AGENDA ITEM 4
BOROUGH OF POOLE
EMERGENCY COMMITTEE
22ND JANUARY 2007
EMERGENCY PLANNING ACTION PLAN
PART OF PUBLISHED FORWARD PLAN: No
1. PURPOSE AND POLICY CONTEXT
1.1 The purpose of this Report is to consider recommendations stemming from the agreed Action Plan and update Members on other matters since last Committee Meeting on 16 October 2007.
2. RECOMMENDATIONS
2.1 To note the revised Guidance Note for Members in the event of an emergency at Appendix A.
3. BACKGROUND INFORMATION
3.1. At the Meeting of the Emergency Committee on the 12th April 2006 (Minute 4 refers) the Committee agreed an Action Plan in response to the Independent Consultant’s report and recent emergency situations. This Report updates progress made on addressing the action points.
4. GUIDANCE NOTE FOR MEMBERS OF EMERGENCY COMMITTEE
4.1. At its last Meeting the Committee received a draft guidance note for members in the event of an emergency. A number of comments were made and a revised guidance note is included at Appendix A for consideration.
5. BUSINESS CONTINUITY ADVICE FOR SMALL AND MEDIUM SIZE ENTERPRISES
5.1. The Council’s January 2007 Business brief publication will contain an article providing advice to small and medium size enterprises on business continuity. This message will be retuned to on a cyclical basis. The article is set out below for members information.
“Emergency situations where organisations are unable to operate are testing times. Business continuity is about carrying on providing services as normally as possible but in abnormal emergency situations.
The level of preparedness of organisations to respond to emergency situations obviously varies with size. Lack of ability to respond could at one level mean loss of customers and at the other could mean business failure.
Cllr Atkinson Chair of the Council’s Emergency Committee, said:
“It is not the job of the Borough of Poole to tell business proprietors what to do in the face of emergencies, but it is our responsibility to make sure you are aware of the advice that is available for you to help plan your response.”
The Bournemouth and Poole Resilience Group, which is made up of many of the statutory agencies working in the conurbation has a website offering advice, www.bprg.org.uk which contains a support area for business with advice on business continuity planning, pandemic influenza preparations, security, crime prevention and other topics. In addition Business Link have a website with helpful information and advice which can be found at www.businesslinkwessex.co.uk. Please type business continuity into the search box on the homepage.
The Council will continue to work with these organisations to ensure appropriate advice is available.
If you want to receive initial advice or directions to who can provide it please contact Peter Wheelhouse , Economic development manager by phoning 01202 633032 or emailing .”
6. JOINT WORK WITH BOURNEMOUTH BOROUGH COUNCIL
6.1. A meeting has taken place between officers of Bournemouth Borough Council and Poole concerning Civil Contingency. As would be expected, due to the statutory nature of the work, the activity undertaken in each Council is similar.
6.2. It has been agreed between officers that progress on the issues will be shared on a regular basis so that this area of activity can be brought into the agreed approach between the Councils of organising services on like basis so that decision on converging service delivery in the future can be made.
SIMON HENDEY
HEAD OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY SERVICES
22nd January 2007
APPENDIX A
GUIDANCE NOTE FOR MEMBERS OF EMERGENCY COMMITTEE
The following guidance note is proposed for Councillors and Officers:-
The Chair and the Vice-Chair of the Emergency Committee and Ward Members should be contacted as soon as possible by the Duty Emergency Planning Officer when an emergency incident takes place. The Leader and Opposition Leader should also be informed.
The Duty Officer should provide the following information:-
Ø The nature of the incident
Ø The response to date from emergency services
Ø Any assessment of the duration of the incident
Ø If evacuation of residents is proposed the rest centre locations and the arrangements to enable vulnerable people to be relocated..
Ø The lead emergency service at the incident and bronze operational lead
Ø The Silver Command centre operation and Silver lead
Ø The Gold Command lead at strategic level if established
Ø The public relations lead and contact details
Ø The telephone number to be given to residents so that they can call to receive information and advice
Ø The officer/s who will have radio handsets at the location of the incident
The Duty Officer should agree a timescale to brief Councillors over the duration of the incident based on the nature and likely duration of the incident. If telecommunications are out of action further briefings will be made at agreed times and location close to the silver command centre.
Members should refer to their Civil Contingency response plan for contacts details and location details.
Members may want to attend the incident or rest centres if they have been established. Members will have clear role in terms of re-assurance and communications for residents.
Members are likely to be approached by residents. It is suggested that Members provide residents with the dedicated telephone line for them to receive information and advice due to the changing nature of the incident. Members should provide the facts about the incident as known from their last brief .
If approached by the media all enquiries should be directed back to the Public Relations lead who will deal with them and inform Members accordingly, so that members are properly briefed before dealing with the media.
The Silver Command Officer will contact Members when the incident is closed down.
Emergency Committee
22 January 2007
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