Report for Information

MANCHESTER CITY COUNCIL

REPORT FOR INFORMATION

COMMITTEE: COMMUNITIES AND NEIGHBOURHOODS OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE

DATE: 4TH MARCH 2008

SUBJECT: CIVIL CONTINGENCIES

REPORT OF: MIKE REARDON, STRATEGIC DIRECTOR OF NEIGHBOURHOOD SERVICES

Purpose of Report

(i)  To update Members on the Council’s preparedness for emergency situations including both the exceptional demands placed on the Council to support the emergency response (emergency planning) and the need to keep critical Council services running at all times (business continuity management).

(ii)  To advise Members of their role in an emergency.

Recommendations:

The Committee is asked to:

(i)  Note the arrangements in place to prepare the Council and the community for an emergency

(ii)  Note the role of Members in an emergency

Contacts:

Mike Reardon, Strategic Director of Neighbourhood Services 234 7821

Norman Davey, Emergency Planning Manager 234 4444

Angela Harrison, Corporate Business Continuity Manager 234 3293

Kathy Oldham, Civil Contingencies Strategy Manager, AGMA 234 7071

Glossary

CBRN Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear

CCA Civil Contingencies Act

COMAH Control of Major Accident Hazards Regulations

CRR Community Risk Register

GMRF Greater Manchester resilience Forum

NWRRF North West Regional Resilience Forum

RRF Regional Resilience Forum

1.0 Introduction

1.1 In the last decade, a succession of regional, national and international issues have highlighted the need to strengthen resilience[1] at all levels in the UK. International terrorist incidents, allied to internal problems such as foot and mouth outbreaks, have also served to illustrate high levels of public expectations on responders.

2.0 The National Framework

2.1 In recognition of the changing environment and the importance of multi-agency co-operation, the Civil Contingencies Act (CCA) was introduced in 2004 with the aim of establishing consistent approaches to civil protection across the UK. The CCA defines Category 1 responders who are those agencies likely to be at the core of the response to most emergencies and Category 2 responders who are less likely to be involved in the heart of multi-agency planning work but will be heavily involved in preparing for incidents affecting their sectors. Local authorities are Category 1 responders (see appendix one for statutory duties).

2.2 The Government has also set out 18 National Capability Workstreams which aim to ensure that a robust infrastructure of response is in place to deal rapidly, effectively and flexibly with the consequences of civil devastation and widespread disaster inflicted as a result of conventional or non-conventional disruptive activity. The Workstreams fall into three groups:

·  three workstreams which deal with government and partnership structures at national, regional and local levels to deliver robust response capabilities

·  five workstreams concerned with the maintenance of essential services: food and water; transport; health services; financial services; and utilities

·  ten functional workstreams dealing with the assessment of risks and consequences in the areas of: chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) resilience; site clearance; infectious diseases (human); infectious diseases (animal and plant); mass casualties; evacuation and shelter; warning and informing the public; mass fatalities; humanitarian assistance and flooding.

3.0 The Regional Framework

3.1 Large scale disasters do not respect administrative boundaries and regional civil protection mechanisms have been established to improve co-ordination and communication between central government and emergency responders and to ensure that regions are prepared to respond to events which would affect most or all of the region or which could overwhelm any locality. The principal mechanism for multi-agency co-operation at an officer level is the Regional Resilience Forum (RRF) which meets on a quarterly basis. Manchester City Council are currently attending the NWRRF on behalf of all local authorities in Greater Manchester.

4.0 The Sub-Regional Framework

4.1 The sub-region discharges its civil contingency responsibilities through the statutorily required multi-agency Greater Manchester Resilience Forum (GMRF) attended by officers. Local Resilience Fora are based on police area boundaries. GMRF works alongside other elements of the multi-agency planning structure at local, regional and national levels however it is not subordinate to regional or national structures and nor does it have the power to direct its members. GMRF is therefore a strategic co-ordinating group that sits at the apex of Greater Manchester’s civil protection arrangements.

4.2 GMRF’s overall purpose is to ensure that there is an appropriate level of preparedness to enable an effective multi-agency response to emergency incidents that may have a significant impact on the communities of Greater Manchester. Strategic decision-making and resource allocation are determined by reference to the Greater Manchester Community Risk Register (CRR)[2], which considers the likelihood and consequences of the most significant risks facing Greater Manchester over the next 5 years. With the largest business district in the sub-region, Manchester City Council is a member of GMRF.

4.3 GMRF has a multi-agency work programme in which the Council is actively engaged. This is designed to develop integrated and co-ordinated multi-agency planning arrangements including the risk assessment of the hazards and threats that face Greater Manchester; the development of plans; the training of personnel and development of appropriate levels of response capability; and the exercising and validation of plans.

5.0 Civil Contingencies In Manchester

5.1 By definition an emergency threatens serious damage to human welfare, the environment and/or the security of a locality. However recent events demonstrate that civil emergencies are unpredictable in terms of their location, scale and nature. The Council's Emergency Management Plan is designed to provide a flexible framework to handle any emergency incident within the Council's boundariesno matter how, where, or when it happens. It details the roles and responsibilities of all those services that may be required to respond to an emergency.

5.2 Although the Corporate Emergency Management Plan will facilitate a response to any type of incident, some situations demand a specific response. Functional plans have therefore been drawn up to complement those developed at regional and sub-regional levels (see appendix two for details).

5.3 Whilst the Emergency Management Plan and associated functional plans set out the likely response to disasters, it is also crucial that the Council has the capacity to continue to deliver its critical services whilst responding to a major incident. The mechanisms for doing this, together with the services that are critical to the continued welfare and security of Manchester’s communities, are described in the Corporate Business Continuity Plan. The Corporate Business Continuity Plan is, in turn, underpinned by detailed Business Continuity Plans drawn up for individual services, which include plans for loss of premises or denial of access to premises.

6.0 Emergency Response

6.1 Any major incident will require an integrated response from all emergency responders. When a major emergency is declared a multi-agency Strategic Coordinating Group (Gold Control) is convened to direct the integrated deployment of responders’ resources. This Group is usually chaired by Greater Manchester Police and the Council will be represented by a Strategic Director. Authority is invested in Gold Control to direct and manage multi-agency resources in the response phase of an incident. This is supported by tactical (silver) and operational, on-site (bronze) multi-agency teams.

6.2 In a major incident requiring a significant response from the Council, the Council’s tactical response will be coordinated through the Emergency Control Centre in the Town Hall basement. The overall strategic command will lie with the Chief Executive and Strategic Management Team.

7.0 Members Engagement

7.1 In a major emergency, the Chief Executive or the Strategic Director of Neighbourhood Services will brief the Leader. In order to ensure that communications to the public are co-ordinated and an integrated civic lead provided, the Chief Executive will ensure regular and timely briefings for Ward Members. Formal publicity and PR will be handled through multi-agency protocols to ensure messages to the public are coordinated across agencies and are designed to build public confidence in the response.

7.2 Once the immediate response phase has abated Ward Members, supported by their ward coordinators, will have a key role in the recovery phase, assisting the community in re-establishing social and economic normality. This role will include:

·  providing a focus for community concerns and identifying problems and vulnerabilities in their community

·  providing local knowledge about community leaders, personalities and resources

·  liaising with the local community and providing information and reassurance

7.3 Major incidents frequently have long-term implications that can include: a need for area regeneration; marking anniversaries; managing appeal funds; public inquiries and civil or criminal proceedings. Some of these may require Member involvement.

8.0 Conclusion

8.1 The Council’s civil contingencies planning sits within a framework of activity co-ordinated at local, sub-regional, regional and national levels. It aims to develop generic capabilities to respond to any type of incident, together with specific capabilities to address more challenging incidents such as CBRN. The civil protection roles and responsibilities of local authorities are summarised in appendix three.

Appendix One

Statutory Duties Placed On Category 1 Responders

The CCA places seven duties on Category 1 responders:

·  Assess the risk of emergencies occurring and use this to inform contingency planning

·  Put in place business continuity management arrangements

·  Put in place emergency plans

·  Put in place arrangements to make information available to the public about civil protection matters and maintain arrangements to warn, inform and advise the public in the event of an emergency

·  Provision of business continuity advice and assistance to the commercial sector and voluntary organisations (local authorities only)

·  Co-operate with other local responders to enhance coordination and efficiency

·  Share information with other local responders to enhance coordination

Appendix Two

Regional, Sub-Regional and City Plans

North West Regional Plans

·  NW Generic Regional Response Plan

·  NW Mass Fatalities Plan

·  NW Multi-Agency Infectious Diseases Management Plan

·  NW Exotic Animal Diseases Multi-Agency Management Plan

·  Regional CBRN Plan

·  NW Mass Casualties Plan (draft)

Greater Manchester Sub-Regional Plans

·  GM Strategic Pandemic Flu Plan

·  GM Mass Fatalities Plan

·  GM CBRN Plan

·  GM Media Major Emergency Plan

·  Multi-Agency Emergency Guidelines

·  Reception Centre Guidance

·  Humanitarian Assistance Centre Framework

·  GM Recovery Guidance

·  Local Authority Joint Response Plan including guidance on mass casualties and mass evacuation

A GM Flood Plan is also being prepared with a deadline for completion of September 2008.

Manchester City Council’s Plans

·  Emergency Management Plan

·  Corporate Business Continuity Plan

·  Body-holding areas and emergency mortuaries

·  Manchester Airport

·  COMAH sites (required under the Control of Major Accident Hazards Regulations)

·  Reception centres including rest centres, survivor/evacuee reception centres, friends and relatives reception centres and mass holding centres

·  Warning and informing the public

·  Transport and evacuation

·  Flooding

·  Sportcity

Appendix Three

Local Authority Roles And Responsibilities

Local Authorities play a critical role in civil protection. They have a wide range of functions which are likely to be called upon in support of the emergency services during an emergency, including key statutory responsibilities such as environmental health, housing, social services and highways, and crucially, exercise a community leadership role.

The role of local authorities in relation to the initial response phase is to provide support for the people in their area. Resources of local authority departments will be utilised to mitigate the effects on people, property, and the environment and to co-ordinate the response from the voluntary sector.

Local authorities will provide, in liaison with the Police, Rest Centres for people who have been evacuated, arrangements for friends and relatives of people bereaved and seriously injured, and Survivor Reception Centres. In addition, the local authority will have responsibility for establishing, in liaison with H.M. Coroner and the Police, emergency mortuary capacity in emergencies that exceed existing mortuary provision.

The welfare of emergency response personnel is an important consideration in the case of a protracted emergency. This will include catering facilities, toilets and rest rooms. Depending on the circumstances and the available premises, the local authority may provide facilities for use by all agencies, in one place.

Where the nature of the incident warrants it, the local authority will lead the migration from the emergency centres into multi-agency Humanitarian Assistance Centres. Their purpose is to act as a single focus for survivors, relatives and others affected by the incident through which they can access support, care and advice. Depending on the nature of the incident, they may be required for an extended period.

Local authorities have responsibility for off site co-ordination of multi-agency planning in relation to nuclear sites (under the Radiation (Emergency Preparedness and Public Information) Regulations), certain chemical sites (under the Control of Major Accidents Hazard Regulations) and major pipelines (Pipeline Safety Regulations).

As the emphasis moves from response to recovery, the local authority will take the lead in facilitating the rehabilitation of the community and the restoration of the environment. It will play an enabling role in close collaboration with a wide range of bodies who are not routinely involved in emergency response (e.g. the North West Development Agency and land owners). In particular, the local authority will work with partners to meet the longer-term welfare needs of survivors and the community; and facilitate the remediation and reoccupation of sites or areas affected by an emergency.

5

[1] The ability of the community, services, area or infrastructure to withstand the consequences of an incident

[2] Public version available from: http://www.gmep.org.uk/ccm/navigation/greater-manchester-resilience-website/risk-assessment/