A meeting of Manchester City Council’s Executive will act on proposals that will enshrine the principles of Martyn’s Law into future regulations to ensure the safety of all Manchester residents.
On 22 May 2017 Manchester was attacked. A terrorist bomb at the Manchester Arena claimed the lives of 22 people, and seriously injured dozens more.
One of the people who died that night was Martyn Hett. Since his death, Martyn’s mother Figen Murray has campaigned to have the Government introduce legislation to improve security at all public venues, calling it ‘Martyn’s Law’.
Although there are currently no laws which require venues to adhere to the principles of Martyn’s Law , this does not mean the Council cannot take action.
Going forward, the Council will review the way in which it licences venues in order to ensure high safety standards are in place across the City. Initially this will have to be voluntary changes made by the owners of licensed premises. However, given the significance of the terror attack on Manchester, and the depth of feeling in the wake of the attack, we would hope that the practices which underlie Martyn’s Law would be taken up with enthusiasm.
The Council is in the process of developing a scheme of best practice amongst licensed venues, and exploring the ways by which Martyn’s Law could be implemented at a local level.
The existing range of licensing conditions will also be revised to incorporate specific counter-terrorism measures in order to improve safety. An example would be ensuring venues had a counter-terrorism plan in place, alongside associated staff training.
Figen Murray Martyn’s Mother, commenting on these steps taken by the Council, said: “I am so pleased to see that Manchester City Council have embraced the principles of Martyn’s Law and are setting a brilliant example by introducing some of its principles. It feels like a recognition and deep respect for the bereaved families and the hundreds of injured people. I am certain that Martyn’s Law will save lives through the Council applying simple common sense.”
