Agenda item

To consider a progress report on individual risks identified in the Council’s Strategic Risk Register.

The Committee considered a progress report in relation to the individual risks identified on the Strategic Risk Register, specifically in relation to risks regarding ‘Inability to Respond to a Major Incident’. The Committee discussed plans to control and mitigate the risks with the strategic risk owners, Mr Jack, Chief Executive and Mr Thompson, Director of Resources.

Ms Greenhalgh provided the Committee with an explanation of the role of the Lancashire Resilience Forum and details of the Major Emergency Plan that was in place and outlined the roles and responsibilities in the event of an emergency. The Committee was advised by Ms Greenhalgh that new members of staff had been identified to co-ordinate responses to a major incident in order to mitigate against the risk of experienced personnel leaving the authority.  Members were also advised that work was being undertaken to move the control centre for dealing with a major incident from the Municipal Building to Bickerstaffe House.

Members were provided with details of an exercise undertaken in January 2016 on dealing with a major incident in Blackpool, which was built around a counter-terrorism scenario. Ms Greenhalgh reported that the exercise had been a success and that it had helped to identify additional controls that were required to be put in place, particularly with regards to Property Services.

Ms Greenhalgh also reported to the Committee that a further control for the risk was that a training programme would be rolled out in conjunction with the Lancashire Resilience Forum, for staff involved with providing a tactical response to a major incident.

The Committee was informed that risk owners had identified that there was a requirement to increase the number of volunteers on the Emergency Response Group and that work would be undertaken to consider how incentives could be used to encourage potential volunteers.

Mr Jack advised the Committee that the effectiveness of the Lancashire Resilience Forum would be important in responding to a major incident and explained that as local authorities and public services became smaller in terms of employees and resources, the need for greater cooperation increased. He advised that the Council already had effective working relationships with various authorities across the Fylde Coast and that work would be undertaken to align emergency responses across the organisations further. The Committee was provided with details of the work undertaken with the Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in response to the Cryptosporidium incident as an example of a joined up response to a major incident.

Mr Thompson advised that a key way to mitigate against the risks was to prevent the initial incident. He provided the Committee with examples of work that had been undertaken to prevent major incidents, which included the construction of the sea defences in Anchorsholme.

The Committee questioned whether the risk was considered to be at similar levels in other local authorities and whether the risk score was appropriate. Ms Greenhalgh advised that all local authorities faced similar types of issues in terms of the risk of ‘Inability to Respond to a Major Incident’, as demonstrated by the need to develop mutual aid arrangements between authorities, so the level of risk was considered broadly similar. In terms of the risk score, Ms Greenhalgh advised that she considered the score to be appropriate and that it should always be considered a high risk.

Background papers: None.