Frequently asked questions
Topics
General
Risk management |
Insurance|
Resilience|
Health and safety
How can I contact you?
Tel: (01234) 228704
Fax: (01234) 228794
Email: risk.management@bedscc.gov.uk|
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Risk Management
What is the framework for managing risk in the Council?
The framework is laid out in the 
Corporate Strategy| (pdf document opens in new window) for Risk Management.
How are risks assessed?
Risks are assessed by placing them on a 5 x 5 risk matrix (impact v. likelihood). The placement is determined by comparing the likelihood to guidance definitions of likelihood and impact.
Risk Matrix| (pdf document opens in new window)
Risk guidance (definitions)| (pdf document opens in new window)
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What happens when the Council receives a claim?
When a claim is received it is logged by the Risk Management Team and assigned to a claim handler depending on its type.
Who deals with claims?
Different types of claims are dealt with by different claim handlers:
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Bedfordshire County Council’s Risk Management Team handles all motor, commercial (i.e. Schools) and Balance of Risks claims.
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The Council’s external claims handlers deal with all Public Liability and Employer’s Liability claims.
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The Council’s liability insurers process significant claims (likely to result in damages in excess of £100,000 or more).
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What is Resilience?
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Ability to recover or resist being affected by an event or situation
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Ability to provide and maintain an acceptable level of service
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The rate at which a system returns to normal
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To emphasise safety – both proactive and reactive
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The ability of the organisation to create processes that are robust yet flexible
What is an emergency?
An event or situation that threatens serious damage to:
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Human welfare
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The environment
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Security (effectively war or terrorism)
According to Emergency Response and Recovery| (new window) published by HM Government, 2005 in order to constitute an emergency, an event or situation must additionally require the implementation of special arrangements by one or more category 1 responders.
What is the Civil Contingencies Act (2004)?
The Civil Contingencies Bill (CCB) received Royal Assent on 18th November 2004 and became known as the Civil Contingencies Act (2004). The Act is designed to deliver a single framework for civil protection in the United Kingdom capable of meeting the challenges of the twenty-first century. This act essentially requires leading public bodies to work together to identify, plan and deal with major emergencies.
It establishes a clear set of roles and responsibilities for those involved in emergency preparation and response at a local level.
What duties have been imposed on local responders from the Act?
There are seven duties:
Risk Assessment
A continual cycle of identifying potential hazards within the local context, assessing the risks and considering how those risks should be managed. Generic risks within Bedfordshire can be found in the Community Risk register.
Emergency Planning
An ongoing process whereby responders develop, exercise and review plans with regard to risk assessments that have been carried out.
Business Continuity Management
The maintenance of plans and procedures within an organisation to ensure they can continue to operate in the event of an emergency. This duty relates to all functions, not just their emergency response role.
Warning and Informing
Communicating with the public to raise public awareness based on the belief that a well-informed public is better able to respond to an emergency in the community. This includes advising the public of the risks before an emergency occurs.
Information Sharing
The sharing of information between all responders is a crucial element of civil protection work. Responders should share information formally as part of a culture of co-operation.
Co-operation
Multi-agency co-operation facilitated by the Local Resilience Forum (LRF) seeks to improve communication and co-ordination between responders. It provides a platform from which inter-agency issues can be raised. Locally we have the Bedfordshire and Luton Local Resilience Forum (BLLRF).
Promotion of Business Continuity Management
Advice and assistance provided by local authorities to those undertaking commercial activities and to voluntary organisations in relation to business continuity management in the event of emergencies. This can be in the form of general advice and assistance to the business and voluntary sector or more specific information to individual organisations.
Emergency Powers
The Act also allows for the making of temporary special legislation (emergency regulations) to help deal with the most serious of emergencies, but this is a last resort option.
Why is Business Continuity Management important?
The goal of Business Continuity Management (BCM) is to safeguard services, the organisation’s reputation, and our stakeholders. BCM identifies potential impacts that threaten an organisation and provides a framework for building resilience to the risks.
What is the Community Risk Register?
The Community Risk Register outlines the potential risks to Bedfordshire and Luton. The risks are assessed and prioritised from high to low (based on impact and likelihood) and given a priority basis according to their score. Risk assessments are an important framework for us to assess which risks need priority action, additional resources, planning or preventative action. Bedfordshire and Luton’s Community Risk Register is available here| (new window).
What are the main roles of a local authority in a major incident?
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Provide support to the emergency services
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Continue to support the local and wider community
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Use resources to reduce the effects of the incident
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Coordinate the response of voluntary groups
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Identify vulnerable people
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Emergency transport, feeding and shelter arrangements
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Help facilitate the rehabilitation of the community
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Restoration and recovery
How can communities help themselves?
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Raise awareness to residents of the top risks to the community
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Encourage community members to keep emergency kits
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Generate a Community Emergency Plan
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Be aware of vulnerable people in the community who may need assistance in an emergency
Why should we plan and prepare?
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Prepare for unusual circumstances
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Ensure delivery of pre-planned responses
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Control the actions of others
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Protect oneself and organisation(s)
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Fulfil a legal requirement
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Create a comprehensive reference document
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Assists in preparation
What is an emergency plan?
An emergency plan is a written record of agreed future actions intended to be taken to prevent an emergency, or to respond to a disaster or emergency.
Contents of a typical plan:
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Roles and responsibilities of responding people and organisations
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Incident management structures and processes
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Communication: paths and contacts
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Strategies, tactics and operational responses
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Alerting and mobilising procedures
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Resources and equipment required
Does the Council 'practice' for emergencies?
Individual staff are involved in training, and the Council also holds emergency exercises whenever possible, involving the staff who would be involved in a real life emergency. Through carrying out joint training and exercises partner agencies and stakeholders (category 1 and category 2 responders) are able to provide an integrated and coordinated response. This collaboration familiarises all parties with the management framework during a response, highlights problems, ensures plans and procedures are up to date and formulates working relationships.
How are Arrangements kept up to date?
The Resilience function reviews the council’s emergency plans each year and updates them when needed. Under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, all emergency planning externally is informed through the Bedfordshire and Luton Local Resilience Forum and Community Risk Register, which is itself reviewed annually. The process is underpinned by external auditing through the Comprehensive Performance Assesment.
What are the top risks to Bedfordshire?
Risks are rated following an assessment of the likelihood and potential impact of an event. The top 3 risks to Bedfordshire are:
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environmental pollution
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flu pandemic
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major river flooding
More on Bedfordshire's local risks| (new window)