Agenda item

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“1.0      Purpose of Report or Summary of main Issues

1.1       The purpose of this report is to ask Members to consider a proposed new regional resourcing model for the local government civil contingencies function. The proposed resourcing model was presented to the NI branch of the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives (SOLACE) at its meeting in May. A paper outlining the proposal is attached to this report.

1.2       Following local government reform and recent restructuring of the areas for local government civil contingencies there are now three sub-regions in Northern Ireland, North, South and Belfast. Each sub-region has a multi-agency Emergency Preparedness Group. The proposed regional resourcing model will provide civil contingencies programme management in the three new sub-regional areas.

1.3       In brief, the proposed model is a regional service, fully funded by the Department for Communities (DfC), with a single employing authority and a service level agreement between it and the other ten councils. DfC funding will be drawn down via the host council, reducing duplication of financial and HR resources and enhancing accountability and governance arrangements. This concept has been successfully employed for other shared service functions, for example, animal welfare.

2.0       Recommendations

2.1       The Committee is asked to

·        Note the attached paper outlining the new local government resilience resourcing model and agree the proposed way forward. This will include agreement for a single employing authority and the need for the development of a service level agreement between the employer council and the other ten councils.

3.0       Main report

            Key Issues

3.1       The desired outcomes of this proposed new resourcing model are to: 

·        Provide confidence and assurance for Councils and their Chief Executives that multi-agency plans are in place which complement arrangements existing within councils;

·        Have sufficient resilience to provide adequate cover, particularly during response to emergencies;

·        Embed adequate governance arrangements to ensure consistency and performance management across all EPG areas;

·        Align as best as possible with other organisations planning and response structures to allow for effective planning and response

3.2       Currently Belfast City Council employs a Programme Manager for the Belfast EPG; the Council also hosts the Regional Officer for local government civil contingencies and a regional support officer post. DfC funds these posts and the support costs for the Belfast EPG. 

3.3       Under the proposed new arrangements, the Regional Officer will report to a director in the host council and to a regional steering group comprising Chief Executives from the three sub-regions and the SOLACE lead for the Civil Contingencies function.

3.4       For the Belfast area, the proposal is to increase resourcing from one existing Programme Manager and a 50% administration post to two full time posts. The new posts will be referred to as a Resilience Manager and a Resilience Officer. These posts will be 100% funded by DFC. The post of the Resilience Manager will be a permanent post and the Resilience Officer a fixed term post. These posts will continue to be located in Belfast City Council but will be employed by the host council.

3.5       On Call Arrangements will be incorporated into the post of the Resilience Manager and because it will be a regional service, Belfast will be in a position to avail of regional on call capacity for multi-agency response.

3.6       Financial & Resource Implications

            A business plan was agreed in 2016 to fully fund this function until 2021. Liaison is ongoing with DfC and TEO (The Executive Office) to secure sustainable funding on a longer term.

3.7       The complex staffing issues, legacy structures and associated costs referred to in the attached paper should not apply to Belfast City Council at it remains a single council in a sub-region.

3.8       Equality or Good Relations Implications

            None.”

            The Committee adopted the recommendations.