TALKS are to be held between the organisers and South Ayrshire Council in a bid to ensure that the All Under One Banner march and rally for independence in Ayr a week on Saturday can go ahead as planned.
The National revealed yesterday that the march will go ahead on Saturday July 6 but the rally element of the latest leg of the All Under One Banner (AUOB) national tour of marches is under threat because the council is insisting on the group getting public liability insurance cover of £5 million for the use of Low Green, the large expanse of open space adjacent to the Esplanade in Ayr.
AUOB say they have never had such insurance for any of their events stretching back to 2014, but have now been asked to get it by two local authorities in a row – Argyll and Bute Council waived it for the recent march in Oban – and AUOB members do not think this is a coincidence.
Gaining cover of £5m could cost a high three and possibly four figure sum, and AUOB have told The National that they are unable to raise that sum at this short notice.
The council say they only found out on June 21 that the rally would be taking place, having previously thought Low Green would be for dispersal purposes. AUOB say they made it clear at the outset there would be a rally.
The complication in Ayr is that though it is Common Good land, Low Green is classed as a council park and the council’s rules insist on a public entertainment licence being sought and a fee being paid for its use, with public liability insurance a condition of the licence.
The council has offered to help fast track the licence and the £222 fee could be waived as the rally is not for commercial purposes, but the insurance element remains a sticking point.
Neil Mackay, spokesperson for AUOB, said: “We maintain that public liability insurance is not necessary for our events and this condition is against the freedom of assembly articles of the European Convention on Human Rights. We have never had to get it anywhere else in Scotland.”
South Ayrshire Council is controlled by an administration made up of nine SNP, five Labour and two independent councillors.
The National understands that the SNP group are trying to find a way to break the impasse and all sides are adamant that the march will go ahead – the local Ayr For Independence group has organised a weekend long festival of events surrounding the march, which we’ll preview in the Yes DIY page in Saturday’s edition of the National.
A council spokesperson said: “Any staged event or rally requires public liability insurance in order to protect the public in the event of an accident. Unfortunately we did not find out the organisers intended to hold a rally at the Low Green until Friday 21 June. Up until that point we understood it was a march only and that people would be gathering in a nearby car park before the march and then returning to the Low Green to disperse. We have told the organisers we will work with them to fast-track their submission but they do need public liability insurance.”
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