Background:
KCC is legally required to have Emergency Plans in place to respond to identified threats under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004. The Kent Resilience Forum Risk Register identifies coastal, fluvial and surface water flooding as a key risk in the County, and it is for this reason that KCC is required to have an emergency plan in place to support the planning for and response to such incidents. The decision required is to approve the latest updates to KCC’s Flood Response Emergency Plan. Once the Cabinet Member for Community and Regulatory Services has approved these updates, the Plan will be published to KCC.gov, uploaded to Resilience Direct and shared with relevant KCC colleagues and resilience partners (including Districts and Parish Councils).
Decision type: Key
Decision status: Recommendations Approved
Notice of proposed decision first published: 12/11/2019
Decision due: Not before 11th Dec 2019 by Cabinet Member for Community and Regulatory Services
Reason: In order that the proposed decision can be publsihed for a minimujm of 28 days in accordance with statutory requirement
Lead member: Cabinet Member for Community and Regulatory Services
Lead director: Katie Stewart
Department: Growth, Environment & Transport
Contact: Tony Harwood, Resilience and Emergency Planning Manager 03000 413 386 Email: tony.harwood@kent.gov.uk Tel: 01622 221951.
Consultees
No public consultation has taken place, nor is it planned. However, the draft plan has been shared with partners both within KCC and beyond. It was tabled at the KRF Severe Weather Group on 4 July and the Cross-Directorate Resilience Forum and Kent Flood Risk Management Committee, on 22 July 2019. Consultation was undertaken across key resilience partners with significant contribution from Environment Agency, Kent Fire and Rescue Service and Kent Resilience Team.
Cabinet Committee consultation planned or undertaken:
The proposed KCC Flood Response Emergency Plan was considered and endorsed at the Environment and Transport Cabinet Committee on 29th November.
Financial implications: The key cost is officer time in terms of both plan drafting, upkeep and associated training and exercising. These costs have been assimilated into the Resilience and Emergency Planning Service core budget. Therefore, no additional cost accrues from the existence of this plan and through improving the effectiveness of any response and recovery to flooding in the County, the document should reduce costs to KCC and local communities.
Legal implications: KCC must comply with the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 and in doing so, be guided by the Resilience Risk Register which identifies coastal, fluvial and surface water flooding as key risks to Kent.
Equalities implications: Equalities implications: An EqIA has been completed for the updated KCC Flood Response Emergency Plan. Data Protection implications: Not applicable.