In 2004 the Government introduced a new piece
of legislation, the Civil Contingencies Act, to improve the
country's resilience. The objective of the Act is to enhance
our ability to respond effectively to emergencies. It
covers the way organisations, such as police and local authorities,
plan and prepare for these events (for more information on the
Civil Contingencies Act follow this link). One of the
duties contained in this legislation requires emergency response
organisations to communicate and work together on all aspects of
emergency planning.
The City of London Police and the City of
London Corporationalready have a close working relationship in many
areas including emergency planning. However, both
organisations recognise that there will always remain the
possibility of improvement and consequently have decided to
establish the City of London Contingency Planning Team.
The City of London Contingency Planning Team
(COLCPT) is jointly staffed by both organisations and has the
following objectives:
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To raise the awareness in the Square Mile
community of all aspects of contingency planning
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To ensure the compatibility and consistency
of both organisations response to an emergency
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To promote business continuity in the Square
Mile and to assist City businesses in the development of their
business continuity plans and arrangements
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To develop joint training and exercising
programmes to enhance the emergency response capability of both
organisations
The Square Mile is not a self sufficient
island, unaffected by what goes on around it. Much of the
emergency planning activity which affects the Square Mile is
carried out on a London wide basis. The COLCPT will ensure
that the Square Mile is adequately represented as part of these
pan-London planning activities.
The Civil Contingencies Act represented a
significant change in emergency planning within the UK. Both
the City of London and the City of London Police are well
positioned to respond to the challenges inherent in the
introduction of new legal duties. The formation of the City
of London Contingency Planning Team will enhance the ability of
both organisations to perform their new legal duties. It will
also assist with the development of the Square Mile's ability to
respond effectively to an emergency.
If you would like to know more about the City
of London Contingency Planning Team please
email us.