Welcome to the Joint Emergency Planning Unit

Local authorities emergency planning in Suffolk is organised in a joint unit incorporating the emergency planning personnel of Babergh District Council, Forest Heath District Council, St. Edmundsbury Borough Council, Mid-Suffolk District Council, Suffolk Coastal District Council, Suffolk County Council and Waveney District Council. ( Ipswich Borough Council is covered by its own Emergency Planning Officer.)

The District Emergency Planning Officers will maintain the special links they have within their respective districts/boroughs and continue to provide a local service.

A central team based in Suffolk County Council Headquarters will support district/borough activity and act as a county focal point for emergency preparedness and business continuity.

The navigation bar on the left lists the pages available on this site. If you have any enquiries or comments please contact us.

The Joint Emergency Planning Unit

The Suffolk Joint Emergency Planning Unit consists of:

Central Team

• Andy Osman, Head of Emergency Planning;
• Neal Evans, Principal Emergency Planning Officer;
• Chris Blackman, Senior Emergency Planning Officer;
• Ian Bushnell, Emergency Planning Officer;
• Keith Fawkner-Simpson, Emergency Planning Officer;
• Robin Buncombe, Emergency Planning Officer;
• Rick Thornton, Business Continuity Manager; and
• Lesley Pretlove, Business Continuity Officer.

This team has offices in Endeavour House on the Ground Floor of Block 3.

District Emergency Planning Officers

• Dave Bird - Forest Heath & St Edmundsbury; 01284 757035
• Mike Topliss - Suffolk Coastal & Waveney; 01394 444453, and
• Kelvin Laybourne - Babergh & Mid-Suffolk District Council 01449 724858

These members of the team are generally based at their respective District/Borough offices.

The Unit is supported by an adminstrative team situated with the central team:

• Karen Chambers, Emergency Planning Officer - Coordination; and
• Stuart Gough, Emergency Planning Resource Officer.

Suffolk's Emergency Planning Officers have access to the Suffolk Emergency Planning Extranet

(Although Ipswich Borough Council is not a member of the Joint Emergency Planning Unit, they are part of Suffolk Resilience and their Emergency Planning Officer, Bob King, is contactable on 01473 433434)

Business Plan

The aim of the JEPU is to facilitate the development, management, support and validation of integrated civil preparedness and business continuity management within Suffolk Local Authorities to enhance the resilience of communities in emergency situations.

A pdf version of the JEPU Business Plan is available to view

Emergency Operations Officers

Because the emergency planning team is small, a number of volunteers from the staff of Suffolk County Council have agreed to undergo special training to become Emergency Operations Officers, in addition to their normal work.

Their role is to assist the Emergency Planning Unit during a major incident. They recieve, display and collate information in the County Emergency Centre (CEC), deploy the Forward Control Vehicle, act as CEC Liaison Officers and support Senior Liaison Officers.

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