Government consultation on ‘Protect Duty’ for publicly accessible locations
The Government is currently running a consultation on introducing legislation that will introduce a ‘duty to protect’ the public for many publicly accessible locations, including places of worship. While the consultation will help decide the exact requirements, this may include: security plans and procedures for responding to incidents, training and awareness courses for staff, and simple security measures such as a secure locks or door shutters.
The consultation will cover four main issues:
- Who (or where) should legislation apply to?
- What should the requirements be?
- How should compliance work?
- How should Government best support and work with partners?
If you would like to respond to the consultation, please visit the GOV.UK website here.
Fr Luke Miller, Archdeacon of London, has written a blog about the proposals and how it may have unintended consequences for churches and other places of worship, highlighting issues with costs, responsibility for implementation, and an increased burden on places of worship.
