Quote of the week

Life isn't about finding yourself, it is about creating yourself'

George Bernard Shaw
If you cannot mould yourself entirely as you would wish, how can you expect other people to be entirely to your liking?
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/wish.html

Friday, June 7, 2013

Parish Councils and emergency planning





I have been having an interesting and enjoyable time visiting each of the Parish Councils in the Cosford Division.  Every meeting is in some ways like all the others, but at the same time each council has a different atmosphere and approach.  Size does not seem to be the main criteria.   The smallest councils can sometimes be very business-like, the largest very relaxed, and this seems right since different organisations have to find their own approach to getting things done.

Different parishes are of course focussing on different issues. I was very impressed when I went to my first parish council meeting at Monks Eleigh by the first class emergency plan that the council had prepared.  I was not surprised therefore to learn that the village was among ten in the Babergh area that have received recognition for its efforts in this area.

At a special event in Lavenham last week the council received a prize from M.P. Tim Yeo which comprised a starter kit with all the necessary tools for an emergency.  Tim gave a speech about the 2008 Cabinet Office’s community resilience programme, which introduced community emergency plans.

The thing that struck me when looking at the Monks Eleigh document was that creating a register of all the people in the community with the skills to help in an emergency is a  useful exercise in a broader sense.   Sharing this knowledge could well make a difference, not just in a major crisis, but in other situations where help is urgently required.

I would urge other Parishes to think about creating a localised emergency plan.  It goes without saying that it will be invaluable in the event of a full scale emergency..  It is also an excellent way of gathering vital information about residents’ skills, supporting community resilience generally, and is another way to for residents to get involved with local life.

Any parish that is interested in putting together a local emergency plan should contact
Emergencyplanning@midsuffolk.gov.uk or call Sue Herne on 01449 724851


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