Issue - meetings

(a)       That the Committee is assured by the update; and

(b)       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.

The Chief Executive introduced an update on regional emergency planning arrangements and invited the Regional Manager to give a presentation covering the following areas:

·         Background

·         Service overview

·         Regional activity

·         Flintshire overview

·         Recent Flintshire activity

·         Future activity

The fully integrated regional service was hosted by Flintshire and linked to the Local Resilience Forum comprising Category 1 and 2 responders, hosted by North Wales Police.  The cost efficient and resilient model operated by the service was unique in Wales and was viewed as good practice by other regions.  An update was given on regional activities to strengthen arrangements, together with progress on the Council’s own internal arrangements including an overview of the Emergency Management Response Team.

In response to a query by Councillor Patrick Heesom, the Regional Manager explained that work was risk-led and he agreed to speak with Councillor Heesom separately on contingency arrangements for the classified industrial site in Mostyn. He also spoke about the opportunity to offer commercial resilience services to businesses.

Councillor Arnold Woolley referred to the failure of the telephone system to cope with demand during recent bad weather and asked about preventative steps.  The Chief Executive shared the concerns about this temporary fault and gave assurance that follow-up actions were being taken.  He said that business continuity plans were tested and would provide more information at a later date.

The Regional Manager and Chief Executive provided clarification to Councillor Haydn Bateman on alarm testing procedures and communication arrangements for the nearby Synthite factory classified site.

On questions from Councillors Paul Cunningham and Paul Johnson, explanation was given on the approach to testing procedures and arrangements with Network Rail as a Category 2 responder.

RESOLVED:

(a)       That the Committee is assured by the update; and

(b)       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.