Leven Parish Council
1. Policy Statement
Leven Parish Council is committed to ensuring the continuity of its essential services in the event of an emergency or disruption. This policy outlines the framework for maintaining operations and minimising the impact of incidents on the community.
2. Purpose and Scope
This policy provides a structured approach to business continuity planning for Leven Parish Council. It applies to all services, staff, councillors, contractors, and volunteers involved in the delivery of council functions.
3. Objectives
- Identify critical functions and services.
- Minimise disruption to services during emergencies.
- Ensure rapid recovery and restoration of services.
- Protect the interests of residents and stakeholders.
4. Legal and Regulatory Framework
This policy aligns with the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, the Data Protection Act 2018, and other relevant UK legislation governing local authorities. It supports the Council’s statutory duties and responsibilities.
5. Roles and Responsibilities
- **Clerk/RFO**: Lead officer for business continuity planning and implementation.
- **Councillors**: Provide strategic oversight and support.
- **Contractors**: Ensure continuity of contracted services.
- **Volunteers**: Support emergency response and recovery efforts as directed.
6. Risk Assessment and Business Impact Analysis
Regular risk assessments will identify potential threats such as natural disasters, cyber incidents, and loss of key personnel. Business impact analysis will determine the effect of disruptions on critical services.
7. Critical Activities
- Governance and decision-making
- Financial management and payroll
- Statutory duties (e.g., planning consultations)
- Communication with residents and stakeholders
8. Business Continuity Strategies
- **Loss of Staff**: Cross-training and succession planning.
- **Loss of Premises**: Remote working and alternative venues.
- **Loss of ICT**: Cloud-based backups and remote access.
- **Loss of Data**: Regular backups and secure storage.
- **Loss of Suppliers**: Pre-identified alternative suppliers.
- **Loss of Utilities**: Emergency power and communication plans.
9. Incident Response Procedures
- Activate the Business Continuity Plan.
- Assess the situation and prioritise actions.
- Communicate with stakeholders.
- Implement recovery strategies.
- Record decisions and actions taken.
10. Communication Plan
- **Internal**: Use phone, email, and messaging apps.
- **Public**: Website, social media, and noticeboards.
- **Partners**: Liaise with emergency services, local authorities, and suppliers.
11. Data Protection and Information Governance
All data handling during an incident will comply with the Data Protection Act 2018 and the Council’s Information Governance Policy. Confidentiality and data integrity will be maintained.
12. Recovery and Restoration
Following an incident, the Council will prioritise the restoration of critical services. A post-incident review will identify lessons learned and inform future planning.
13. Training, Testing, and Review
- Annual training for staff and councillors.
- Regular testing of the Business Continuity Plan.
- Review and update the policy annually or after significant incidents.
14. Version Control and Document Management
This document is controlled and reviewed annually. All updates will be recorded below.
Appendix A: Contact Cascade Sheet
This appendix outlines the structured contact cascade process to be followed in the event of a Business Continuity Plan (BCP) activation. It ensures timely communication, coordination, and mobilisation of key personnel, councillors, contractors, and external partners to maintain essential services.
Activation Lead and Escalation Order
The Contact Cascade is initiated by the Clerk/RFO. If the Clerk is unavailable, the Chair of the Council assumes responsibility. If both are unavailable, the Vice-Chair will activate the cascade. The Activation Lead is responsible for ensuring all tiers are contacted and informed.
Tier 1: Core Leadership
| Role | Name | Contact Number | |
| Clerk/RFO (Activation Lead) | Ann Woodward | 07725301557 | clerk@levenparishcouncil.gov.uk |
| Chair of the Council | Stuart Mathison | 07713877864 | cllr-s.mathison@levenparishcouncil.gov.uk |
| Vice-Chair | Julie Richardson | 07989211217 | cllr-j.richardson@levenparishcouncil.gov.uk |
Tier 2: Councillors
| Councillor | Contact Number | |
| Cllr. Lynn Burrows | 07772375469 | cllr-l.burrows@levenparishcouncil.gov.uk |
| Cllr. Anne Fearnall | 07769746933 | cllr-a.fearnall@levenparishcouncil.gov.uk |
| Cllr. Gwyn Jones | 7813082228 | cllr-g.jones@levenparishcouncil.gov.uk |
| Cllr. Graham Oldroyd | 7711802939 | cllr-g.oldroyd@levenparishcouncil.gov.uk |
| Cllr. Ian Lamping | 7908715047 | cllr-I.lamping@levenparishcouncil.gov.uk |
| Cllr. Danni Robins | 7812536852 | cllr-d.robins@levenparishcouncil.gov.uk |
| Cllr. Kerry Roydhouse | 7957995073 | cllr-k.roydhouse@levenparishcouncil.gov.uk |
Tier 3: Key Contractors & Service Providers
| Service | Organisation / Contact | Phone | |
| IT Support | GetExtra | 01482844776 | danielle@getextra.co.uk |
| Website Hosting | GetExtra | 01482844776 | danielle@getextra.co.uk |
| Grounds Maintenance | Phil Peel | 07502539533 | Phill4000@hotmail.co.uk |
| Village Hall / Alternative Venue | Leven Sports Hall Recreation Hall | 07760454259 07534242952 | |
| Locum Clerk Service |
Tier 4: External Partners
| Organisation | Contact | Phone | |
| East Riding of Yorkshire Council | Parish open door J. Sugden Electoral services | 393939 393939 | parishopendoor@eastriding.gov.uk electoralservices@eastriding.gov.uk |
| Emergency Services (non-emergency) | Humberside Police | 101 | lee.legrove@humbersidepolice.gov.uk |
| Utility Providers (Power/Water) | Npower Yorkshire Water Environment Agency | 105 03451242424 | 08006783105 03459881188 |
Communication Log Template
| Time | Person Contacted | By Whom | Method | Outcome / Notes |
Instructions for All Recipients
Upon receiving a contact cascade notification, all recipients must:
– Confirm receipt of the message.
– Follow instructions provided by the Activation Lead.
– Avoid sharing information publicly unless authorised.
– Be prepared to support communication, welfare checks, or operational tasks as required.
Appendix B: Risk Register
This appendix provides a structured risk register identifying threats that could disrupt council operations, along with their likelihood, impact, and mitigation measures.
Risk Rating Key:
– Likelihood: Low (1), Medium (2), High (3)
– Impact: Low (1), Medium (2), High (3)
– Risk Score: Likelihood × Impact
| Risk | Description | Likelihood | Impact | Risk Score | Mitigation | Owner |
| Loss of Clerk | Illness, resignation, incapacity | 2 | 3 | 6 | Cross-cover, locum clerk, prioritisation | Clerk/Chair |
| ICT Failure | Hardware failure, cyberattack | 2 | 3 | 6 | Cloud backups, antivirus, IT support | Clerk |
| Data Loss | Corruption, deletion, breach | 2 | 3 | 6 | Backups, GDPR compliance, secure storage | Clerk |
| Supplier Failure | Contractor insolvency or withdrawal | 2 | 2 | 4 | Alternative suppliers identified | Clerk |
| Utility Outage | Power or water disruption | 2 | 2 | 4 | Remote working, mobile devices | Clerk |
| Website Failure | Hosting outage or cyber incident | 2 | 2 | 4 | Backup admin access, IT support | Clerk |
| Major Incident in Village | Flooding, severe weather | 1 | 3 | 3 | Liaison with ERYC & emergency services | Chair/Clerk |
Appendix C: Alternative Premises & Resource Inventory
To identify backup locations and essential resources required to maintain operations if the primary working environment becomes unavailable.
Alternative Premises
| Location | Address | Facilities | Access Arrangements | Notes |
| Recreation Hall | East Street Leven | Meeting space | Keyholder access | Primary alternative |
| Library | East Street Leven | Public Wi‑Fi, | During opening hours | Secondary option |
| Councillor Home (designated) | 6 Linley Close Leven | Laptop, Wi‑Fi | As agreed | Emergency only |
Essential Equipment & Resources
| Resource | Location | Backup Available | Notes |
| Clerk’s Laptop | Clerk’s home office | Into hosted cloud | Cloud‑synced |
| Mobile Phone | Clerk | Yes | For emergency comms |
| Printer/Scanner | Clerk | No | Use councillors if needed |
| Cloud Storage | OneDrive/SharePoint | Yes | Accessible remotely |
| Website CMS | Online | Yes | Admin login required |
Access Credentials:
(Not stored in this document for security reasons.) Kept securely by the Clerk in accordance with the ICT/Business Continuity Policy. Copy held by chair and vice chair
Appendix D: ICT & Data Recovery Procedures
To outline the steps required to restore ICT systems and data following a disruption.
ICT Recovery Steps
1. Assess the nature of the ICT failure.
2. Attempt restart or basic troubleshooting.
3. If unresolved, contact IT support provider GetExtra .
4. Access cloud‑based files from alternative device if needed.
5. Document the incident in the ICT incident log.
Data Recovery Steps
1. Identify missing or corrupted data.
2. Retrieve latest cloud backup (OneDrive/SharePoint).
3. Restore files to working device.
4. Check data integrity.
5. Report any suspected breach to the Clerk immediately.
6. Clerk assesses whether ICO notification is required.
Cyber Incident Response
– Disconnect affected device from the internet.
– Do not attempt to open suspicious files.
– Notify IT support GetExtra and the Clerk immediately.
– Follow the Data Breach Procedure (GDPR).
– Log all actions taken.
Testing
Data recovery procedures must be tested annually.