Agenda item

            The Committee considered the following 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 initially presented to the NI branch of the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives (SOLACE) at its meeting in May of this year and reported to this Committee in June.

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. Members approved the proposed approach at that time.

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.

1.4      A subsequent paper was presented to SOLACE at its December Meeting; the proposal remains unchanged but now incorporates a draft Service Level Agreement (SLA), which was developed in consultation with Belfast City Council’s Legal Service.

1.5       The SLA is an essential element to progress the implementation of the model and enable the adoption of a regional approach.

2.0       Recommendations

2.1       The Committee is asked to;

·        Note the terms of the SLA and recommend that Belfast City Council signs it to enable the implementation of the regional resourcing model for local government civil contingencies.

3.0       Main report

3.1       Key Issues

            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, Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon District Council (ABC) 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 and the SLA permits BCC to charge reasonable expenses associated with hosting staff. 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 lead council, ABC.

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 additional regional on call capacity for multi-agency response.

3.6       Financial & Resource Implications

            A business plan was agreed in 2016 to fully fund the local government civil contingencies function until 2021. The business case was updated to reflect the proposed regional model and DfC recently agreed annual regional funding of £680,000 up until 31st March 2021.

3.7       The SLA states that should there be a withdrawal or shortfall in funding, the shortfall shall be made up by councils in equal amounts. This does not place BCC at an increased risk because we currently employ the Belfast Programme Manager and have done so for eight years. In terms of a worst case scenario, where funding is withdrawn, BCCs share of the shortfall would equate to the cost of this current post should we continue with existing arrangements and therefore a recurring budget exists.

3.8       Many of 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.

3.9       Implementation of the new model can be progressed using a TUPE transfer, as the work is deemed to fall within the review of public administration and thus the staff transfer scheme and circulars are applicable.

3.10      Equality or Good Relations Implications/Rural Needs Assessment

            None.”

            The Committee adopted the recommendations.