Stage management of UK’s most complex election day

Oxygen was contracted to stage manage the declaration events for the elections of the Mayor of London, London Assembly and European Parliament on 10 June 2004 – the most complex election to take place in the UK – requiring the electorate to participate in 3 elections on one day.

In addition to organising the main declaration event at City Hall, our brief included staffing of 10 Count Centres across London to coordinate media activity and act as a communications link between the count centres and central staff at City Hall.

Oxygen also managed a fully branded Routemaster promotional bus which toured London boroughs over 23 days; our staff promoted elections to the public and media.

Oxygen worked with the client communications team to convert City Hall from an administrative office building with a limited capacity assembly chamber (240), into a safe, secure and effective venue for announcing a series of high profile election results to adhere to strict legal protocols to an expected audience of 600 including live broadcast and print media and candidates’ parties and officials, against a highly unpredictable, high pressure and complex timetable.

Tasks undertaken included:

Staffing, Accreditation and Security

accreditation and secure venue access; briefing registration on access processes into the sterile building following security sweeps involving 600 Met Police Officers; and pre-event security planning with Scotland Yard and GLA managed risk assessments and insurers.

Signage and Access Control 

Logistics assessment; complex access restrictions applied (time and location); designed high visibility signage throughout.

Media/ Broadcast

Assisted PR team to ensure secure access for Satellite Trucks; ISDN lines and supply of all media facilities for up to 400 press; supply of broadcast feeds from in-house AV; placement of ‘snappers’ pen and radio broadcasters in Chamber; onsite

liaison; pre-event liaison with BBC and others.

Staging & IT

Supplied staging for Chamber; telephone lines for count centres; ISDN lines for media feeds; managing emergency PA announcements; and running order announcements.

Facilities Management

Liaising with City Hall facilities management to ensure H&S restrictions adhered to; keying out elevators; walkie talkie and PA systems.