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Emergency planning and community resilience

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TWBC responsibilities

The Civil Contingencies Act 2004 identifies local authorities as Category 1 responders. This means that Tunbridge Wells Borough Council (TWBC) has statutory responsibilities to prepare for emergencies, contribute to a coordinated response and support community recovery.

Our duties include:

  • Assessing the risk of emergencies affecting the Borough and using those assessments to inform emergency and business continuity planning.
  • Preparing, maintaining, reviewing and exercising proportionate emergency plans.
  • Warning, informing and advising the public before, during and after emergencies.
  • Cooperating with emergency services and other local responders to support coordinated and efficient planning, response and recovery.
  • Providing advice and assistance on business continuity to local businesses and voluntary organisations.
  • Sharing relevant information with other responders, where lawful and appropriate, to support coordinated risk assessment, planning, response and recovery.
  • Contributing with partner organisations to the Kent and Medway Community Risk Register and making appropriate civil-protection information available to the public.
  • Maintaining business continuity arrangements so that priority Council services can continue, be appropriately prioritised or be restored during disruption.

Together, these responsibilities help ensure that our communities remain resilient and prepared for emergencies of all types.

How we support our communities

TWBC cooperate with other responders through the Kent and Medway Resilience Forum (KMRF). The Forum brings together emergency services, local authorities, health organisations, the Environment Agency, utility and transport organisations and voluntary-sector partners to assess risks and coordinate emergency planning, training, exercising, response and recovery.

During a major incident, we can:

The Council’s role will depend on the nature and scale of the incident. The emergency services and specialist organisations remain responsible for functions falling within their respective roles.

  • Activate the Borough Emergency Centre to coordinate the Council's response.
  • Support the establishment of rest centres or other emergency welfare facilities providing temporary shelter, information and practical assistance for people who have been evacuated or displaced.
  • Arrange temporary accommodation for people unable to return home.
  • Help identify and support people who may need additional assistance, including people with care, mobility, communication, medical or accessibility needs.
  • Work with parishes, community groups and established voluntary organisations, and request or provide mutual aid where additional capacity is required.
  • Provide specialist advice on building safety and structural stability.
  • Share emergency information through our website, social media channels and local media.
  • Share relevant information with responding organisations where lawful and appropriate and publish verified safety instructions, service changes and recovery advice through official channels.
  • Coordinate or support multi-agency work to assess community impacts, restore Council services, provide appropriate housing and environmental health advice, communicate with affected communities and support longer-term social, economic and environmental recovery.

We regularly train and exercise our emergency arrangements with partner organisations. We review lessons from exercises, incidents and relevant inquiries and use them to improve our plans, procedures and capabilities.

Priority services register

Gas, electricity and water companies can offer free support services to customers who may need additional assistance during service disruptions, such as power cuts, gas outages or interruptions to water supplies.

You may qualify if you:

  • Use essential medical equipment.
  • Store medication that requires refrigeration.
  • Have a long-term illness, or disability.
  • Care for someone living with dementia.
  • May need additional assistance because of age or circumstances.
  • Have children under five living in your household.
  • Need short-term support due to illness, bereavement, or recovery from medical treatment.

To register, contact your service providers directly:

Community resilience

The Kent and Medway Resilience Forum is a partnership of organisations working together to help communities prepare for, respond to and recover from emergencies. To find out how you, your business or voluntary organisation and your community can prepare, visit Kent Prepared.

Email the TWBC emergency planning and resilience team emergencyplanning@tunbridgewells.gov.uk for any enquiries.

Some documents on this page may not be in an accessible format. If you require any documents in an accessible format, please complete our online form to request them.

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