Discussion Forum: Elstead Parish Council Resilience Plan Update

1: Elstead Parish Council Resilience Plan Update
Posted by Elstead Independent News on 10/01/25 14:29
 
PARISH COUNCIL MEETING DEC 9TH 2024
 
I went to the meeting and asked three questions:
1. What progress is being made on the sub-committee review of the Parish Council Resilience Plan?
The Resilience Plan is still under review. Its content is constrained by the need to follow Waverley BC guidelines and legal requirements. Waverley and Surrey CC are giving conflicting advice on suitable content.
The Parish Clerk attended a Surrey CC meeting recently and sent me this email:
Re EER - I attended a meeting recently where we had a presentation about resilience plans from Surrey CC. I am waiting for the person responsible to give me a meeting date at which we can discuss Elstead and I have suggested that there should be wider plan to encompass the western villages for when larger problems arise such as a wildfire on the common for example. What they are proposing is at odds with what WBC had advised us should be in an emergency plan hence why I would like feedback and a meeting with the person responsible.
2. Would the Parish Council consider issuing a resilience handbook similar to the one circulated nationally in Sweden?
The Parish Council does not have the authority to issue a handbook independently.
3. Emergency actions and communications.
These were also discussed and in general the Parish Council will not activate the Resilience Plan unless an emergency is declared by Waverley BC and the Police would be in charge of communications. I pointed out that during the Hankley Common fire in 2022 Police communications with residents were non-existent and there was no involvement by Waverley. The Parish Clerk told me that there have been discussions with the Police and the Fire Service and communications should be better in future.
 
My notes for the future:
After the Hankley fire Waverley held a post-mortem meeting in Elstead to discuss the problems. Some Elstead residents suggested setting up local communication systems using Whatsapp groups. As a result one group was set up for residents of Woolfords Lane and the far end of Thursley Road and another group was proposed for Hookley Lane. This is something that we can do for ourselves to reduce risk to ourselves and our property in a crisis. Neighbourhood watchfulness, communications and actions are needed as we cannot always rely on local authorities to act promptly and effectively in an emergency.
I believe that we should take seriously the warnings that we have received from our Intelligence and Defence Services and other prominent speakers about risks to us in the current war situation, including the threats from Russia of direct action against Brittain in retaliation for us supplying Ukraine with long range missiles.
 
The Emergency Procedures section of this website contains information about past crises in Elstead,  recommended actions in an emergency and links to other sources of information.
 
Surrey Prepared is a very comprehensive and practical Guide to Emergency Preparedness,with sections for Homes, Communities and Businesses.