Archived decisions

Hampshire Fire and Rescue Authority Item 14

13 September 200615/03/2005

Error! Bookmark not defined.Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service Continuity Framework

Report by the Chief Officer

Contact: Deputy Chief Fire Officer Alan House (023 8062 6831) ([email protected])

1

Summary

1.1

The Civil Contingencies Act 2004 designates Fire Authorities as a Category 1 Responder. The Act places two key responsibilities on all Category 1 Responders. These are to maintain plans to ensure that they can continue to exercise their functions in the event of an emergency, as far as reasonably practicable. The second is to provide advice and assistance to businesses and other organisations about Business Continuity Management.

Note: HFRS will use the term `Service Continuity' in place of `Business Continuity'.

1.2

Development of a robust, practical and tested service continuity arrangements for Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service is a priority to maintain service delivery during an emergency, and to meet the requirements of the CC Act.

1.3

This paper presents the HFRS Service Continuity Framework to the Authority for approval (see Appendix A). The framework outlines the process HFRS will undertake to develop service continuity arrangements at service and department level. It identifies the key roles and responsibilities of individuals and teams to ensure that robust arrangements are in place to maintain service delivery.

2

RecommendationError! Bookmark not defined.s

2.1

That the "HFRS Service Continuity Framework" be endorsed.

2.2

That a commitment be given to provide Member support during an emergency, as defined within the Framework.

2.3

That the impact on service continuity arrangements be taken into account in future decision making and risk assessments.

2.4

That it be noted that the relevant entry (Ref 01) in the Strategic Risk Register (elsewhere on this agenda) has been amended from High (10 - Red) to Medium (15 - Amber) in the light of the action taken to produce the framework.

3

Introduction Error! Bookmark not defined.and Background

3.1

The Civil Contingencies Act 2004 became law in November 2004. The Act requires Category 1 responders to have in place arrangements to continue to deliver their functions in the event of an emergency - `so far as is reasonably practicable'. Responders should concentrate on ensuring they can deliver their critical functions and recognise that the level of delivery may require to be adjusted during an emergency.

3.2

As a Category 1 responder the Authority has a duty to take measures to try and prevent an emergency; reduce, control or mitigate the effects of an emergency. Robust Service Continuity Management (SCM) arrangements are an essential and vital component of maintaining delivery of our core business and therefore meeting the requirements of the CCA.

3.3

Service Continuity Management provides a strategic framework for improving an organisations resilience to interruption. It is an ongoing process that helps organisations anticipate, prepare for, prevent, respond to and recover from events that impact on service delivery. These events could include industrial action, pandemic flu, severe weather, major incident, loss of utilities etc.

4

Contribution to Corporate Aims and Objectives

4.1

The disruption caused by a large-scale emergency could have a short, medium and long-term impact on the infrastructure and resources we rely on to deliver our prevention, protection and response services. Service Continuity Management will contribute to achievement of our corporate aims and objectives by ensuring we maintain our capacity and ability to deliver our key services to the people of Hampshire in the event of large-scale disruption

5.

HFRS Service Continuity Framework

5.1

The purpose of the Service Continuity Framework (the Framework) is to assist Hampshire Fire and Rescue Authority to meet its statutory duties and organisational aims and objectives where the consequences of an emergency situation threaten to disrupt service delivery. The implementation of the Framework and the associated procedures and guidance will improve resilience against future disruption.

5.2

The Framework has been established on the basis of the Guidance of the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, its associated regulations and non-statutory arrangements. Furthermore account has been taken of guidance from the Civil Contingencies Secretariat, the CPA self-assessment checklist and guidance from other professional bodies such as the Business Continuity Institute (BCI).

5.3

The Framework draws together policy, risk assessment and the necessary tools to enable the service to plan for events that will impact on our ability to deliver our key services. The Service Continuity Framework establishes processes by which service continuity plans are produced, implemented and tested. It identifies key roles, responsibilities and accountabilities within the service and provides the framework within which events/incidents impacting on the day to day running of the service will be managed.

The Framework is based on the Business Continuity Management Lifecycle developed by the Business Continuity Institute (BCI). The components of the lifecycle are:

· Understanding the organisation

· Determining Business Continuity Management options

· Developing and implementing a Business Continuity Management response

· Exercising, maintenance, auditing and self assessment

· Business Continuity Management - Programme Management

6

Risk Analysis

6.1

The lack of formal service continuity arrangements for the service is recognised as a strategic risk to the organisation. Adoption of the HFRS Service Continuity Framework will ensure a robust and systematic approach is applied to reducing the risk.

6.2

The framework will improve the resilience of the service to continue delivery of our core functions during a large scale disruption. This will reduce the risk identified within the Strategic Risk Register from High to Medium Risk.

7

Resource/Financial Implications

7.1

Development of service continuity arrangements will present the service with resource implications as department and service level plans are developed. Each plan will need to be assessed at the time of development to identify the associated implications.

7.2

Human Resources

Each Department Head will be required to develop a service continuity plan for their respective department. The Contingency Planning Department will provide advice and guidance to department heads but the plan will require commitment of time within the department to complete. Further work will be required to test the plan and maintain it's currency in the future.

7.3

Physical Resources

Each department has already completed a Service Continuity Impact Analysis Questionnaire which identifies the mission critical activities performed by each department and their respective departmental resources. Each questionnaire will be analysed to identify key areas for the service requiring access to additional and/or alternative physical resources. The overall impact will then be assessed and presented to SMT for consideration.

7.4

Information and Communications Technology Resources

The Service Continuity Impact Analysis Questionnaire has also gathered detailed information on the ICT needs of departments. The questionnaire has identified the likely speed with which departments need access to IT following an event (Recovery Time Objective) and the amount of data required to be backed up following a loss of IT (Recovery Point Objective). The requirements for the service will be analysed in conjunction with the ICT Manager to identify areas of weakness and develop a plan for improvement.

7.5

There will be financial implications on the service to establish the necessary level of resilience within the Service Continuity Framework. At this stage it is not possible to accurately assess the likely costs as the full analysis of the impact assessments has not been completed. As this analysis work is completed and the strategies developed to address the areas of weakness, further reports will be presented to SMT for consideration.

8

Equality Impact Assessment

8.1

An Initial Screening has been carried out which has identified some issues that need to be resolved as the detailed action plans continue to be developed under the framework.

8.2

The proposals within this report are considered compatible with the provisions of the European Convention on Human Rights, the Human Rights Act 1998, and the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000.

9

Consultation

9.1

The Service Continuity Framework will be presented to the representative bodies for consultation at the JTU Meeting in August. Further consultation with representative bodies will be required as event specific continuity plans are developed in the future.

10

Conclusion

10.1

The Civil Contingencies Act 2004 requires all Category 1 Responders to maintain plans to ensure that they can continue to exercise their functions in the event of an emergency, as far as reasonably practicable.

10.2

The implementation of this Service Continuity Framework demonstrates the services compliance with the duties under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 and will enhance our organisational resilience. It will ensure we successfully embed the principles of risk management and service continuity into day-to-day management practices and ensure that in the event of an event/crisis occurring that disrupts one or more business/service delivery processes, the organisation can:

· Minimise the initial impact of the incident

· Recover its key processes, as much as possible as soon as possible, or compensate for their temporary or permanent loss

· Return to its normal pre-incident state as soon as possible.

Background Information (Section 100D of Local Government Act 1972)

The following documents disclose the facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and has been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of the report:

Civil Contingencies Act 2004

http://www.ukresilience.info/ccact/#content

Civil Contingencies Act Guidance - Chapter 6 http://www.ukresilience.info/publications/060710_revised_pandemic.pdf

Note: The list excludes: (1) published works; and (2) documents that disclose exempt or confidential information defined in the Act.