Regional Resilience Forum

Summary

Major emergencies may affect more than just Suffolk, in particular those related to weather or flooding. In order to provide co-ordination on a regional basis there is a Regional Resilience Forum (RRF).

The RRF exists to develop a cohesive regional programme facilitating preparedness, response and recovery from major ecological and economic disasters.

To achieve this it has developed the following objectives:-

• Develop partnership arrangements between all agencies;
• Consider joint programmes for study, evaluation and action;
• Share facilitation of effort & cost of agreed programmes;
and
• Promote networking between all agencies within the Region & between Regions.

The RRF is responsive and proactive in facilitating Central Government Policy considerations. Its membership comprises director-level representatives of central & local government agencies, the emergency services and utility/transport companies for the counties of Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk and Suffolk.

The Chairman of the RRF is the Regional Director from the Government Offices for the East of England (GO-East) and the Vice-Chairman is a Chief Executive from one of the County Councils, thus reflecting a partnership approach between Central and Local Government. The secretariat is provided by the Chair of the RRF Support Group.

Regional Resilience Forum Support Group

Whilst the RRF only meets at the most senior level on an annual or biannual basis, it is supported by regular meetings of the Regional Resilience Forum Support Group (RRFSG). These meetings are attended by representatives from the various organisations that comprise the RRF. The work of the Forum is also achieved through the establishment of working groups, and the running of various workshops and exercises.