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Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Local Resilience Forum
Meeting of 14 September 2005 at Bestwood Lodge Fire and Rescue HQ
Minutes
Attendance
ACC
Peter Ditchett Nottinghamshire Police (Chair)
Cherry Brandon Nottingham City Council
(Secretary)
Chief Insp David Powell Nottinghamshire Police
Bill Duffy
Nottinghamshire Police
Martin Emberson Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service
Geoff
Alvis East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS)
Lt Col Richard Dixon-Warren Armed Forces
John Perkins Government Office for the East Midlands
Nigel Chapman HM
Coroner
Sue Storey Nottinghamshire County Council
Lucy Garvey Nottinghamshire
County Council
Paul Millward Nottingham City Council
Pauline Elliott Bassetlaw
District Council (representing County districts)
Chris Poole St John Ambulance (representing
voluntary agencies)
Sarah Webb Health Protection Agency
Peter Dodsworth
Trent Strategic Health Authority
Samantha Milbank Nottingham City PCT
Vivienne
Carmichae Bassetlaw PCT
Mark Sitton-Kent Environment Agency
Brian Briggs
BT
1. Introduction and Apologies - ACC Peter Ditchett
ACC Peter Ditchett opened the meeting and invited introductions around the room.
Apologies were received from the following:
Supt
Peter McHugh British Transport Police
Paul Kilgallen East Midlands Ambulance Service
Sallyanne
Johnson Nottingham City Council
Roger Latham Nottinghamshire County Council
Richard
Hodge Nottinghamshire County Council
Rob Fisher Nottinghamshire County Council
James
Molloy Bassetlaw District Council
Louise Newcombe Bassetlaw PCT
Tam Bream
Fisher German
2. Minutes of last meeting (previously circulated) & matters arising
The minutes were taken as a true record.
Agenda Item 4
John Perkins
said that he intended to raise the issue of CCA deadlines and workload at the meeting of the CCS and
LRF Chairs on 20th September. In the meantime, it was established that the CCA implementation date would not be delayed, however in
terms of expectations, progress would be judged on the basis of what it is reasonable to achieve within
the timescales.
In view of the above position, the County Council had not progressed the letter setting out the Forum’s concerns, as this was no longer considered relevant.
Agenda Item 10
Sue Storey said that the issue of LRF communications required further clarification and should be progressed through the Warning and Informing Capability Group.
3. Current security issues
Peter Ditchett gave an update on current security issues.
4. LRF communications in times of tension
Peter Ditchett invited discussion about communication links between LRF partners following the London bombings, and asked the Forum to consider the following:
- Should the Forum Chair issue statements?
- Should this depend on the emergency?
- Who leads the response in terms of issuing information to the public?
Paul Millward said that the principles were contained in the Strategy Document; the appropriate lead agency would make statements, having consulted with other agencies, or statements could come from the Forum Chair, to give added weight.
Various points were raised in connection with the issue of LRF communications, which Peter Ditchett summarised as follows:
- A mechanism is needed to enable the LRF to issue information directly, when appropriate.
- The LRF Chair needs freedom to speak on behalf of the LRF, advised by appropriate lead agencies.
- A communications strategy is required, underpinned by an agile process.
- Messages should be co-ordinated across agencies.
- The LRF should add value.
- Lead agencies need to ensure that other agencies are made aware of matters of common interest and that public information messages are circulated to relevant partners.
Peter Ditchett tasked Paul Millward to take these issues forward, in conjunction with Terry McQuaid as follows:
Action
Paul Millward to bring to the next meeting a form of words expressing the criteria and process for when the LRF needs to issue public information statements.
5. Contingency Telecommunications Provision
John Perkins reported that the Government had reached the bidding stage for a new system that would replace the ECN. As part of a phased approach satellite phones had been distributed to Category 1 organisations. Category 2 organisations would have the opportunity to purchase the equipment. The Regional Resilience team had 20 extra satellite phones that would be located in the rural extremities of the region.
6. Civil Contingencies Act Implementation
Steering Group report
Bill Duffy reported that the CCA Steering Group had continued to meet and progress implementation. He presented a report to be circulated with the minutes of the meeting (attached).
QMC representation on the LRF
Peter Ditchett referred to the letter that Rob Fisher
had received from the Interim Chief Executive of the QMC, expressing the wish to be represented directly
on the LRF. Varying viewpoints were expressed, including the difficulty for health organisations in representing
each other and the desirability of pooling representation to keep the Forum to a manageable size. Vivienne Carmichael suggested adopting the model used in North Nottinghamshire, whereby hospitals all
receive LRF papers and may attend meetings if they wish. Members expressed general support for this approach and Peter Ditchett undertook to reply to Rob Fisher
directly on the issue.
Action
Peter
Ditchett to reply to Rob Fisher with the Forum proposal.
Presentation of Strategic
Document
Bill Duffy reported that the consultation process and subsequent amendments to the document were now complete. The final document would be ready for the 11 October Launch.
Presentation of
Draft Tactical Document
Bill Duffy reported that
the document was currently out for consultation. The final version would be made available in electronic format prior to the Launch. Both the Strategic and Tactical Documents would be available on the LRF website.
Peter Ditchett thanked all those involved in co-ordinating work on the two documents.
Proposed
Protocols for Warning and Informing the Public
Paul
Millward introduced this paper (circulated in advance) and requested the Forum’s approval for it to
be included in both the Strategy and Tactical documents. Lucy Garvey said that the paper had been referred to the next meeting of the Communication Specialists
Group.
The Forum endorsed the document, providing that it was acceptable to the Communication Specialists Group.
7. Reports of Working Groups
Progress reports from all groups had been circulated in advance of the meeting, or would be made available with the minutes. Particular attention was drawn to the following.
Risk Assessment
Sue Storey gave a presentation on the work of the Risk Assessment Working Group. Training of representatives from key organisations had taken place and work was under way, but she stressed that it involved lengthy complex processes and it could be up to 2 years before all assessments were complete.
Mark Sitton-Kent raised a query about impact / likelihood analysis, which
he was advised to take forward outside the meeting.
CBRN
There
were national developments to speed up the decontamination response; the ODPM was offering additional
equipment (disrobe / re-robe units) that could be deployed to the scene in 30 minutes.
The
Police were looking to purchase new protective equipment as current equipment had been identified as
not meeting Health and Safety requirements.
Site Clearance
This work stream was now separate from Urban Search and Rescue.
Urban Search and Rescue
Fire Service search and rescue equipment was being rolled out in the region. Familiarisation and training would follow.
High volume pumping equipment was also being deployed.
Mass
Fatalities
An interim regional plan would be put
in place by November. Guidance from the Home Office was still patchy. The London bombings and US hurricanes had added impetus to this work nationally.
8. Items referred from RRF
Community involvement in Civil Contingencies issues
John Perkins said that the purpose of this paper was to increase the profile of the LRF. He invited the Forum to consider how they wished to proceed.
Peter Ditchett asked if there was general support for the proposals. Paul Millward said that these had been discussed by City Council corporate directors, who had expressed reservations about the speed and direction.
Peter Ditchett asked that the work should be taken forward, but that the City’s
concerns be noted.
Regions – Core Brief
John Perkins explained that this was a live document, produced to brief visiting Ministers; it focussed on the 3 cities and incorporated current issues, progress updates and activity reports. He undertook to circulate the document regularly to LRF members and invited them to take up key issues.
He raised the issue of a potential overload of exercises at local and regional level, stressing that exercises should be prioritised and a structured approach was needed across the region. On the question of funding, he said that it would be better to approach the Government for additional funding regionally.
Peter Ditchett asked if the Core Brief paper could be sequenced to be available in advance of LRF meetings.
Issues emerging from RRF meeting of 6 September
John Perkins reported on the following:
Health priorities, including flu planning were moving ahead; a draft regional plan was being developed for presentation at the November meeting.
Progress had been made in respect of Mass Fatalities planning, but there was still much work to do. An interim regional plan would be in place by November. Central Government was moving towards the solution or temporary de-mountable structures, but there was a problem over who pays. A regional bid for funding had been put forward.
A Regional Risk Impact Management Group had been established as a new sub-group of the RRF. The brief of this group would be to look at the impact of catastrophic emergencies, particularly in terms of critical infrastructure, and consider how risks can be mitigated.
9. Local Government Command Centre – Sherwood Lodge
Bill Duffy reported that in the event of a serious catastrophic incident the Police were obliged to have a local command centre. Suitable rooms had been identified at Sherwood Lodge Police HQ and work on the project was progressing. In due course partner agencies would be invited to test their own equipment in the centre. It would be primarily a Gold Command location, but there might also be room for people operating at tactical level.
Action
Bill Duffy to arrange and notify to LRF partners a date to view the suite of offices, once ready.
10.Training / Exercises
The training programme had been distributed prior to the meeting.#
Sarah Webb reported on Exercise ‘Arctic Sea’. A draft report had been prepared but the HPA was trawling for additional information for inclusion. Sarah’s team was developing a follow-up exercise aimed at tactical and operational level responders. A version of this could be made available to Nottinghamshire if required.
A vaccination centre exercise ‘Grand Prix’ was planned for Nottingham City on 29th November.
11. Incidents
Avian flu had spread to Eastern Europe, but transmission was still only bird to bird. The situation was being monitored closely.
12. Organisational updates
Martin Emberson reported that the new Regional Fire Control Centre would be located at Willow Farm Industrial Park, Castle Donington. It was due to be operational in 2008.
Richard Dixon-Warren drew attention to
the interim MOD publication ‘Operations in the UK: The Defence Contribution to Resilience.
13. Date and time of next meeting
Friday 9 Dec 2005 at Police HQ
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT
All items open with the exception of Item 4, which was not minuted.