be taken from the School's Advisory Service on a case-by-case basis.
  • All booking enquiries will be administered by the School's Finance Assistant with the approval of either the Headteacher or the Deputy Headteacher.
  • Letting costs must cover all the expenditure costs eg staffing, utilities etc.
  • The school reserves the right to requesta deposit(a "Security Deposit")in addition to any deposit against the agreed hiring fee. The Security Deposit will be returned to the hirer in full, within 14 days of the end of the period of hire, subject to the hired premises being left to the required standard of repair / cleanliness. Should the Headteacher, reporting to the Governing Body, deem that they have not been left in such a state then a deduction may be made from any Security Deposit and/or a further invoice be issued to the hirer.

3.Charges

  • A schedule of charges will be reviewed annually.
  • It is anticipated that there shall be a distinction in rates charged for hire for groups where the majority of participants in the activity are under 16 ("Junior Rates") and for other parties ("Standard Rates") and Junior Rates will be lower than Standard Rates. The decision by the Headteacher, reporting to the Governing Body, on whether a group qualifies for Junior Rates is final.
  • The timing of collection of payments will be at the School's discretion, however, as a general principle, payment for single lets will be required in full in advance and multi-lets will be required to pay monthly in advance. As referred to at paragraph (2), a deposit may be required when booking.
  • Where advance payment of fees has been requested and payment has not been received by the date required, any hire agreement will be immediately terminated unless agreed otherwise by the Headteacher, reporting to the Governing Body.
  • A period of 15 minutes will be given to exit the building. Double the normal hire charge will be charged for any amount of time hirers use accommodation in excess of the time booked.
  • Depending upon the nature of the hire, additional cleaning costs may be incurred and the relevant charge increased accordingly. This will be agreed with the hirer in advance.

4. Cancellations

  • The School always reserves the right to cancel a booking should it require the facilities. If the School cancels a booking because it requires the facilities a full refund will be given. The hirer shall not be entitled to any further financial compensation.
  • All cancellations by the hirer must be given in writing to the School at the address provided on the booking form (or by email to the email address similarly provided on the form).
  • Cancellation by the hirer with at least 48 hours' notice will incur no charge.
  • Cancellation by the hirer with 24 hours' notice will incur a charge of 50% of the total hire fee.
  • Full charge of the total hire fee will be made where notice is not given.
  • If any other circumstances render the booked facilities or any part thereof not available on the date for which a valid letting has been agreed (including as a consequence of any breakdown, leakage or accident), a full or part refund will be given to the hirer (as the Headteacher, reporting to the Governing Body, deems to be appropriate), but the hirer shall not be entitled to any further financial compensation.
  • Where advance payment of fees has been requested and payment has not been received, the School will consider the hirer to have cancelled the hire as at the date of non-payment.

5. Availability of Staff and Facilities

  • Any letting of the School premises or part of it will require a School staff representative (a "Site Representative") to be present at the beginning and end of the letting period on each occasion a letting is to take place to check that the equipment and facilities are in order
  • Restrictions may be placed on the availability of use of IT equipment and use of software which will be notified to the hirer at the time of booking
  • Use of the premises’ furniture, apparatus and other equipment will be subject to the prior approval of the Site Representative and agreed at the time of booking.

6. Responsibilities

  • The hirer shall ensure that there is a responsible adult(s) present and able to supervise at all times during the letting.
  • Where students are likely to remain on site or where the activity to which the hire relates is to involve individuals under the age of 18, anyone leading or involved in the activity (the hirer or the hirer's staff) should be DBS checked. It is the hirer’s responsibility to ensure thatthe hirer and the hirer’s staff are DBS checked (and such checks are up to date both at the time of booking and at the time that the hire takes place) and the hirer must supply evidence to support this at the time of booking. The attention of the hirer should also be drawn to the DfES Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Educationdocument, available at:
  • This hirer shall give special attention to the behaviour of those in attendance during the period(s) of hire and to the interests of other functions or events on the premises, residents and the School’s community, so that they are not disturbed or caused inconvenience
  • The hirer will be required to reimburse the School at the request of theHeadteacher, reporting to the Governing Body, for the cost of making good any damage to property. Any such reimbursement will first be taken from the Security Deposit (if any) as notified to the hirer at the time of booking.

7. Liability and Insurance

  • The hirer must have sufficient public liability insurance to satisfy Birmingham City Council requirements, operative in the name of the hirer and which will be in force during the period of the hire: this is usuallyThird Party Public Liability insurance to indemnify the hirer from claims for personal injury. This insurance can be obtained from most insurance brokers. The hirer will be requested to produce this policy and record details of it on the application form. Exceptionally, and entirely at the discretion of the Headteacher, reporting to the Governing Body, the School may accept bookings from hirers without the necessary insurance where it can be demonstrated that the hirer would be covered by the School's Public Liability insurance.
  • The hirer shall indemnify the school against damage caused to the premises, furniture, fittings, apparatus or any other property during the period of hire and any expense incurred in making good damage and all administration costs incurred.
  • The hirer shall indemnify the School against death or personal injury (caused other than by negligence of the School or its employees)or any damage, loss or theft of goods belonging to the hirer or any other persons.

8. Licences

  • The School premises will not be let for functions where a Public Entertainment, Intoxicants or other Licences are required.
  • It is the responsibility of the hirer to ensure that there is no consumption of alcohol or other intoxicants anywhere on the School premises. This will include outside areas as well as within the School buildings. The hirer shall be liable for any claim resulting from any failure thereof.

9. Car Parking

  • The parking of any vehicle on the hired premises must be within approved areas only.
  • Cars are parked at the owner’s risk. Neither the School nor the Governing Body accepts responsibility for any damage caused to or injury to any person whilst using the school car park.
  • The hirer shall maintain at all times adequate means of access to Fire Appliances, Ambulances, other emergency vehicles and vehicles accessing other parts of the school within the car parking areas and shall provide stewards, to the satisfaction of the Site Representative from time to time and / or the Headteacher, for this purpose

10. Catering

No food is to be cooked on School premises, although food may be brought ontoSchool premises for consumption in specified areas by prior agreement.

11. General Prohibitions / Conditions of Hire

  • No intoxicating liquor may be brought onto the School by the hirer or any member of the hirer's group.
  • No smoking materials whatsoever are allowed within School premises and the hirer must ensure that all persons present at the School do not smoke. Open fires, including bonfires are not permitted.This includes outside areas.
  • No literature with content likely to cause offence to any person to be openly displayed.
  • No photography is permitted by the hirer or any person or group using School premises unless agreed with the School. This includes any form of recording media (including mobile phones).
  • The hirer is personally responsible for the conduct of all members of their group, regardless of age.
  • This hire agreement is personal between the School and the hirer and no part of School premises may be sub-let by the hirer.
  • All persons not involved with the hirer's group or activity must be reported to the Site Representative, the Headteacher or a member of the School Staff immediately.
  • Drugs of any kind, other than where prescribed by a healthcare professional, are prohibited on School's premises.

12. Health and Safety

  • The hirer will be expected to conform to the relevant Health & Safety regulations, not only in respect of his/her own employees but also in respect of employees of the School and members of the public.
  • The hirer will adhere to School security procedures at all times.
  • The hirer will be responsible for ensuring that all users are aware of the procedures for safe and correct use of equipment and facilities, and shall report any deficiencies on the occasion of each use.
  • The hirer will adhere to fire regulations and will ensure that all users under their supervision are aware of the evacuation procedure. It will be necessary to practice evacuation procedures for regular multi-lets. All passages and exits in the premises are to be kept clear during the hire period.
  • The hirer must notify the Site Representative or the Headteacher immediately in respect of all accidents which may arise during the hire period.
  • The hirer must ensure that the number of persons admitted to the premises does not exceed the maximum determined by the School to comply with safety standards for the activities being undertaken (as notified to the hirer at the time of booking).

13. Cleaning

The hirer shall be responsible for ensuring that the hired premises are left in the same condition as they were found.

14. Site Representative

On the day of hire all queries in relation to points 9 – 13 from the hirer will be made to the Site Representative and their decision on any such matter is final.

APPENDIX TO KINGS HEATH BOYS LETTING POLICY

CONDITIONS OF HIRE OF FACILITIES

Correspondence

All correspondence should be addressed to:

Kings Heath Boys

Chamberlain Road

Kings Heath

B13 0QP

Telephone: 0121 464 4454

Email:

Interpretation

The School in this document is Kings Heath Boys.

References to the Facilitiesmeans the School buildings together or any specific area of the School buildings (such as the conference room and the studio space), together with its facilities, or any of those as the context requires.

References to the School premises includethe School's outside areas as well as its buildings.

The hirer in this document is the person in whose name the accommodation is hired and who shall be present throughout the period of hire.

Bookings

All applicants for the hire of the Facilities shall be submitted to the School address (above) on the application form (available from reception) where possible at least one month before the proposed hire date (or, where multi-lets, the start of hiring).

The person who signs the form must be over 18 years of age and shall be the hirer.

The Facilitiesmay be offered for club use on a single and multi-lettings basissubject and pursuant to the School's Letting Policy (which includes these Conditions). Other conditions, as determined by the Headteacher according to the specific requirements of the proposed event, may apply.

The School reserves the right at any time to refuse or cancel any function without assigning a reason and will agree in such circumstances to fully reimburse any monies received from the hirer.

Payment of fees

For a single letting, payment must be paid in advance as advised by the School when the application is made.

For multi-letting, an initial charge totalling 1 month’s hire will be made when the agreement commences. This will be held as a deposit to be returned at the end of the hire period, less any fees unpaid. Invoices will be sent on a monthly basis and payment details will be included in such invoice.

A hirer must ensure that payment for Facilities is made within 28 days of receipt of an invoice from the School.

Charges

The charges to be paid for the use of the Facilities shall be determined by the School which reserves the right to change the charges at any time. The hirer will be liable to pay those charges which are current at the date for which the premises have been booked and which were notified to the hirer at the time of booking or, in the case of a multi-let, are communicated to the hirer as soon as possible following the determined increase.

Junior Rates apply where the majority of participants in the activity are under 16 and Standard Rates apply for other parties. Both rates are set out on the booking form. The decision by the Headteacher, reporting to the Governing Body, on whether a group qualifies for Junior Rates is final.

Where advance payment of fees has been requested and payment has not been received by the date required, any hire agreement will be immediately terminated unless agreed otherwise by the Headteacher, reporting to the Governing Body.

Cancellations

The School reserves the right to cancel a booking should it require the Facilities. If the School has to cancel a bookingbecause it requires the Facilitiesa full refund will be given. The hirer shall not be entitled to any further financial compensation.

All cancellations by the hirer must be given in writing to the school at the address above. This includes by email to the email address given above.

  • Cancellation by the hirer with at least 48 hours' notice will incur no charge.
  • Cancellation by the hirer with 24 hours' notice will incur a charge of 50% of the total hire fee.
  • Full charge of the total hire fee will be made where notice is not given.

If any other circumstances render the booked facilities or any part thereof not available on the date for which a valid letting has been agreed(including as a consequence of any breakdown, leakage or accident), a full or part refund will be given to the hirer (as the Headteacher, reporting to the Governing Body, deems to be appropriate), but the hirer shall not be entitled to any further financial compensation.

Where advance payment of fees has been requested and payment has not been received, the School will consider the hirer to have cancelled the hire as at the date of non-payment.

Use of Facilities

  • The hirer shall not use or permit any person to use the Facilities for any purpose other than that for which it was hired.
  • The hirer shall not assign or sub-let the right to use the Facilities.
  • It will be a condition of hiring that the maximum number to be admitted to the Facilities shall be that as directed by the School.
  • The hirer shall not sell any item on the premises.
  • The use of the Facilitiesshall be restricted to those areas for which specific approval has been given and to those times specified in the hirer’s application.
  • Use of furniture, apparatus and other school equipment in the premises will be subject to the prior approval of the School.
  • All decisions made by the Site Representative (as described in the School Lettings Policy) are final.
  • The hirer shall not, without express written consent of the School, introduce equipment for use in the hired premises, alter fixed installations, alter or remove fire safety notices or equipment, or otherwise take any action which may create a hazard.
  • The hirer shall ensure that no bolt, tacks, nails, screws or general adhesives are driven into or stuck on any part of the hired premises or furniture and that no wax or powder is placed on any floor.
  • The hirer shall not intentionally or recklessly interfere with or misuse anything provided in the interest of health, safety and welfare.
  • The hirer shall be responsible for ensuring that the hired premises are left in the same condition in which they were found. The School reserves the right to carry out an inspection following the hiring and to levy such charges as may be deemed necessary to reinstate the hired premises to that standard (including making a deduction from any Security Deposit (as described in the School’s Letting Policy) and/or issuing a further invoice issued to the hirer).

Safeguarding