Agenda and minutes

Venue: Virtual Meeting

Contact: Martin Elliott 

Items
No. Item

34.

To determine any item which the Chairman is of the opinion should be considered later in the agenda as a matter of urgency.

Minutes:

There were no urgent items.

35.

Minutes of the previous meeting held on 15 December 2020 pdf icon PDF 103 KB

Minutes:

Agreed: - 

 

That the minutes of the previous meeting of the Emergency Planning Shared Services Joint Committee (Rotherham and Sheffield), held on 15 December 2020 be approved as a correct record.

36.

Matters arising from the previous minutes (not covered by the agenda items).

Minutes:

Minute No.32 - Sam Barstow advised that the information on the impact of the COVID-19 restrictions on the EU resettlement scheme would be circulated to members.

37.

Finance Report

Minutes:

Officers presented a report to provide Joint Committee members with an in-year forecast outturn position for 2020/21.  It was noted that the figures detailed in the report were subject to change based on expected budget adjustments at year end.  A Summary Breakdown Forecast of the outturn 2020/21 outturn position was attached as an appendix to the officer’s report.

 

It was noted that owing to the complexities that had arisen from year end shut down at the outset of the Covid-19 pandemic, that the value of the carry forward was in effect for two years; largely owing to in year vacancies and monies received from a third party to support secondment fees. It was noted that these vacancies had now been filled (pending recruitment checks) and that going forward this would negate any further potential underspend accumulations.   

 

The report stated that the Emergency Planning Shared Service had managed its budget since its creation, accumulating an earmarked balance of underspent monies that the Joint Committee had agreed to carry forward previously, and as such approval was sought to continue to do this with the underspend for 2020/21 to be carried forward as in previous years. 

 

The report stated that in light of the ongoing major incident and potential future impacts to the resilience agenda and footprint, that the plans for the use of the underspend as previously presented to the committee would be revisited and re-costed.  It was also proposed that the monies would continue to be utilised to fund areas of expenditure including ongoing and enhanced training provision for tactical and strategic leads, a fixed one year appointment and  other specific requirements as sanctioned by the Local Resilience Forum.

 

Agreed: -

 

That the transfer of the favourable outturn budget to the underspend be approved.

 

 

 

38.

Emergency Planning - Service Update

Verbal Report

Minutes:

Officers provided a verbal update on the Emergency Planning Shared Service.

 

Overview

 

Officer’s provided updates on the following:

 

·       The 100th meeting of the Strategic Group that had been managing the response to the Covid-19 pandemic had recently taken place. It was noted that the group’s activity was now being aligned with the Government’s “roadmap” out of lockdown. It was also noted that planning activity had been continuing that would enable the delivery of activity to support another major incident during the response to the pandemic.

 

·       Command and control structures were being reviewed, and that with the improving situation regarding the pandemic that it was planned for more capacity to be transferred back to “business as usual” activities.

 

Local Resilience Forum

 

Officer’s provided updates on the following:

 

·       That the Objectives for the coming year had now been set.

 

·       The Severe Terrorism threat had now been reduced from “very likely” to “likely”, it was noted however that this would not make a significant difference to the plans to deal with this type of incident.

 

·       Work that was related to the EU Transition.

 

Incident Management Plans

 

Officer’s provided updates on the following:

 

·       Planned activity that would look to review and refresh the Incident Management Plans and how they could be informed from the learning that had been gained from the response to the flooding and pandemic emergencies.

 

·       Work that would look at how different Incident Management Plans could be aligned and streamlined. It was noted that a report on this work would be brought to a future meeting of the committee.

 

·       Debriefing activities relating to recent major incidents.

 

Training

 

Officer’s provided updates on the following:

 

·       The focus of training activity would move towards being more proactive, rather than being reactive as had been the case in the past.

 

·       The wide range of online and remote training and learning activities that had been delivered.

 

Councillor Alam noted how well staff involved in Emergency Planning activity over the previous very challenging year had managed to respond to the needs created by the pandemic whilst also carrying out other non-pandemic related activity. Councillor Alam noted that it would be beneficial for future service delivery if learning gained during the pandemic could be captured. Councillor Fox concurred that it was essential that learning from the pandemic was captured and used to inform service development, in particular how the service had worked with and developed relationships with communities across Sheffield and Rotherham.

 

Members asked if there were any new or emerging issues that were of concern for the Shared Service. Officers advised that cyber resilience was an area of rapidly changing and increased risk along with the changing risks related to the pandemic such as the potential risk of public disorder regarding ongoing restrictions.

 

Agreed: -

 

That the update be noted.

 

 

 

 

39.

Volunteer Recruitment.

Minutes:

Officers provided a verbal update on incident management volunteer recruitment.

 

Officers advised that a benchmarking exercise on volunteer recruitment had been conducted with other local authorities nationally but noted that the response rate had been low due to the fatigue in Emergency Planning teams after a year of the pandemic. it was noted that further benchmarking work would take place with partner organisations in order to learn how they operated. It was noted that over the coming months that the information gathered would be analysed and used to develop options and proposals for the Shared Service in areas such as rewards and recognition, training, personal development and the designation of roles.

 

Councillor Alam requested that a report on the benchmarking exercise and the proposals that were being developed be brought to a future meeting of the committee. Councillor Alam welcomed the proposal to look how the volunteer role could be recognised and rewarded and noted that it was important that the essential role that volunteers played was seen to be recognised and valued.

 

Agreed: -

 

1)    That the update be noted.

 

2)    That a report on the benchmarking exercise surrounding volunteers, and the proposals for how the findings could be implemented across the Emergency Planning Shared Service be brought to a future meeting of the committee.

40.

Any other business

Minutes:

Claire Hanson advised that the business plan and other key documents relating to the Emergency Planning Shared Service would be presented at future meetings of the committee.

 

Councillor Fox requested that officers prepare a Forward Plan of items to guide the work of the committee.

 

Sam Barstow advised that in accordance with the Terms of Reference for the Emergency Planning Shared Service Joint Committee that the position of Chair would rotate to a Sheffield City Council for the municipal year 2021/22.

 

Councillor Alam asked how the service was ensuring and maintaining staff welfare throughout the pandemic. Clair Hanson detailed the wide variety of activities that were being employed to ensure that staff felt connected and were supported with their well-being.

 

Agreed: -

 

That officers prepare a Forward Plan of items to guide the work of the committee for the municipal year 2021/22.

41.

Date, time and venue for the next meeting:-

The next meeting of the Emergency Planning Shared Services Joint Committee will be held on Thursday 29 July at 1:30pm. Venue TBC.

Minutes:

Agreed: - That the next meeting of the Emergency Planning Shared Services Joint Committee take place on Thursday 29 July 2021 at 1:30pm.