Issue - meetings

Report by Maggie Rae, Corporate Director of Public Health and Public Protection.

Councillor Keith Humphries, Cabinet member for Public Health and Public Protection presented a report on a review of the Major Incident Plan and sought Cabinet approval for the Plan for onward recommendation for adoption by Council. It was noted that under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, the Council was designated as a Category 1 responder and as such, was required to develop and maintain emergency plans which were appropriate, up to date and kept in readiness for emergencies.

Cabinet noted that the previous Plan was out of date, did not reflect the existing council structures and that a review was required to make the plan fit for purpose.  The report set out the details of the consultation process and listed the key changes to the Plan.

Councillors noted that the Plan provided a mechanism for mobilising staff and resources in response to an emergency and for performing council functions in relation to a wide range of possible scenarios.  The work of and involvement with the Local Resilience Forum was also explained. Reference was made to the involvement of parishes, but that not all parishes may be aware of how they could assist in an emergency situation. It was agreed to circulate information to parishes on the emergency planning process and how they could be involved at grass roots level.

The Leader explained that it was hoped to develop a process to identify large scale events taking place across the County to ensure that processes the Council used for its own events were in place to avoid or at least mitigate emergency situations.  It was noted that the Police in recognition of the Council’s good work in organising recent high profile and large scale events such as the Torch Relay and Diamond Jubilee celebrations, were said to want the Council to take on a more prominent role in events being staged across the County. This would assist the Council in having a better informed view of what was taking place in its area.

Resolved:

That Cabinet:

a)    notes the report presented;

b)   approves the revised Major Incident Plan and recommends its adoption to Council, and

c)    agrees that any minor amendments to the Plan are delegated to the Corporate Director for Public Health and Public Protection in consultation with the appropriate cabinet member.

Reason for Decision

Approval of the Major Incident Plan would ensure compliance with the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, and allow subsequent training and exercising on the plan to improve the Council’s state of readiness and resilience.