Agenda and minutes

Resolved:- That the minutes of the previous meeting of the Emergency Planning Shared Services Joint Committee (Rotherham and Sheffield) be approved as a correct record for signature by the Chairman.

Consideration was given to a report presented by the Emergency and Safety Manager concerning the following issues affecting the development of the Emergency Planning Shared Service both during this and the next financial years:-

(a) Budget reductions for 2013/14

Members noted that the proposed budget reduction of 15% for 2013/14 is achievable without there being a significant impact upon the level of service provision. The service was considered to be lean and efficient, after bench-marking against other similar local authorities. However, any further reductions of resources and staffing would impact severely upon the service’s capacity to respond to a major incident, as well as curtailing areas of day-to-day activity. The Government’s budget settlement for 2013/14 was not yet available.

(b) Development of the Shared Service concept

Discussion took place on this concept and Members concluded that there was unlikely to be any progress made in the near future.

(c) Revision of the Rotherham Borough Emergency Plan and the Sheffield City Council Major Incident Plan

The review indicates that both Plans are still ‘fit for purpose’ and, in particular, that the Forward Liaison Officer (FLO) role, as supported by complementary Chief Officer rotas for both Councils, works well. However, recent incidents have identified some concern about the initial support of FLOs in the event of a medium-sized incident. The ‘out of hours’ support is insufficiently robust. One solution has been identified, but it requires additional financial resources for implementation and, given the current financial climate, may not be supported. Accordingly, an alternative solution is being investigated.

It was agreed that Members be provided with a briefing report, prior to the next meeting, detailing the alternative options available and the estimated costs.

Resolved:- (1) That the report be received and its contents noted.

(2) That this Joint Committee recommends that both Rotherham Borough Council and Sheffield City Council approve a budget for the Emergency Planning Shared Service in accordance with the proposed 15% reduction for the 2013/2014 financial year.

Consideration was given to a report presented by the Emergency and Safety Manager describing the current position in respect of planning for reservoir emergencies. The report highlighted the following issues:-

(a) the Government Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) had established criteria and provided funding for one hundred reservoirs throughout the United Kingdom to have their own Emergency Plan. Sheffield City Council has received funding to develop a plan for the nine reservoirs within its area, which meet the new criteria. Some of the funding has been used for information/warning issues and the remainder of the funding will be carried forward to the 2013/14 financial year. To date, there is no indication that the reservoirs at Thrybergh and at Ulley, within the Rotherham Borough area, meet the criteria.

(b) an appointment is soon to be made to the grant-funded temporary post of Emergency Planning Assistant and the post-holder will continue the work on the preparation of the draft reservoir plan; there will be consultation with multi-agency colleagues on finalising the plan.

(c) a training and exercising strategy will be developed to verify the plan, including a major multi-agency exercise during the Autumn 2013; this exercise will be undertaken with the support of a specialist emergency planning provider.

(d) a comprehensive Warning and Informing strategy is being prepared, to inform the general public of a potential risk from a reservoir inundation.

Resolved:- That the report be received and its contents noted.

• Initial lessons from Sheffield City Council ‘Trio Exercise’ – 29/30 November 2012
• RMBC proposal for 21 February 2013

Consideration was given to a report presented by the Emergency and Safety Manager summarising the initial findings from Exercise Trio. This training exercise had taken place for Sheffield City Council on 29^th and 30th November, 2012 and a version of this exercise is to be repeated in Rotherham, by the Borough Council on 21st February, 2013. 

The submitted brief report was provided in advance of the formal debriefing of this exercise, which will take place on 12th December, 2012.  Afterwards, a formal post exercise report will be produced, containing recommendations and learning points.

The exercise had been considered a success, with a number of learning points already highlighted:-

: ensuring the adequacy of communication links;

: the importance of the accurate recording/logging of events throughout the duration of an incident;

: appropriate buildings to use as rest centres;

: more work is required in terms of recovery.

Resolved:- (1) That the report be received and its contents noted.

(2) That a structured debriefing session will take place on 12th December 2012.

(3) That learning points from Exercise Trio shall be noted and a formal post exercise report shall be produced and distributed to Members of this Joint Committee.

(4) That any recommendations contained within the post exercise report are to be implemented within Sheffield City Council.

(5) That the lessons identified from Exercise Trio are to be incorporated into the further training exercise being organised by Rotherham Borough Council and which will take place during February, 2013.

Consideration was given to a report presented by the Emergency and Safety Manager stating that revised Business Continuity Management (BCM) structures have been put in place within both Councils, including a corporate management group with the strategic responsibility for the effective management of each Council’s BCM activities.  Within each Council, a revised BCM policy and strategy has been agreed in principle. Underpinning this work is a project initiation document which is supported by both Councils’ management structures.

Members noted the following salient issues:-

(1) training continues within both Councils on the use of BCMShared and  both Councils aim to have a business continuity plan in place during March, 2013;

(2) the BCM e-Learning system is now operating within Rotherham MBC and the learning package should be introduced within Sheffield City Council during 2013;

(3) planning for specific contingencies corporately is continuing and a revised framework for managing a fuel disruption has been issued; in addition, the pandemic Influenza plans, severe weather plans and recovery plans are all being refreshed and reviewed to incorporate newly-issued guidance.

Resolved:- That the report be received and its contents noted.

Consideration was given to a report presented by the Emergency and Safety Manager concerning the changes to the National Health Service and the consequent transfer of Public Health Teams to local authorities in April 2013. It was noted that senior officers within the Emergency Planning Shared Service have been meeting with both Rotherham and Sheffield Directors of Public Health and with representatives from the wider NHS, to discuss these arrangements and their associated costs.

Resolved:- That the report be received and its contents noted.

Consideration was given to a report presented by the Emergency and Safety Manager providing an update of the Emergency Planning Shared Service budget for the current financial year, 2012/13.

Discussion took place on the detail of the budget and it was agreed that future Members’ briefings about the Shared Service budget will be in a summarised format.

Resolved:- (1) That the report be received and its contents noted.

(2) That the forecast of a balanced budget for the Emergency Planned Shared Services, as at 31^st March, 2013, be noted.

• Discussion about suggested dates :-
• Tuesday 19th March, 2013, to start at 2.30 pm;
• Tuesday 11th June, 2013, to start at 2.00 pm.
• venue is Rotherham Town Hall

Resolved:- (1) That the Emergency Planning Shared Services Joint Committee (Rotherham and Sheffield) shall continue to meet at intervals of six months, at the Rotherham Town Hall and in addition, informal, cross-authority joint briefings for Elected Members shall take place at quarterly intervals.

(2) That the schedule of meetings for 2013 shall be:-

: Tuesday, 19^th March, 2013 at 2.30 pm – informal briefing for Elected Members;

: Tuesday, 11^th June, 2013 at 2.00 pm (with a briefing at 1.30 pm) – full meeting of the Joint Committee;

: September, 2013 at 2.00 pm – informal briefing for Elected Members (exact date to be confirmed);

: November/December, 2013 at 2.00 pm (with a briefing at 1.30 pm) – full meeting of the Joint Committee (exact date to be confirmed).