Remembrance events are civic events supported by RBL, not the other way round. In some areas the branch has ended up owning the Remembrance event because the local council simply refuses to do so, often citing their support for larger events nearby. If your civic authority will not organise the event, the Branch may choose to organise the event, but this should be a last resort and must comply with the instructions below.
The Legion does NOT own or insure road closures (known as Temporary Traffic Management Orders or TTMOs). That is because the law relating to the safe deployment and removal of a TTMO is complex and should be left to local authorities or the police, who are the experts. These are formal arrangements and Branches should not seek to make local arrangements with their local police or any other organisation or individuals as these would also not be covered. The requirements of the various Health & Safety regulations and Road Traffic Acts make it near impossible for a voluntary organisation to comply, leaving the branch and RBL vulnerable to the human cost of dealing with serious road accidents and liability issues. As a result, our insurers will not provide cover. This policy does not only apply to Remembrance events, but any Branch event where a road closure is being considered.
Therefore, any Branch owned and organised event, including Remembrance Events, must be:
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- Static ie: no parade on the public highway or movement of participants and crowd from one location to another along or near roads.
- Completely off-road for both participants and other observers, including ensuring that any attending members of the Public would not be on or near to a road in such a way that management of traffic would be required to ensure safety.
- Organised by and agreed by the Branch and recorded as such in Branch minutes. Individuals members may be the lead for a Branch event but should not organise events, including Remembrance events, acting as an individual.
No branch may extend the Legion’s Public Liability cover vicariously to a civic authority or other third party. The Branch CAN share the Legion’s Public Liability certificate on request. The latest insurance certificates are available on MAP.
The Public Policy Team write to all local authorities regularly to remind them of their civic duty.
Joint Letter wording - September 2022
Dear Leader,
We are writing to seek your continued support and assistance in ensuring that the nation faces
as few obstacles as possible in the organisation and delivery of Remembrance parades and
services.
Services of Remembrance continue to resonate with the nation, allowing local communities up
and down the country the chance to reflect on the service and sacrifice of the many men and
women from their own villages, towns and cities who have served in HM Armed Forces, or who
have supported or lost someone who has.
We know that councils take their responsibilities for organising and supporting Remembrance
events and parades very seriously, and many have strong relationships with their local Royal
British Legion (RBL) branches, and other Armed Forces charities. Thank you for this work.
RBL branches and volunteers are proud to play an active part in Remembrance services and
parades every year and are only too happy to support councils in their planning for such
important community events. However, every year several RBL branches report they are being
asked to bear the costs of and responsibility for road closures and policing, and are unable to
meet these demands. The complexity of Health & Safety and Road Traffic legislation is
challenging for volunteers to navigate given the scale of many Remembrance parade routes.
Furthermore, RBL must focus its charitable funds on its vital welfare work, particularly as
veterans face the new cost of living challenges
As a result, whilst RBL branches can support councils in their planning of local Remembrance
services and parade routes, we remind you that they are unable to assume responsibility for
the design or delivery of the latter, including the organisation of Temporary Traffic
Management Orders (TTMOs), the contracting of traffic management services, or the
provision of such services by volunteers.
Whilst we recognise that council budgets are facing pressures, these important civic
occasions are a cost-effective way of bringing the whole community together in a collective
moment of reflection, thanksgiving and togetherness, a view we have no doubt many of your
local residents will share. Small gestures such as the waiving of fees for closing roads,
providing street signage, and coordinating routes can make a real difference to whether these
events can or cannot take place. We understand that this may mean a shift of resources in
terms of how you have traditionally supported Remembrance services and parades, as well as
a need for collaboration between councils in two-tier or three-tier areas.
For their part, RBL branches are very willing to assist in the organisation of local Remembrance
parades and services, for instance through the provision of Standard Bearers or the
identification of local veterans, but responsibility for both their funding and delivery rests with
civic authorities. We know you will rise to the occasion, as you so often have done before.
We sincerely hope that your council will continue to enable the local community to remember
its fallen, without seeking to impose charges on the RBL charity, and look forward to the
continued observance of this time-honoured tradition. If you would like to discuss any issues
arising from this, your local RBL branch will be happy to help; or to reach us please contact
ian.leete@local.gov.uk, bholborn@britishlegion.org.uk or justin.griggs@nalc.gov.uk.
Yours sincerely,
Charles Byrne
Director General, RBL
Cllr Gerald Vernon-Jackson CBE
Director General Chair, LGA Culture, Tourism and Sport Board
Councillor Mike Drew
Vice Chair (member services)
National Association for Local Councils
