Agenda and minutes

Resolved:- That the minutes of the previous meeting of the Emergency Planning Shared Services Joint Committee (Rotherham and Sheffield), held on 11^th June, 2013, be approved as a correct record for signature by the Chairman.

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, 2013/14.

Discussion took place on:-

: the forecast of a balanced budget for 2013/14;

: predicted and necessary savings for the 2014/2015 budget - which would include a reduction in the staffing establishment.

On behalf of Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council, Councillor R. S. Russell indicated that the financial savings for the Emergency Planning Shared Service budget, for the 2014/2015 financial year, were acceptable. It was agreed that this matter be now referred to Sheffield City Council for approval.

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

(2) That the forecast of a balanced budget for the Emergency Planned Shared Service, as at 31^st March, 2014 and the details of the financial savings required in the 2014/2015 financial year, be noted.

Consideration was given to a report, presented by the Emergency and Safety Manager, describing various key issues affecting the development of the Emergency Planning Shared Service in 2013/14 and beyond. The issues highlighted were:-

: revisions of the Borough Emergency Plan (Rotherham MBC) and of the Major Incident Plan (Sheffield City Council);

: the Shared Service concept;

: emergency mortuary arrangements;

: reservoirs – emergency plans – a multi-agency exercise to validate the plans will take place during February 2014;

: transfer of Public Health functions to local authorities;

: Local Resilience Forum – revised structure and identification of Community Resilience as a strategic objective.

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

Consideration was given to a report, presented by the Senior Business Continuity Officer, stating that during the last twelve months, a number of corporate resilience plans, produced by the Emergency Planning Shared Service, have been significantly reviewed and updated with consultation having been carried out with stakeholders throughout the process.  The updated Plans include: the Influenza Pandemic Plan, the Severe Winter Weather Plan and the Corporate Recovery and Restoration Framework.

With regard to the Influenza Pandemic Plan, Members asked that good practice be shared between the two local authorities and with the health services.

It was noted that the lessons learned from the various emergency planning exercises will be embedded within the emergency planning arrangements for both local authorities.

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

Consideration was given to a report presented by the Senior Emergency Planning Officer containing details of the emergency planning exercise programme for 2014, which will include:-

: Sheffield City Council Corporate Exercise (March 2014), similar to the recovery exercise held at Rotherham MBC during May 2013;

: Rotherham MBC Corporate Exercise (May 2014);

: various multi-agency exercises, in co-operation with organisations from the Local Resilience Forum, including two ‘live’ COMAH exercises.

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

-       presentation at the meeting

The Joint Committee received a presentation from the Emergency and Safety Manager about the arrangements for the emergency planning response in the event of an inundation of the East Coast of the United Kingdom. The presentation and subsequent discussion included the following salient issues:-

: the place of the inundation risk within the national risk register;

: the weather conditions which cause the risk of inundation;

: Health and Safety Executive estimates of : injuries to people; deaths of people; buildings which are at risk;

: previous incident during 1953 and the building of flood defences since that time;

: impact upon communities alongside the Humber Estuary (flooding by over-topping and breaching);

: impact upon communities in Lincolnshire and in South Yorkshire;

: National Planning and the East Coast Flood Emergency Framework;

: Humber Local Resilience Forum, Local Planning; use of the East Coast Tidal Inundation Plan;

: weather predictions from the Met Office and Flood Forecasting Centre;

: Evacuation plans (possibility of mass evacuation);

: regional capacity to provide shelter for evacuees;

: us of railways, motorways and principal roads for transporting evacuees;

: neighbouring and mutual aid from regions close to the Humber (eg: South Yorkshire);

: detailed planning will take place during 2014, in advance of a major exercise which may take place during late 2014 or early 2015.

Resolved:- (1) That the information contained in the presentation be noted.

(2) That the Local Resilience Forum be asked to consider its proposed response in the event of the inundation of the East Coast of the United Kingdom affecting the Humber Estuary.

The Chairman stated that a report explaining the emergency planning arrangements should be made available for new Councillors to be elected in May 2014, during their induction process, including a reminder of the need for continuing refresher training on emergency planning issues.

Consideration of suggested dates:-

: Tuesday 4th March, 2014, to start at 2.00 pm – Informal Briefing

: Tuesday 10th June, 2014, to start at 2.00 pm – Full Meeting

(with briefing at 1.30 pm)

: Informal Briefing – September, 2014 – date to be confirmed

: Full Meeting – December, 2014 – date to be confirmed

venue is Rotherham Town Hall

Consideration was given to suggested dates and times of the future meetings.

It was agreed that meetings and informal briefings the Emergency Planning Shared Service Joint Committee take place on the following dates during 2014, at the Town Hall, Rotherham:-

·                Informal Briefing – Tuesday, 4^th March, 2014

·                Full Meeting - Tuesday, 10^th June, 2014 at 2.00 p.m. with a briefing at 1.30 p.m.

·                Informal Briefing - Tuesday, 9^th September, 2014

·                Full Meeting - Tuesday, 9^th December, 2014 at 2.00 p.m. with a briefing at 1.30 p.m.