More than 500 venues and 1,000 staff members have taken part in crucial counter-terrorism training ahead of the expected adoption of 'Martyn's Law' - new national safety legislation championed by Figen Murray following the loss of her son in the Manchester Arena bombing.
Draft legislation is expected to be tabled shortly ahead of an expected Bill becoming law, but Manchester council pushed ahead as early as 2021 in making its principles a licensing condition across the city.
As a result, dozens of hospitality and other venues - and their employees - have now taken part in the Action Counters Terrorism (ACT) training, which aims to equip staff across the city with skills to identify and mitigate potential risks, and respond in the event of a terror attack.
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Council bosses today hailed a 'significant milestone' as work continues in the name of Martyn Hett to protect people from terror attacks. Run in partnership between Manchester council, CityCo and Counter Terror Policing North West, the training was brought in to support the council's adoption of 'Martyn’s Law' ahead of the Government's plan to implement a 'Protect Duty' requirement for venues.
When the new law is passed, it will make it a requirement for venues across the city to improve their security procedures and risk assessments, and be better prepared to respond in the event of an attack.
In a statement, the council said: "The council has been incredibly proud of the response from business across the city, who have shown a great willingness to take on board the principles of Martyn’s Law ahead of their legal duty to do so.
"With support from Martyn's mum, Figen Murray, close to 500 venues and now more than 1,000 members of staff, have committed to playing their part in making Manchester safer."
Councillor Lee-Ann Igbon, executive member for vibrant neighbourhoods, said: "The work done around Martyn's Law has been some of the most important the council has ever embarked on.
"The Manchester Arena terror attack left an indelible mark on our city, but it does not have to define our future. We never want to repeat that terrible night again which is why ACT training is so vital.
"I am so proud of the venues who have already signed up and recognise what a fantastic achievement it is to have trained more than 1,000 people. However, there is always more work to be done and I am confident in the coming months even greater numbers can be reached."
Gareth Worthington, CityCo's night-time economy officer, said: "CityCo and Manchester City Centre Business Improvement District are proud partners of the ACT Awareness training roll-out. It has been brilliant to see the take-up from our business networks, with nearly 500 companies and more than 1,000 city centre employees now trained – an important milestone for Manchester.
"We would like to thank Figen Murray OBE for her dedication in bringing Martyn's Law into legislation, and her continued support of these training sessions. Any businesses requiring training can book at cityco.com."
Martyn, aged 29, died alongside 21 others in the Manchester Arena terror attack in May 2017.
The law will place venues under a legal duty to draw up specific security plans for any terror attack. The government revealed it was proposing a two-tiered plan, one for smaller venues with a capacity of more than 100 people which will require them to 'undertake low-cost, simple yet effective activities to improve preparedness'.
The second tier covers bigger venues with a capacity of more than 800 which will be required to carry out a risk assessment as part of a 'thorough security plan'. The government has promised to provide training and an inspection and enforcement regime to ensure venues abide by the law and sanctions for 'serious breaches'.
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