P18- Business Continuity Policy

BUSINESS CONTINUITY POLICY

 Adopted by Council on 23^rd September 2019

 Introduction

 The Council is a major business in the Town, and as part of its Quality Management System, must ensure that it can recover quickly from a disaster which affects its ability to deliver services and continue to function as far as is reasonably practicable in the meantime.

The Council’s Business Plan is to be produced annually and includes an assessment of business risks and actions to lower identified risks.  This Plan has been developed to compliment the overall risk arrangements, help maintain critical services during and after any major disruption and promote recovery.

The Council is the most accessible tier of local government and community leader, and as such would have a key role in helping the Town deal with and recover from a major emergency.  The Town Council have also adopted an Emergency Plan to set out its role in civil emergencies.

 Organisation

 Council have overall responsibility for both disaster recovery, but have delegated all powers in cases of urgency to the Town Council Manager in consultation with two of:  The Mayor, Deputy Mayor, Chairman of Finance & Policy Committee, Chairman of Community Services Committee subject to reporting to the next council meeting. There is a financial limit of £20,000 without reference to Council.

Finance & Purposes Committee is responsible for the overall management and control of the Council’s finances.

As part of the Chamber Assure Integrated Management System, there will be an operating procedures on both Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery.

 Business Continuity Plan

 Responsibility for maintaining services is primarily the responsibility of the relevant section manager, with overall responsibility lying with the Town Council Manager.

The Business Continuity Plan identifies the critical service areas and details actions to be taken to continue or recover delivery of the services within identified timescales,

Priority 1. (0-24hours), Priority 2. (3 days) and Priority 3. (>14 days).

 Each member of staff will have a list of contract details of members, other staff and key consultants. On discovering or being advised of a disaster which might affect business continuity or a major civil emergency, the member of staff will contact the Town Council Manager or most senior officer available.

The most senior officer will then:-

• Ensure all members of staff are contacted, advised of the situation and either put on standby or advised of the action required.
• Convene any necessary meetings of staff and or Members
• Consider staff welfare issues and take necessary action
• Deploy staff in non-critical service areas as required.
• Advise statutory authorities (e.g. emergency services, HSE etc) and insurance company as necessary.
• Advise 4 named councillors and other committee chairmen
• Advise other members by cascade system/e-mail.
• Keep staff informed.
• Invoke process of determining loss or damage, and minimising it.

 Disaster Recovery-Specific losses

1. Early tasks of the Town Council Manager, after damage has been assessed, will be:

• Determine any short-term training needs for re-deployment
• Instruct Consultant to assess any additional health and safety risks and actions to be taken.
• Keep a log of actions taken by all staff.
• Issue any immediate press statements deemed necessary in consultation with the Mayor.

Total or partial loss of the Office Building through fire or other disaster would extinguish the hub of the organisation as well as losing a key facility for the Town.

1. Notify insurance and any statutory authorities (e.g. HSE) Priority 1
2. See 3. below for IT recovery Priority 1
3. Establish Virtual office with staff working from home Priority 1
4. Establish temporary office and telephone and advise public & stakeholders(most likely Pavilion) Priority 2
5. Salvage any physical records/files and make list of actions with priorities Priority 2
6. Advise clients that facility is unavailable Priority 2
7. Advise Bank & ensure key banking services are protected. Priority 1
8. Request support from principal council & other partners Priority 1
9. Re-establish Council Meetings Priority 2
10. Re-establish committee meetings Priority 3
11. Prioritise service recovery actions Priority 2
12. Assess financial loss, income etc for insurance claim Priority 3
13. Issue press release Priority 1
14. Re-establish internal key financial procedures Priority 2, other financial procedures Priority 3
15. Assess any contractual obligations Priority 2
16. Can alternative venues be found for hirers? Priority 3

Total or partial loss of Pavilion through fire or other disaster would be loss of a key facility.

1. Notify insurance and any statutory authorities (e.g. HSE) Priority 1
2. See 3. below for IT recovery Priority 1
3. Salvage any contents/equipment and make list of actions with priorities Priority 2
4. Advise clients that facility is unavailable Priority 2
5. Request support from principal council & other partners Priority 1
6. Assess financial loss, income etc for insurance claim Priority 3
7. Issue press release Priority 1
8. Assess any contractual obligations Priority 2
9. Can alternative venues be fund for hirers? Look to Memorial Hall .Priority 3

Loss of IT System either as part of Memorial Hall damage, system crash or theft.

1. Notify insurance, police etc Priority 1
2. Contact support contractors to get systems operational & provide alternative hardware Priority 2
3. Re-locate back up tapes/ access cloud Priority 1
4. Take copy from Consultants’ computers (LCS, Ellis Whittam etc) and memory sticks Priority 3
5. If theft, consider potential security issues such as bank details & confidential information Priority 1
6. If necessary get latest Omega information from RBS accountant Priority 3
7. Advise clients and stakeholders of loss of service/information Priority 3.

Damage to Parks or other Amenity Areas

1. Secure park/amenity area or part of and advise Allotment Association if relevant Priority 1
2. Advise statutory authorities Priority 1
3. Assess damage, and advise insurance Priority
4. Carry out directly or by contractor remedial work to make area safe and majority of area operational. Priority 2
5. Prepare recovery programme Priority 3

 

Loss of Workshop or Town Keeper Service

1. Advise Public Priority 3
2. Not a statutory service and Priority 3 service to reinstate unless civil emergency, then Priority 1
3. Re-allocate essential work such as opening/closing, safety checks etc to other staff member, contractor or temporary staff. Priority
4. Assess what needs to be done to re-establish service e.g. vehicles, personnel Priority 1
5. Advise principal authority Priority 3
6. Seek alternative operational base Priority 2
7. Prepare recovery programme Priority 3

 Loss of other facility e.g. Street Lighting, Bus Shelters, monument.

1. Advise Public Priority 3
2. Secure area and make safe. Priority 1.
3. If not a statutory service secure quotes for replacement/repair Priority 3. Street lighting, then Priority
4. Notify Insurer. Priority 1
5. Assess what needs to be done to re-establish service Priority 2
6. Advise principal authority Priority 2
7. Prepare recovery programme Priority 3

Loss of key personnel

1. Assess implications to services. Priority 1
2. Consider succession planning, either permanent or temporary. Priority 1
3. Contact other agencies who can provide personnel if a priority. Priority 2
4. Use consultancy Priority 3
5. Look at permanent alternatives if necessary Priority 3 

Loss of Investment Money

1. Quantify loss & understand cause Priority 1
2. Take any immediate action to minimise loss. Priority 1
3. Assess implications on services for remainder of year. Priority 2
4. Review investment Policy Priority 3
5. Establish likely protection from Government, principal council, bank or insurer Priority 2/3
6. Take action to adjust costs & make provision for any necessary loan/ change of priorities Priority 3

Major Civil Emergency

See Emergency Plan

Next revision August 2021