Agenda and minutes

The Minutes of the Joint Resilience Committee held on the 7^th November 2014 were received and noted as a true and accurate record.

The Corporate Occupational Health, Safety and Joint Resilience Manager, Mr.S.Burgess updated the Committee on the proposed Service Specification  which summarised the service to be provided by the Joint Resilience Unit (JRU), to both Local Authorities, as attached at Appendix 1 the circulated report. 

Members received an update on the proposed Terms of Reference as detailed in the circulated report.

Mr. S. Burgess, presented to Members the Resilience Policy as circulated.

The Policy contained comprehensive information which included matters for discussion on Management Structure, Job Descriptions and specific responsibilities, Neath Port Talbot/Swansea Resilience Partnership, Joint NPT/CCoS Resilience Committee, the South Wales Local Resilence Forum and Co-ordinating Group.

Mr.S.Burgess gave Members an overview of the Manager’s Annual Report as circulated which contained information on the Disaster Response and GIS Operational Network (DRAGON) the system which secures online emergency response applications to deliver improvements in dealing with civil emergencies in the Neath Port Talbot and Swansea areas.  On this matter, Mr. Burgess confirmed with those present that arrangements would be put in place for Members  to access  the Dragon System as soon as possible.

With regard to Rest Centre and Evacuation Excercising, it was confirmed that an exercise is due in the near future and Members would be informed of this accordingly. Members also noted the good work carried out around COMAH Excercises during 2014/2015 involving two local top-tier COMAH sites namely Tata Steel and Calor Gas, Aberdulais providing opportunities to rehearse emergency response procedures.

The Manager’s Annual Report also contained information on the new European Seveso Directive,  Land Planning and Flooding.

Members received  a report listing priorities for a variety of tasks and objectives to be met for the 2015/2016 period.  The aim of the Work Programme is to ensure that the JRU and other key partners in both Local Authorities focus on and deliver agreed priorities.  From discussions, Members suggested that the Business Continuity Plans be reviewed at future Joint Resilience Committee meetings where appropriate.

Members noted that significant changes would be made to COMAH Regulations following the implementation of the new European Seveso 111 Directive as outlined in the circulated report.

The Joint Resilience Manager explained to Members how recovery of costs can be recovered by the Local Authority regarding the preparation, planning and exercising of maintaining plans for industrial sites within its boundaries.  Mr. S. Burgess outlined to Members the current model used for recharges, however work on this will be ongoing as staff would be researching other models to use if appropriate.  An update report would be brought back to Committee on this item in the future.