Levelling up secretary Michael Gove has called on local authorities to ensure that celebrations marking the King’s coronation are not held up by ‘needless red tape’.
The Coronation ceremony for His Majesty King Charles III is set to take place on Saturday 6 May 2023 at Westminster Abbey.
In preparation for the historic event, Mr Gove wrote to councils across England urging them to encourage residents to hold street parties and to organise other council-led events.
‘I know that efforts by you and your local communities will be central to making this a momentous weekend of UK-wide celebration,’ he said.
‘I would ask you all to take every possible action to help your communities in their preparations – making processes cost-free for residents, cutting red tape, and being completely flexible when receiving applications for road closures.
‘I know that your work in doing so for the Platinum Jubilee celebrations in 2022 contributed greatly to such memorable community events for so many.’
Cllr Gerald Vernon-Jackson, chair of the Local Government Association’s (LGA) Culture, Tourism and Sport Board, said: ‘Councils will be pulling out all the stops to help their communities celebrate a historic day for our country in May, whether it be approving thousands of local road closures for free or putting on big community events of their own.
‘A huge number of applications for street parties will be received over the coming months, and councils need to balance supporting as many residents as possible while ensuring events that do take place are set up and run safely.’
Cllr Vernon-Jackson also reminded residents that they will need liability insurance for events on public land to protect the public from having to pay if damages or injury occur.
He called on the Government to set up a national scheme to streamline insurance coverage.
For more on the Coronation check out our feature, 'Planning for safer Coronation celebrations'.
