THE organisers of Reminisce Festival have been praised for improving the safety and organisation of the popular dance showpiece.

More than 17,000 people attended this year’s event, which took place at Sherdley Park on September 7.

A number of new safety measures were introduced this year after a dozen people suspected of taking ecstasy took ill last in 2018.

St Helens Council said the organisers, In Demand Events, invested significantly in management services, including the police, security teams, admission systems, ID and weapons checks and enhanced medical provisions.

This year, a North West Regional Ambulance Service officer was based at the site who liaised with the hospitals if required.

An on-site private hire taxi operator was also on-site to provide an on-demand service for revellers as they left the event.

An overview of the event’s planning arrangements was discussed this week by the council’s environment, regeneration, housing, culture and leisure overview and scrutiny panel.

Liberal Democrat councillor Michael Haw said he has attended the event every year since it launched in 2014.

Cllr Haw said getting into the event in 2018 was “quite disorganised”.

The Eccleston councillor said the security arrangements this year were “very strenuous” and said there was a “noticeable difference” all round.

Cllr Haw said: “I thought the organisation within the site was very good.

“Overall, it’s an event that gets better and better.

“I’ve been there since day one and I did notice a sizeable difference this year in terms of the organisation.

“People getting dropped off, going through security, going into the event.

“I felt safe personally and I know other people who I attended with felt safe and they enjoyed it.

“As a borough, if we’re looking at bringing in investment and bringing people back into St Helens and giving a positive image, I think events like this are gonna help with that.”

Lorraine Simpson, the council’s licensing and land charges manager, told the panel how many casualties and arrests there were at this year’s event.

She revealed there were 10 arrests in total, which she said is “extremely low”.

Ms Simpson said there were 152 people treated on the site by medical staff with 103 of those sent back to the event.

Of that total figure, 11 were transported to A&E and three people went A&E themselves.

She said 14 people were recommended to go home and eight people were collected by relatives.

Ms Simpson said 11 people left the treatment centre before treatment could be finalised and two people were handed into the care of the police.

Overall, Ms Simpson said the numbers were “low” for an event of this size, which is a “testament” to the work the organisers are doing to care for festivalgoers.

Ms Simpson said a “great deal of care and planning” went into the event.

She added that the organisers have invested “significantly” in noise management plans, adding that it “easily” meets the legal standard for this type of event.

“The organisational arrangements I think are robust,” Ms Simspon said.

“You can never plan for everything but certainly they’re doing their utmost in that area.”