Hounslow Urged to Prepare Swiftly for Martyn’s Law

Opposition says work needed to make anti-terror measures effective

Martyn Hett was killed in the Manchester Arena attack

November 7, 2025

The Conservative Group on Hounslow Council has called for immediate action across the borough to prepare for the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025, widely known as Martyn’s Law. The legislation, which received Royal Assent earlier this year and will place new statutory duties on certain premises and events, is designed to strengthen protective security and organisational preparedness against the risk of terrorist attack.

It is called Martyn’s Law in memory of Martyn Hett, one of the 22 people killed in the 2017 Manchester Arena attack, and in recognition of the campaigning work by his mother, Figen Murray, to secure stronger legal protections for public venues and events.

The opposition says councils, schools, venue operators and local businesses must not wait until the last moment to meet the new requirements.

Martyn’s Law uses a tiered approach based on the number of people reasonably expected to be on site. Premises that expect between roughly 200 and 799 people are likely to fall into a “standard” tier, while sites anticipating 800 or more may be placed in an “enhanced” tier depending on the venue type. Schools and further education settings are treated as a special case and will remain in the standard tier even where larger numbers are present. The Government has signalled a minimum implementation period of 24 months before full duties come into force, but the Conservative Group stresses that the practical work of training, budgeting and cross-department coordination can take longer than the window suggests.

The Group highlights a wide range of local assets that will need reviewing and, where necessary, upgrading. Public-facing council buildings — including town halls, civic centres, community halls and markets — will be required to demonstrate appropriate security, evacuation and communication arrangements. Private venues and hospitality businesses, sports grounds such as Brentford Stadium, schools and markets across the borough will also have duties to meet. The Conservatives warn that failure to prepare could carry financial and reputational costs as well as risks to public safety.

It sets out steps it wants Hounslow Council and other local organisation to take including a review of council-owned premises for security and evacuation arrangements; proactively engagement with all local schools to ensure they understand their obligations and timetables; working with private hospitality and sports venues, markets and community halls to offer guidance and support; clarification of who the designated “responsible person” is at each site; and establish early training and communications so the borough can show compliance and readiness by the end of the implementation period.

Cllr Peter Thompson, leader of the Conservative Group, framed the push as a call for leadership as much as compliance. “Martyn’s Law is a landmark measure to strengthen public safety, but laws alone do not keep people safe; leadership does,” he said.

Hounslow Council is reviewing security, evacuation and communications arrangements at its publicly owned buildings, including town halls, civic centres and community venues. It says it has already engaged with local schools and further education settings to ensure they understand their obligations under Martyn’s Law and to support them with planning and training and officers are reaching out to private venue operators, hospitality businesses, sports grounds and market managers to share guidance and encourage early compliance work. Counter-terrorism workshops held in partnership with the Met started taking place over a year ago.

The council says have begun the process of clarifying who the designated “responsible person” is at each site and ensuring those individuals know their duties and lines of accountability. Hounslow is planning training programmes and exercises for duty - holders so staff can practise lockdown, evacuation and communication procedures before the law comes into force. The council is assessing budgetary implications and exploring capital and revenue needs to fund any required security enhancements as well as coordinating with emergency services, licensing teams and the regulator to align local preparedness with national guidance and inspection expectations. The council is also preparing public communications to give residents and businesses clear information about the changes, how to raise concerns, and where to find support. Finally, Hounslow is considering targeted support for smaller venues and community organisations so compliance does not place an undue burden on groups with limited resources.

Councillor Pritam Grewal, Cabinet Member for Community Safety, Customer Experience and Enforcement at Hounslow Council, said, “We welcome the introduction of Martyn’s Law, which strengthens public safety and establishes clear standards for venues nationwide.

“We are actively working to implement its legal requirements and support our communities in preparing to meet them, in line with the Government’s two-year implementation period.

“The law builds on established best practice in counter-terrorism planning and guidance, which has long underpinned our approach to managing risk at large events.

“While we await further regulatory guidance from the Security Industry Authority, we are already engaging with local event organisers through existing forums to ensure they meet safety standards and complete counter-terrorism training.

“Our early actions to meet the requirements of the new laws demonstrate our clear commitment to enhanced public safety and statutory compliance.

"Martyn's Law was brought in under this Labour Government, receiving cross-party support. We welcome Cllr Thompson's support on this issue, as we work to secure a safer Hounslow.  The first priority of a Labour Council will always be to ensure that our buildings, events and public spaces are safe for residents to enjoy."