Community Risk Register

Under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, the Suffolk Resilience Forum is required to ensure that events or situations which threaten serious damage to the people of Suffolk, or our environment, are identified, and where possible, controlled or mitigated against.

Map of Suffolk's key risks

The Suffolk Community Risk Register is produced to assist in this process, download a copy (pdf, 100KB) or see below.

A National Risk Register provides an updated government assessment of the likelihood and potential impact of a range of different civil emergency risks (including naturally and accidentally occurring hazards and malicious threats) that may directly affect the UK over the next 5 years. It also signposts advice and guidance on what members of the public can do to prepare for these events.

What is the Suffolk Community Risk Register?

It is a document that shows which risks have been identified to affect Suffolk including the assessment of each risks impact and likelihood. The risks are presented in a matrix that allocates a risk rating according to government guidelines, it is a living document as the Suffolk Resilience Forum members review and update the risks in accordance with the National Risk Assessments (document is not publicly available) produced biennially by the government.

The production of this document fulfills a legal obligation under the Civil Contingencies Act, 2004.

Further information on risk and risk assessment can be found in Emergency Preparedness Chapter 4, Local Responder Risk Assessment Duty (external web site).

What is the Community Risk Register for?

The purpose of the Register is to:

Ensure that local responders have an accurate understanding of the risks they face and to provide a sound foundation for planning;
Provide a rational basis for prioritising objectives, work programmes and allocation of resources;
Enable local responders to assess the adequacy of their plans and identify any gaps;
Facilitate joined up planning, based on consistent planning assumptions;
Provide an accessible overview of emergency planning for the public and officials;
Inform and reflect on national and regional risk assessments that support emergency planning and capability development at those levels

Suffolk Community Risk Register – Risk Matrix (last amended 05-10-2018)

Key to the overall Risk Rating

Risk Rating	Definition
Very High Risk	Primary risks requiring immediate attention due to potential consequences. Risk reduction or mitigation strategies should be developed. Hazard specific multi-agency contingency plans required, exercise and training for hazards in place. Risk monitored regularly.
High Risk	Sufficiently serious to warrant appropriate consideration after Very High Risks. Consider developing risk reduction or mitigation strategies. Generic multi-agency contingency plans required, exercise and training for hazards in place. Risk monitored regularly.
Medium Risk	Less significant but may cause upset or inconvenience in the short term. Consider being managed under generic emergency planning arrangements. Risk monitored
Low Risk	Managed using normal or generic emergency planning arrangements. Minimal monitoring and control unless risk assessment changes to move to a higher rating.

The risk rating is devised from the impact of an incident resulting from one of the hazards and the likelihood of an incident occurring. Further information on the impact and likelihood scores is given after the table of risks below.

Multiagency plans have been developed for these risks as they are classed as some of the highest risks facing the East Coast on the National Risk Register. The Risk Assessment process conducted in Suffolk did not place these risks at the same level that they are accorded nationally but they remain credible risks.

Risks pertinent to Suffolk but where no local risk assessment is required:

The following risks are detailed in the Local Risk Assessment Guidance. Whilst some of these are pertinent to Suffolk there is no local mitigation or planning that can be undertaken by the Suffolk Resilience Forum and therefore local risk assessments have not been completed. The risk matrix above contains the risks that are most pertinent to Suffolk using the National assessments. Should hazards of this nature occur response will be implemented under national or generic arrangements (see SRF Generic Response and Recovery plan)

Hazard	Why we have discounted this Risk in Suffolk	Nationally assessed risk	Response plans to be used
H9 – HAZMAT - Toxic chemical release	Unlikely to be a large toxic chemical release in Suffolk. Covered by a localised risk assessment for small toxic release	HIGH	Suffolk Resilience Forum Generic Emergency Response Plan Suffolk Resilience Forum Recovery Plan
H11 – HAZMAT – Radiation exposure from stolen goods	Risk to Suffolk the same as national risk	LOW	Suffolk Resilience Forum Generic Emergency Response Plan Suffolk Resilience Forum Recovery Plan
H13 – HAZMAT – Radiation release from foreign nuclear	Risk to Suffolk the same as national risk	LOW	Suffolk Resilience Forum Generic Emergency Response Plan Suffolk Resilience Forum Recovery Plan
H14 – HAZMAT – Food supply contamination	Risk to Suffolk the same as national risk	HIGH	Suffolk Resilience Forum Generic Emergency Response Plan Suffolk Resilience Forum Recovery Plan
H15 – HAZMAT – Maritime Pollution	Risk to Suffolk the same as national risk	LOW	Suffolk Resilience Forum Generic Emergency Response Plan Suffolk Resilience Forum Marine Pollution Response plan Suffolk Resilience Forum Recovery Plan
H32 – SYSTEM FAILURE – Fuel supply (insolvency)	Risk to Suffolk the same as national risk	MEDUIM	Suffolk Resilience Forum Generic Emergency Response Plan Suffolk Resilience Forum Fuel plan Suffolk Resilience Forum Recovery Plan
H35 – INDUSTRIAL ACTION – Public mass transportation	Risk to Suffolk the same as national risk for rail, Suffolk commuters would also be effected by any London underground staff strike	MEDIUM	Suffolk Resilience Forum Generic Emergency Response Plan Suffolk Resilience Forum Recovery Plan
H37 – HUMANITARIAN – Influx of British nationals	Risk to Suffolk the same as national risk	LOW	Suffolk Resilience Forum Generic Emergency Response Plan Suffolk Resilience Forum Recovery Plan
H39 – INFRASTRUCTURE / SYSTEM FAILURE – Water supply infrastructure	Risk to Suffolk the same as national risk	LOW	Suffolk Resilience Forum Generic Emergency Response Plan Suffolk Resilience Forum Recovery Plan Agencies’ own Business Continuity plans
H40 - INFRASTRUCTURE / SYSTEM FAILURE - Telecommunications	Risk to Suffolk the same as national risk	LOW	Suffolk Resilience Forum Generic Emergency Response Plan Suffolk Resilience Forum Recovery Plan Agencies’ own Business Continuity plans
H41 - INFRASTRUCTURE / SYSTEM FAILURE – National Electricity Transmission	National risk assessment as will be a national problem but we recognise there will be local implications there is limited planning that can be undertaken on a local basis	VERY HIGH	Suffolk Resilience Forum Generic Emergency Response Plan Suffolk Resilience Forum Recovery Plan Agencies’ own Business Continuity plans
H45 - INFRASTRUCTURE / SYSTEM FAILURE - Regional Electricity Transmission	National risk assessment as will be a national problem but we recognise there will be local implications there is limited planning that can be undertaken on a local basis	MEDIUM	Suffolk Resilience Forum Generic Emergency Response Plan Suffolk Resilience Forum Recovery Plan Agencies’ own Business Continuity plans
H54 – NATURAL HAZARD - Volcanic eruption	National risk assessment as will be a national problem and Suffolk has no major commercial airports, locally could affect MOD Search and Rescue capability and police and air ambulance helicopter operations.	MEDIUM	Suffolk Resilience Forum Generic Emergency Response Plan Suffolk Resilience Forum Recovery Plan Agencies’ own Business Continuity plans
H56 - NATURAL HAZARD - Space Weather	We recognise the impact from space weather activity may affect residents of Suffolk however there is limited planning that can be undertaken on a local basis	HIGH	Suffolk Resilience Forum Generic Emergency Response Plan Suffolk Resilience Forum Recovery Plan Agencies’ own Business Continuity plans
H57 – HUMANITARIAN – Public order	Risk to Suffolk same as the national risk	MEDIUM	Suffolk Police plans Suffolk Resilience Forum Generic Emergency Response Plan Suffolk Resilience Forum Recovery Plan
H59 - INFRASTRUCTURE / SYSTEM FAILURE – Finance / banking	National risk assessment as risk will be the same for UK.	MEDIUM	Dealt with nationally.
H62 – NATURAL HAZARD – Poor air quality	Risk to Suffolk same as the national risk	HIGH	Suffolk Resilience Forum Generic Emergency Response Plan Suffolk Resilience Forum Recovery Plan