Agenda item

To submit a report by the Head of Democratic Services.

The Chair welcomed Mr Neil Culff, Regional Manager, North Wales Councils Regional Emergency Planning and Service and Mr Gwyn Hughes, Emergency Planning Officer to the meeting.

Submitted – a joint update report by the Regional Manager and the Head of Democratic Services on Emergency Planning issues.

The Head of Democratic Services reported that the purpose of the report was to provide an update regarding the regional work programme for emergency planning and response, and those within the Council itself.  He noted that it was necessary to test the robustness of emergency planning and business continuity arrangements via exercises.  Emergency exercises are undertaken to gauge the preparedness of the Authority when dealing with for example severe weather.

The Regional Manager, North Wales Councils Regional Emergency Planning and Service gave a presentation and reported that the Council meets its obligations by collaborating with the other North Wales local authorities thorough the North Wales Councils Regional Emergency Planning Service (NWC-REPS), for which Flintshire County Council is the lead authority.  It was noted that the NWC-REPS reports to an Executive Board, comprising an office representative of each of the Local Authorities that are partners to the service.  Regional work programmes are reported to the Board and monitored.  It was noted that the Council has duties for emergency planning and response under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, the Radiation (Emergency Preparedness and Public Information) Regulations 2001, and the Pipeline Safety Regulations 1996.  He noted that the Radiation (Emergency Preparedness and Public Information) Regulations was revised in 2019.  This Authority had a duty to prepare an off-site plan for Wylfa Power Station but this was no longer a requirement.

The Regional Manager reported on work streams undertaken by the Emergency Planning Service:-

·         Pandemic Flu – work is undertaken across the region together with the Health Service and local authorities as regards to preparedness arrangements for pandemic flu which is classed as ‘very high’ on the National and Community Risk Registers.

·         Memorandum of Understanding 4x4 Response Wales – work with the third sector provides transport cover during severe weather.

·         Ffordd Glandwr, Llangefni Emergency Plan – work undertaken with NRW to prepare a specific emergency plan;

·         Project EXODUS (sharing information about vulnerable people) – identifying vulnerable people in flood risk areas if there was a need for evacuation due to flooding

The Head of Democratic Services referred to recent emergency planning activities within the Authority as follows:-

·      Testing of BCM Plans – Exercise Synergedd April 2019

·      BCM Service Plans – updated annually;

·      Internal Audit Report – BCM – which had been reported to the Audit Committee on 18^th February, 2020;

·      Wylfa  - a multi-agency desk top exercise in September 2020;

·      Staff Training – training programme for Council staff organised by the North Wales Local Resilience Forum.

The Regional Manager referred to the future activities as follows:-

·      Plan validation – a new or revised plan will need to be validated;

·      North Wales Councils Coastal Pollution Plan – taking account of lessons learnt from the Holyhead Marina Incident 2018;

·      Recovery planning – focus on plans for the recovery process following major incidents.

The Committee considered the information presented and made the following points:-

·      Reference was made to the recent focus on Coronavirus and questions were raised whether the authority would be able to address such an outbreak on the Island.  It was noted that a number of cruise ships visit the coast of Anglesey.  The Head of Democratic Services responded that the authority would work with Welsh Government together with Public Health Wales and would follow necessary guidance for dealing with this issue;

·      Reference was made that coastal pollution is to be address within the three year plan of the Regional Emergency Planning Service.  It was considered that coastal flooding and areas at risk.  The Head of Democratic Services responded that he acknowledged that there are areas on Anglesey that are more susceptible to high risk of flooding.  Multi agency procedures were in place in the event of severe weather and depending on severity.

The Chair thanked the Regional Manager and the Emergency Planning Officer from the North Wales Regional Emergency Planning Service for attending the meeting.

It was RESOLVED that the Committee receives future reports on the preparedness of the Council to plan for emergencies and specific follow-up reports to any major local or regional emergency events to which the Council has had to respond.

ACTION: As noted above.