‘Local’  | Regional

'Local'

The purpose of the Civil Contingencies Act is to establish a new statutory framework for civil protection at the local level. It sets out clear expectations and responsibilities for front line responders at the local level to ensure that they are prepared to deal effectively with the full range of emergencies from localized incidents through to catastrophic emergencies. It divides local responders into two categories.

Those in Category 1 will have duties placed upon them to:

• Assess local risks and use this to inform emergency planning;
• Put in place emergency plans;
• Put in place Business Continuity Management arrangements;
• 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;
• Share information with other local responders to enhance co-ordination;
• Co-operate with other local responders to enhance co-ordination and efficiency; and
• Provide advice and assistance to businesses and voluntary organisations about business continuity management. (Local Authorities only).

Those to be covered by the duties at present are:

Local Authorities	Emergency Services	NHS Bodies
• All principal local authorities	• Police Forces	• Primary Care Trusts
	• British Transport Police	• Health Protection Agency
	• Police Service of Northern Ireland	• NHS Acute Trusts (Hospitals)
	• Fire Authorities	• Foundation Trusts
Government agencies	• Ambulance Services	• Local Health Boards (in Wales)
• Environment Agency		• Any Welsh NHS Trust which provides public health services
• Scottish Environment Protection Agency		• Health Boards (in Scotland)
• Maritime and Coastguard Agency		• Port Health Authorities

Category 2 organisations will be placed under the lesser duties of co-operating with these organisations and sharing relevant information. Those to be included at present are:

Utilities	Transport	Government
• Electricity	• Network Rail	• Health and Safety Executive
• Gas	• Train Operating Companies (Passenger and Freight)	Health
• Water and Sewerage	• Transport for London	• The Common Services Agency (in Scotland)
• Public communications providers (landlines and mobiles)	• London Underground	• Strategic Health Authorities
	• Airports
	• Harbours and Ports
	• Highways Agency

It is intended that Category 1 and 2 organisations come together to form a ‘Local Resilience Forum’ (based on police areas) which will help co-ordination and co-operation between responders at the local level.

Under this umbrella Nottingham City Council has enthusiastically collaborated with Nottinghamshire County Council, Nottinghamshire Police Authority, Nottinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service, HM Coroners, East Midlands Ambulance Service, Bassetlaw District Council, Nottingham Primary Care Trust, Bassetlaw Primary Care Trust, Trent Regional Strategic Health, Government Offices East Midlands, (Regional) Health Protection Agency, Environment Agency, Army, RAF, to form the Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Local Resilience Forum, which meets 4 times a year. For further information on Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Local Resilience Forum visit their web site at www.nottsprepared.gov.uk

It has recently been agreed that a representative from the voluntary agencies, who assist with Emergency Planning in Nottinghamshire, will also attend future Local Resilience Forum meetings. Discussions are also being held with Category 2 organisations as to their representation at the forum.

While it is primarily focused on civil emergencies, the Civil Contingencies Act will improve the UK’s ability to deal with the consequences of a wide range of disruptions by improving the planning process at a local level, building better contacts between organisations and ensuring what goes on at the local level dovetails with efforts at the regional and national levels.

Regional

Co-operation between responder bodies at the regional level is a relatively new development in civil protection. The operation of the regional civil protection tier is not, for the most part dealt with by the civil contingencies legislation. Whilst not an obligation, these arrangements will, however, provide mechanisms for improving co-ordination and communication between local responders and with central Government on large-scale civil protection issues.

Planning at the regional level will improve co-ordination across and between regions; between the centre and regions and between regions and local responders. Regions will have three types of plan a generic, ‘Regional Response Plan’, a ‘Business Continuity Plan’ for the Government Office and a ‘regional Capability Co-ordination Plan’.