By Vivienne Russell | 6 December 2012
Auditors have found a lack of clarity over who is responsible for co-ordinating responses to civil emergencies in Wales.
The Wales Audit Office report, Civil emergencies, also highlighted poor staff training and deployment and ‘overly complex’ local emergency plans by frontline organisations, which include councils, fire and rescue authorities, police and the NHS. It said these Category One responders should also do more to advise the public on how they can protect themselves and their communities in the event of an emergency.Powers over civil emergencies are not devolved and the Welsh Government is not responsible for managing the majority of responders or overseeing implementation of the 2004 Civil Contingencies Act. The WAO said it was not always clear what role the Welsh Government should play and organisations and the public did not know where to look for guidance.
Auditor general Huw Vaughan Thomas said: ‘There needs to be more clarity of roles between the UK and Welsh Governments for overseeing civil emergency arrangements. Category One responders also need to have a more proactive approach to performance, efficiency and using resources so the public is reassured they will continue to be protected given the scale of the challenges to public service which lie ahead.’
But he praised responders for their ‘effective management’ of major incidents, singling out the response to the recent flooding in Wales.
The WAO made eight recommendations. They included better joint working between the Welsh Government and the Cabinet Office and for responders to regularly review their emergency plans to check that they are fit for purpose.
