Emergency planning
Plymouth’s rapid reaction
The discovery of a live 70-year-old bomb in Plymouth led to the biggest evacuation in the UK since the Second World War. Tracey Lee outlines the city’s response and the lessons learned.
When prevention is the real cure
Greg Fell draws from examples across the British Isles to highlight some of the work done by directors of public health to support residents to lead longer and healthier lives.
Building a resilient local future
George Karagiannis discusses how to improve local practitioners’ capacity when it comes to disaster risk resilience and response.
Oxfordshire’s response to the flooding challenge
Stephen Chandler and Carole Mackay describe Oxfordshire CC’s response to the recent floods, working alongside the Thames Valley Local Resilience Forum.
Councils mobilise to tackle Storm Henk flooding
Nottinghamshire CC has declared a major incident as the county has been hit by near-record levels of flooding.
Enough chaos and confusion, now we need solutions
No one got everything right during the pandemic, but the early days showed a failure of central Government to understand local circumstances, social care and getting support to people on the ground, says Heather Jameson.
What a wonderful world
Creative thinking allied with strong team and partnership working underpinned Stroud's emergency planning response to a one in 1,963-year flood event, says Kathy O'Leary.
Council staff respond to Sudan evacuation
Councils have been urged to ‘apply maximum flexibility’ when UK nationals returning from Sudan present as homeless.
Meeting demand for out-of-hours services
How can cash-strapped councils ensure they provide an effective out-of-hours customer service so their vulnerable citizens’ calls are always efficiently handled? Paul Marinko reports from a round table discussion organised by The MJ and Capita.
Planning for permacrisis
Ann McGauran questions emergency planner and author of bestseller When the Dust Settles Professor Lucy Easthope about the quality of local resilience, pressures on the workforce, and what keeps her awake at night.
EXCLUSIVE: Leaked blackout plans warn people could die
People could die in an energy blackout as local government services supporting vulnerable people with urgent needs are forced to halt, leaked Government emergency plans have warned.
Now is the time to bring central and local government closer together
During what has been a historic period of national mourning, councils provided important leadership and support, says chairman of the Local Government Association Cllr James Jamieson.
The case for prevention investment
We may talk in terms of prevention, preservation or perhaps resilience, but the evidence is that placing too low a premium on the future when we are making spending decisions today will eventually come back to bite us, says Abdool Kara.
A warning about resettlement
Six months after Putin launched his attack on Ukraine, unease is growing across Whitehall and council offices about the number of refugees who could be left without a home, says Sir Bob Neill.
Councils cannot solve this crisis alone
Kersten England says central Government has the muscle to head off the misery faced by millions. The next Prime Minister must have a strategy for putting resilience on a par with our most important statutory services, she adds.
Emergency response revival
Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire’s single resilience function has been deployed repeatedly in the last few years. Tom Knibbs and Ruth Tennant set out what was learned.
Ministers savaged as Grenfell Inquiry draws to close
Lawyers representing the bereaved, survivors and residents have used their final submissions to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry to savage former ministers.
Let’s deliver a long-term local resettlement system
Schemes to support refugees must exist around a core, standardised resettlement programme that has a multi-year commitment and specific targets and a variety of housing strategies, says Yvonne Kachikoti.
Dover to ‘review involvement’ with forum after days of chaos
Dover DC is ‘reviewing its involvement’ with Kent Resilience Forum (KRF) following days of traffic chaos.
Honouring the Ukrainian spirit
The events in Ukraine have provided a timely reminder of how important our democracy is and how much we can lose. And, as Dr Jonathan Carr-West explains, councils have a vital role to play both immediately and further beyond back on home territory.