Appendix 1 - Incident Planning-Standby Arrangements

Perth and Kinross Council · 22 November 2023
Back to Scrutiny and Performance Committee — 22 November 2023 and its agenda

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Appendix 1
INCIDENT PLANNING/STANDBY ARRANGEMENTS
INTRODUCTION
The Council has well established processes in place which have proven effective over
many years in relation to civil contingencies, emergency planning and business
continuity. This includes a concurrent risk approach to consider that more than one
incident may occur at the same time. This covers incidents such as severe weather,
power outage, civil unrest and cyber attack. 
The operational concurrent risk approach outlines the following assumptions as the
basis for continued planning and preparation:  
1. weather pressures, such as flooding, severe snow and additional burdens on
the health, social care and education systems may be heightened due to
seasonal flu and other illnesses. There are, of course, other hazards and
threats evident as per national and regional risk registers such as a total loss
of utilities and the ever-present threat of cyber-crime. In reality, there is a risk
that any event can happen at any time of the year. 
2. the Council (and the Local Resilience Partnership) have well-rehearsed plans,
procedures and structures in place, which are adaptable to a range of
scenarios. Our collaboration in preparation for, and our sustained response to,
a range of previous incidents, provides a level of competence and confidence
in our ability to respond and recover. 
3. as we become a leaner organisation, this creates challenges in sustaining our
resilience. We must therefore have regard to the impact on our workforce
alongside the prioritisation of agreeing what is essential for service delivery. 
4. timeous and targeted communication forms an essential part of the Council
response
In the event of a major civil emergency during working hours requiring the assistance
of Perth & Kinross Council services, initial contact is with the Service Manager,
Parking, Public Transport and Civil Contingencies (or nominee), and the Executive
Director (Communities) (or nominee). 
Outwith normal working hours, the Council has an emergency duty rota in place
which operates 365 days a year, 7 days per week and 24 hours per day. A pager
service is out with working hours by a team of 5 Emergency Response Duty Officers
(ERDOs). The ERDOs will stand-up Council assets as required in the context of the
emergency. In addition to this, Parking & Civil Contingencies have a duty manager
and two Parking Attendants on standby should an immediate response be required
on the ground during “out of hours”. The team also has the ability to place up to an
additional 24 staff on standby when required.

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WEATHER RELATED APPROACH
In addition, to the Emergency Duty arrangements, the Roads Maintenance
Partnership Out of Hours Stand By arrangements are in place, which provide the
basis on which extreme weather events are managed. These include:
• Yellow Warning from the Met Office
The only action taken by the Council on the issue of a Yellow weather warning is to
close the flood barriers on the South Inch and to maintain a watching brief, as
agreed by the Environment and Infrastructure Committee.
• Amber Warning from the Met Office
On the issuing of an Amber flood warning an Incident Management Team (IMT) may
be held to discuss the forecast weather event and ensure that the necessary
resources are in place to respond if required. This can be undertaken virtually with
key service areas. This includes requesting additional “out of hours” call handling
resources from Aberdeen City Council’s Customer Contact Centre. It is important to
note that there is no prescribed circumstances when an IMT would be called,
therefore this is a risk based approach by the nominated Gold Commander.
PERTH FLOOD SCHEME
The Perth Flood Scheme is managed and operated on behalf of the Council by the
Roads Maintenance Partnership (RMP) and has been since its inception in 2001.
The operational manual was developed utilising data provided by the scheme’s
design consultants relative to the level of protection the scheme gives. The scheme
is designed to protect Perth City from flooding from the River Tay and consists of 77
operational flood barriers (gates) that require varying levels of intervention to put in
place. It is also important to note that 10 barriers are permanently closed, and a
further 10 closed during the winter months (1 October – 31 March).
With the exception of the closure of the gates on the South Inch, the Flood Gate
closure triggers do not include Yellow or Amber warnings issued by the Met Office.
The triggers are based around tide levels and water flow data, which SEPA have
provided to the Council, and this data is applied to a “gate closure” table (referred to
as Table 15). The Flood Protection Scheme also includes 12 operational (or gate
closure) plans, and the appropriate one is initiated based upon the data provided by
SEPA based on a template.

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SEPA play an important role in the Perth Flood Protection Scheme. The Operating
Manual states that:
In response to the special requirements of Perth, SEPA have agreed to provide the
following warning services to PKC: 
1.  An advance warning whenever conditions in the upper catchment of
the Tay indicate that exceptional river flow may result.
2. An advance warning if Met. Office tidal surge forecasts indicate that a
tide higher than 2.9Mod at Newport is expected.
3. A flood warning when the combined flow of the Tay and the Tummel at
Ballinluig exceeds 550m3/sec, indicating flow at Ballathie,
immediately upstream of Perth, of more than 800 m3/sec.
4. Notification of amber and red flood warnings for the River Almond
5. Periodic updates of the fluvial and tidal situation flowing either 2 or 3,
in particular informing PKC when the fluvial or tidal thresholds shown
on Table 15 are likely to be exceeded.
6. An “all clear” report when the flood risk has passed.
A full gate closure from a standing start can take around 5 hours, in poor weather
conditions from the time which crews leave the depot. Four crews of three operatives
are required, plus a specialist hi-ab operator and a supervisor for each crew, which
totals a minimum of 17 people to deliver the closure in this timescale. A hi-ab
operator is required, as some of the larger gates with in excess of 500lbs and the
gates at Queens Bridge are modular and require lifting in. These four crews   are
dispatched to key locations across the scheme, in line with the relevant gate closure
plan. However, each of the 12 gate closure plan requires a different level of
resource.
STANDBY ARRANGEMENTS
During working hours, the Council and Tayside Contracts, via its Road Maintenance
Partnership (RMP) and Parking & Civil Contingencies Team have significant
resources in place to manage severe weather events. In addition, further support
can, if necessary, be provided by other teams such as the Customer Contact Centre,
Community Safety Officers and Housing colleagues. 
During non-working hours, stand-by arrangements are in place, which during the
summer months involve 6 operatives from the Roads Maintenance Partnership (2 at
Blairgowrie Depot, 2 at Aberfeldy depot, and 2 at Ruthvenfield Depot) plus/or
including a Gully Motor operator. This is increased significantly in the winter period to
up approximately 30 operatives. The winter period is outlined in the policy report
approved by the Environment, Infrastructure and Economic Development Committee
each year. This arrangement is in place because, during the winter period, the stand-
by arrangements are designed to cover surface treatment during periods of cold
weather.

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The majority of Council services do not have stand by arrangements in place,
although as outlined above, the Council operates a rota of Out of Hours emergency
duty officers, which is discussed in more detail below. In addition, the Council has
Out of Hours customer contact arrangements with Aberdeen City Council. This
service covers emergency housing repairs and general enquiries. 
HOUSING OUT OF HOURS 
The Housing Repairs Service repairs and services the Council’s housing stock and
provides an out of hours emergency repairs service. The following out of hours
service is provided to tenants:
• After 5pm and during the weekend and public holidays, all housing
repair calls are handled by Aberdeen City Council, supported by a
Repairs Inspector on stand-by.
• All repairs are directly scheduled by Aberdeen with the relevant Trade.
• With any complex issue or concern, the Standby Repairs Inspector is
contacted. 
• Volume and nature of calls with Aberdeen are closely monitored by the
Repairs Inspector and thresholds are in place for the Repairs Call
Centre to take back all housing repairs calls from Aberdeen.  
• A Duty Manager is also available to support the Repairs Inspector.  
• A shadow rota (Repairs Advisors, Trades, Inspectors and Managers) is
activated should volume of calls and work orders reach a threshold that
current out of hours service cannot cope with or respond to effectively. 
HOUSING ADVICE AND HOMELESSNESS ASSISTANCE  
The Housing Options and Support Team provides housing advice and assistance to
those in housing need or with a housing issue.  The Team also provides an out of
hours service to those tenants and residents requiring emergency accommodation
due to homelessness or through adverse weather or a significant incident.  The
Team will: 
• Offer a range of advice and support – to keep the person / household
safe.
• Provide emergency accommodation – hotel or B&B or temporary
accommodation within the Council’s portfolio during working hours or
through its out of hours service based at Greyfriars House. The out of
hours service is supported by a Duty Manager on call 24 hours. 
• Provide support – food, clothing, travel warrants, assistance with
transport etc.
• Store belongings.
• Liaise with landlords on behalf or private tenants. 
• Liaise with other services - Welfare Rights, HSCP, voluntary sector etc.

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HOUSING LOCALITY TEAMS 
Our Locality Housing Teams work in their communities in partnership with
tenants/residents, other agencies and colleagues from across the Council to provide
high-quality joined-up services for people who need them.  When there is a weather
event or an incident that could impact on council tenants and their homes, Locality
Housing Teams will:  
• Undertake welfare checks (phone or in person) on the most vulnerable
tenants.
• Contact tenants living in properties at risk (flooding).
• Arrange for support and assistance to be provided – food parcels,
meter top ups, water, heaters, alternative accommodation etc.
• Ensure appropriate communication and updates are provided through
the social media channels, noticeboards and staff updates.  
• Liaise with other services - Welfare Rights, HSCP, voluntary sector etc. 
HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE
Care at Home services have Business Continuity Plans in place, which are actioned
as required. Lists of vulnerable people are reviewed regularly and prioritised in
relation to risk. Where appropriate, families are contacted and asked to provide
support in event of carers being unable to reach them. Depending on the level of
risk, volunteers are put on stand-by to open Emergency Rest Centres if required, for
which regular refresher sessions are held. Contact lists of volunteers are also
reviewed and updated regularly. The Social Work Out of Hours Service is also
available to support as required out with office hours.

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Weather Incident Management Team 
AGENDA 
1. Weather forecast and Situation Update 
2. Command Structure 
3. Update from Services
• Roads Maintenance Partnership
• Flooding Team
• Transport
• Operations
• Housing
• Education & Children’s Services
• Health & Social Care
• Communications
• Customer Service Centre
• Parking and Civil Contingencies
• Emergency Planning
• Live Active Leisure 
4. Agreed Actions 
5. Communications 
6. AOCB 
7. Next Meeting Date