Temporary Event Notice

If you wish to hold an ad-hoc event within the Borough of Stockton-on-Tees, you must give a temporary event notice (TEN) to Stockton Council no later than ten working days before the event. If the premises where the event is to be held is in areas governed by two or more local authorities applications must be made to each.

Unless you submit an electronic application you must also give a copy of the notice to the police no later than ten working days before the event.

You must be 18 years or older to give a Temporary Event Notice and can give a maximum of five Temporary Event Notices each year. If you are a personal licence holder, you can give a maximum of 50 Temporary Event Notices each year.

Your event must involve no more than 499 people at any one time and last no more than 96 hours with a minimum of 24 hours between events.

Eligibility criteria

An activity that can be licensed must be carried out as detailed in a notice that must be given. The notice must be in a specific format and must be made by someone over 18 years of age.

The notice should contain:

if alcohol is to be supplied, a statement confirming that it is a condition of using the premises that the supplies are made under the premises user's authority
a statement relating to certain matters
details of the licensable activities
the event period
the times when during that period the activities will take place
the maximum number of people proposed to be allowed on the premises
any other required matters

Regulation summary

A summary of the regulation relating to this licence

Application Evaluation Process

The Temporary Events Notice must be given in writing (online notifications are acceptable) to Stockton Council at least ten working days before the event.

A £21.00 fee is payable with the notice.

We will acknowledge receipt of the notice by giving a notice to the premises user before the end of the first working day it was received or before the end of the second working day if the day the notice was received is not a working day.

Unless an application has been submitted electronically, the premises user must also give notice to the chief officer of Cleveland Police no later than ten working days before the event period.

The chief police officer who receives a notice and believes that the event would undermine crime prevention objectives can serve an objection notice on the licensing authority and the premises user. This notice must be served within 48 hours of receipt of the temporary event notice.

As the local licensing authority, Stockton Council must hold a hearing if an objection notice is served. We may issue a counter notice ie consider it necessary for the promotion of crime prevention objective. A decision must be made at least 24 hours before the beginning of the event.

The police may modify the Temporary Event Notice with the consent of the premises user. In such a case an objection notice will be deemed to have been withdrawn.

Counter notices may be provided by Stockton Council if the number of permitted Temporary Event Notices has been exceeded.

Will tacit consent apply?

Tacit consent does not apply for Temporary Event Notices. It is in the public interest that the Stockton Council must process your application before it can be granted. If you have not heard from us within a reasonable period, please contact Stockton Council's Trading Standards team.

Apply online

Apply for a temporary event notice

Complaints and advice

Please contact Stockton Council's Trading Standards team in the first instance.

If a counter notice is given in relation to an objection notice the applicant may appeal against the decision. Appeals must be made to the local Magistrates' court within 21 days. An appeal may not be brought later than five working days from the day of the planned event.

If Stockton Council decides not to issue a counter notice in relation to an objection notice the chief police officer can appeal the decision. Appeals must be made to the local Magistrates' court within 21 days. An appeal may not be brought later than five working days from the day of the planned event.

If you wish to complain about a Temporary Event Notice permission that we have allocated we advise that you contact the trader in the first instance - preferably by letter (with proof of delivery). If your complaint is not resolved you may wish to take advice from Consumer Direct (if you live within the UK) or the UK European Consumer Centre (if you live outside of the UK) or you may contact the Technical Services team with details of your complaint.

Useful information is also available from the following trade associations:

National Outdoor Events Association (NDEA)

Society of Event Organisers (SEO)

Event Supplier and Services Association (ESSA)

TSNN Online Directory EUGO