Hammersmith and Fulham Council is actively preparing for the implementation of Martyn's Law, also known as the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act, which received Royal Assent in April 2025. The law aims to enhance security measures at public venues and spaces to protect against terrorist attacks.
The Corporate Health and Safety Annual Update 2024/25, presented at the Audit Committee meeting on Monday, December 1, 2025, highlighted that Martyn's Law will have wide-reaching implications across many council functions, including property management, events, public spaces, and emergency planning. The full report is available to view online. Corporate Health and Safety Update 2024/25
The update also highlighted the council's efforts to ensure the Civic Campus will be compliant with Martyn's Law when it opens in 2026. Ian Church, Assistant Director, Corporate Property and Health & Safety, informed the committee that the council is working closely with the Metropolitan Police and other agencies to address broader risks and ensure compliance with the upcoming legislation.
Civic Campus, we are mobilizing the broader health and safety team, and we've brought in specialist health and safety advisors in terms of, let me say, the regular health and safety considerations that one might need, bringing a new property into commission. We're also working very closely with the Metropolitan Police and other agencies in terms of broader risks, as well as Martin's Law, which even though it's still to actually be brought into final law, We're working on the basis that it is live and even in advance of that, we're making sure that the civic campus will be compliant and we're doing everything necessary to commission the property on that basis.
Martyn's Law introduces a 24-month implementation window following its Royal Assent. It places a legal duty on those responsible for qualifying premises and events to assess the risk of terrorist attacks and take proportionate steps to improve protective security and organisational preparedness. Larger venues will be subject to enhanced requirements, including publicly visible security plans and staff training.
The council will process as per the Home Office's guidance and ProtectUK resources, to ensure a consistent and cost-effective approach to implementation.
Additional security provisions for councillor surgeries and other public facing meetings involving senior leadership are also being considered for wider roll-out. This would necessitate detailed risk assessments and the possibility of segregation and / or the scanning of individuals prior to entry. The specific criteria that will determine which councillor surgeries and public-facing meetings will require enhanced security measures will be based on these detailed risk assessments.
