BCM Self assessment tool for Local Authorities: Audit Commission
Category Business Continuity Management BCM - Public Sector BCM Audit Tool - BCM Planning
Local Authority emergency planning and business continuity - self assessment tool from the Audit Commission
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This self assessment is an optional tool for local authorities. It aims to provide a framework against which authorities can review current performance and identify areas for improvement in the light of the Civil Contingencies Bill. The Bill raises the profile and importance of planning for emergencies. It creates a statutory framework for local authorities and their emergency service partners, building on existing joint strategic arrangements and adding some new duties. This makes it an appropriate time for authorities to assess their current performance.
Many authorities already review their own work on a regular basis. This assessment draws on work done by existing services around the country.
Issues and questions to consider, not a prescriptive list
The issues and questions raised are not prescriptive, and may not all apply or be equally important to every area.
Detailed guidance and regulations to support the bill have not yet been published, and the future balance between guidance and requirements is not known. The assessment will be updated if necessary in the autumn to reflect that and to clarify any specific new requirements.
Who this is for
The assessment is designed primarily for local authority staff responsible for and involved in emergency planning and business continuity. It could be used by internal auditors as a basis for reviewing local preparedness. It could also be used by any groups of staff who look at risk and service continuity issues across an authority.
Coverage
The assessment does not cover every aspect of emergency or business continuity planning. It highlights issues in the bill and/or identified from current practice and research by practitioners, inspectors and auditors. Some of the issues and questions raised will be new for many authorities as they relate to new duties, for example the promotion of business continuity locally and to the new regional arrangements and emphasis on national capabilities.
How it is arranged
The assessment looks first at corporate issues including awareness, responsibilities and commitment. This section can also be used independently to give a broad overview for an authority.
The next seven sections follows the main duties outlined in the Bill. There is a short introduction to each section that highlights some of the background and relevant issues. Users may decide to use individual sections separately. Some issues are linked to more than one area and so are repeated.
Joint arrangements and regional issues
There are some specific 'client/provider authority' issues that only apply to authorities in areas of joint arrangements. These are normally placed at the end of each section.
The Bill has introduced new regional arrangements. These are already developing in different ways in different areas. Some areas where authorities may need to take account of regional arrangements are highlighted. However, there may not yet be specific arrangements in every region and so these questions and issues will not always apply.
How to use the assessment
The assessment is in the form of a checklist. Each question can be answered with yes, no or partly. You can leave out a question that you feel is not applicable to your authority, by not selecting any answer. Some questions will only apply in certain regions or to certain types of authorities, in particular either 'client' or 'provider' authorities in areas of joint arrangements.
There is no numerical scoring system but some issues are highlighted as being particularly critical. These are always raised first under any individual heading. At the end of each section a summary report can be produced highlighting self assessed strengths and weaknesses for that section only. At the end of the whole checklist a similar report can be produced for the whole area.
You should be able to support a positive answer with evidence. Examples of evidence that could support a positive response are available by clicking the 'examples' button. Sometimes these also explain the issue/question in more detail. These examples are not comprehensive or prescriptive; pending statutory guidance and regulations it is for authorities to decide on the most locally appropriate way to address issues.
A Word version of the assessment in table form (new window) can be downloaded.
An authority assessment, not an Emergency Planning Unit assessment
The Bill applies to local authorities as a whole. There may be questions in the assessment that an emergency planning section alone cannot answer. Where there is a cross authority group covering risk and emergency issues it may be appropriate for that group to consider certain questions.
Explanation of terms
There is no standard set of terms or definitions used by all emergency planners or all authorities in this field. A glossary to explain words and phrases used in this tool is available by clicking on highlighted words or phrases.
Keeping this tool up to date
When final regulations and guidance are published this assessment will be amended accordingly, with references added pointing users to the relevant documents.
Feedback
Comments on the tool are welcomed and will be used in the review. Please send them to
webmaster@audit-commission.gov.uk
END
*** Back to Spring Newsletter page***
For more details on our PUBLIC SECTOR events, workshops and industry development work, as well as the general activities of the Continuity Forum please contact us directly on +44 208 993 1599 or mail us HERE!
Please do contact Sara Mckenna or Russell Price .
Creating Continuity ... Building Resilience ...
If you would like to know more about how your organisation can get involved and benefit from working with the Continuity Forum, please email us HERE! or call on + 44 (0) 208 993 1599.
___________________________
