About us

We're now part of the York & North Yorkshire Combined Authority

Home - 002-2015: ACPO No. 2 collaboration for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear capabilities – 28 April 2015

002-2015: ACPO No. 2 collaboration for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear capabilities – 28 April 2015

Executive Summary and recommendation:

A Chemical Biological Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) incident involves the deliberate release of chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear material for terrorist purposes.

The Strategic Policing Requirement (SPR) sets out the Home Secretary’s view of the national threats that the police must address and the appropriate national policing capabilities required to counter those threats. Threats have been assessed and selected from the National Security Risk Assessment on the basis that they either affect, or may require action from multiple police force areas, resulting in a national response. Threats to public safety are identified in the SPR where it is stated that they cannot be managed by a single police force acting alone. 

On that basis police and crime commissioners and chief constables must satisfy themselves that they:

    o

  • Understand their respective roles in preparing for and tackling shared threats, risks and harm.
  • Agree, where appropriate in collaboration with other forces or partners, the contribution that is expected of them; and
  • have the capacity and capability to meet that expectation.

North Yorkshire Police (NYP) has led the review and proposed revision of CBRN and Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) services to ensure that the seven forces in the ACPO No.2 Region work effectively together to provide the appropriate capability, both in terms of the scale of the response and the quality of the services provided to the public. The approach has been a new one:

  • The first project decision was agreement of a service specification that identifies the aims, inputs and outputs of the service. Thus building anew from the base up.
  • Vesting forces’ Single Point Of Contact with particular responsibilities in lieu of pan-No.2 Region governance arrangements. This has facilitated the incremental brokering and approval of proposals in individual forces prior to formal, collective sign off at the Project Board.
A. Legal framework A single Section 22a Agreement between all seven forces in the Region is required to form the legal basis for collaborative working.A sub-functional agreement specifically for CBRN is also required to detail bespoke arrangements not specified in the overarching Section 22a Agreement.
B. Staffing and capability The overall trained responder staffing capability required by the Region to enable the delivery of the CBRN(e) Specialist Operational Response (SOR) should be divided proportionally by force budget, using the Net Revenue Expenditure (NRE) model.The number of specialists with CBRN training required by the Region will be divided between forces.
C. Command A single command cadre from multiple forces.This will cover Gold, Silver and Bronze commanders, and tactical advisers.
D. Coordination of response mobilisation A single coordinating function for regional and national mobilisation of CBRN resources provided by the existing Regional Information Coordination Centre (RICC) in Humberside.
E. Kit and Equipment: issue  Kit and Equipment: storage An agreed regional equipment list and issue policy, covering Personal Protective Equipment for CBRN responders as well as equipment.Multiple regional storage sites for CBRN PPE and equipment.
F. Training andExercising: training team Training andExercising: venues Centralisation of the coordination of training, including the introduction of an agreed regional training schedule.Multiple Regional training sites.
G. Coordination ofthe Regional CBRN provision A single coordinating function for regional CBRN provision.
H. Governance A single Regional CBRN Board is established to manage the regional CBRN response. It will report into the existing regional governance structure through the ACPO lead.
I. Coordination ofrecording of training, accreditations anddeployments A joint regional database, with all forces’ data managed by a single function.A joint database is recommended for storage of regional CBRN data, specifically the Chronicle Public Order module as this includes CBRN.
J. Standard Operating Procedures A series of Regional SOPs will be developed, based on Authorised Professional Practice (APP).The development of these regional SOPs is dependant on the release of the CBRN Explosives (e) SOR SOPs by the Home Office, and the subsequent update of APP to reflect this.
K. Resource Model Proportional by force budget, using the Net Revenue Expenditure (NRE) model.

It is recommended that, as the proposals above are agreed, implementation proceeds as described in the Outline Business Case and with the resources identified here (for both CBRN and DVI concurrently):

  • Project manager full time for 12 months (£47,584)
  • One Service Delivery Advisor at 0.7FTE (£44,968)
  • One Business Analyst at 0.4 FTE (£17,617)
  • Legal, Human Resources and Operations Directorate who have indicated that this work can be absorbed into their daily business.

Police and Crime Commissioner decision: Approved

Signature: signature
Date: 28 April 2015
Title: Police and Crime Commissioner

Part 1 – Unrestricted facts and advice to the PCC

1. Introduction and background

1.1       The Strategic Policing Requirement identifies the national requirement for “appropriate capacity to respond adequately to civil emergencies requiring a national response as set out in the National Resilience Planning Assumptions for events threatening serious damage to human welfare as defined in the Civil Contingencies Act 2004. This should include incidents causing mass fatalities on a significant scale, and chemical, biological and radiological incidents.” Similarly the National Policing Requirement specifies that police forces should be in a position to contribute to a CBRN response.

1.2       The current CBRN Model Response Framework (2006) has recently been reviewed by the Home Office, and a new and updated CBRN(e) Response Framework signed off by the Government in November 2014. This framework reinforces a multi-agency response to CBRN(e) events and underpins the proposals for No. 2 Region.

1.3       Alongside the national work the ACPO No.2 Region response to a CBRN incident has been reviewed to ensure that the seven forces work effectively together to provide the appropriate capability, both in terms of the scale of the response and the quality of the service provided to the public. To date forces have interpreted and managed their CBRN response locally and this review work has highlighted:

  • Very little consistency in service delivery across the Region
  • Differing approaches to and some over-provision of staffing, equipment and training
  • Local Standard Operating Procedures (rather than national ones) support forces’ Strategic Threat and Risk Assessments
  • No set budgets but rising costs
  • Benefits lie in service clarity, consistency and meeting national standards.

1.4       This is the first time Cleveland, Durham, Humberside, Northumbria, North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and West Yorkshire Police Forces have worked together in this way to produce a joint set of proposals. A Regional CBRN service specification, detailing the core inputs, features, outputs and outcomes of a CBRN response has been developed and agreed and used as the framework for the high level proposals.

1.5       In addition to building a service based on clear operational requirements, it also reflects the common values of the forces involved in terms of public reassurance and confidence in the police. Delivery will be based on a single joint approach, funded through costs shared according to an agreed formula.

1.6       The benefits to the public will be:

  • A service refreshed against agreed outcomes and values
  • A service that has been updated to meet revised national requirements
  • A cost effective service
  • Staff with greater levels of expertise
  • An appropriate and consistently delivered multi-agency response.

1.7       The benefits to public services will be:

  • Meets and is maintained against national requirements
  • Maximises the use of regional resources through increased interoperability, including staff, equipment and estate
  • Efficiencies achieved through the coordination and standardisation of the approach to CBRN emergencies.

2. Other options considered, if any

Forces could have decided to continue as now and manage the transition to revised national requirements individually. This would have lost the opportunity to consider, plan and implement a No. 2 Region solution as required by the Home Office. 

3. Contribution to Police and Crime Plan outcomes

The CBRN service is built upon outcomes of meeting public expectations, maintaining confidence in the police and making communities safer. Every aspect of service delivery is geared towards protecting life and providing an efficient and effective service that meets local, Regional and national requirements.

4. Implementation and Resourcing Implications

Project management resources of (for both CBRN and DVI concurrently):

  • Project manager full time for 12 months (£47,584).
  • One Service Delivery Advisor at 0.7FTE (£44,968).
  • One Business Analyst at 0.4 FTE (£17,617).
  • Legal Services – to draft and broker the Section 22a Agreement
  • Human resources – assistance to verify and establish the role requirement and pay scale for the proposed CBRN Coordinator
  • Operations Directorate – to work with HR on the Coordinator role. This will establish what capability is required to fulfil agreed tasks.

Where costs are not stated this indicates that work will be undertaken as part of routine business.

Financial savings will emerge as the revised national requirements are embedded. It is anticipated that by providing a pan-No. 2 Region response there will be a reduction in the officer training hours requirement.

5.         Consultations carried out

Name (Collar number) Department Comments
CSupt G Gudgeon (Cleveland)CSupt H McMillan (Durham)Supt D Wildbore (Humberside)CSupt S Neill and Insp D Balmer (Northumbria)Supt A McMillan and CI N Hunter  (North Yorkshire)CI I Chorlton and CI A Male (South Yorkshire)

Sgt G Fretwell (West Yorkshire)

 Single Points of Contact (SPOCs) and forces’  lead Assistant Chief Constables Assistance with development and approval of service specification and proposals
Forces’ Chief Constables and ACCs Through the SPOCs, forces’ command teams Approval of service specification and proposals
CI John BryceSgt Simon Dring Police National CBRN Centre Updates on the decision making relating to refreshed national policies and equipment. Proposal that No. 2 Region acts as early adopter of new SOR PPE requirements.
ACC John Campbell National ACPO lead Awareness and dissemination of progress of project through national group.
Gillian Donnelly North East Counter Terrorism Unit Explanation of the likely operational response to local incidents
Mike Dale and Andy Farrell (Fire and Rescue)Mike Shanahan (Ambulance) Fire and Rescue and Ambulance Services Discussions on options for storage and deployment of kit.
CSupt Richard Morgan National Police Coordination Centre Support to the provision of the Chronicle Public Order database that contains a CBRN records capability.

6. Financial implications

Chief Constables Chief Finance Officer Comments 

Funding for the specific resources requested in Section 4 of this DN are already included in the MTFP.  On the basis that Legal and HR and Operational colleagues can provide any resources required as per section 4, then there will not be any additional costs associated with this Decision Notice.

The outline business case provided suggests costs to North Yorkshire will be of the order of c£56k capital with minimal revenue impact, but I understand that it is intended to bring detailed business cases/further Decision Notices before incurring any costs associated with implementation and/or operation of the proposed solution.

7. Legal Implications

A first step will be for the drafting and sign off of a Section 22a Agreement under the Police Act 1996 as the legal basis of formal collaboration across ACPO No. 2 Region. Any s22a will need to be signed by all seven Police and Crime Commissioners and seven Chief Constables.  The proposal is for an overarching Agreement to be supplemented by sub-functional agreements of which CBRN will be one. These documents will set out the details with regard to collective aims, service levels, use of resources, legal, financial and governance arrangements.

Having read this report and having considered such information as has been provided at the time of being asked to express this view, the Acting Force Solicitor and Head of Legal Services is satisfied that this report does not ask the PCC for North Yorkshire to make a decision which would (or would be likely to) give rise to a contravention of the law. 

8. Equality Implications

Proposals are predicated upon an agreed service specification that focuses on police professionals making the best decisions by increasing the knowledge and evidence base through the pooling of information and expertise. Services will remain in accordance with national standards and any other local arrangements will be consulted upon prior to implementation. The need for the completion of a Privacy Impact Assessment has been considered and found to be unnecessary. 

9. Human Resources Implications

The proposal for the coordination of the Regional CBRN provision is expected to be vested within NYP through a coordinator post. The details of this will be confirmed during implementation.  It is noted that the proposals included in this Decision Notice are supported by an Outline Business Case which provides initial assessments and information which will be developed to raise further decision points throughout the implementation phase.  The development of Section22a is paramount to enable the determination and agreement of key aspects of the collaboration, such as the existence and continued support of the RICC in Humberside and the design, development and funding of the proposed Regional CBRN Coordinator role.  This agreement should also acknowledge the command and control arrangements as the employment model proposed is a ‘virtual hub and spoke’ design.  It is noted that the service delivery proposals suggest an equal distribution of some of the key specialist roles such as CSI and AFOs etc, this approach whilst proportionate to delivery, may have a disproportionate impact on smaller forces in terms of the resilience back in the home force to maintain business as usual.  The combined training delivery option suggests a real opportunity to create consistency and create efficiencies.   However the proposal to manage training and accreditation information in one central ‘regional’ system needs to be carefully explored as this will create a two tier system within forces in relation to the management of skills rather than a desired single point of truth.  Its is recognised that a review of PPE is ongoing nationally and this work should be supported by a broader assessment of Health and safety considerations as part of the implementation work.  

Public Access to information

The Police and Crime Commissioner wishes to be as open and transparent as possible about the decisions he/she takes or are taken in his/her name. All decisions taken by the Commissioner will be subject to the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA).

As a general principle, the Commissioner expects to be able to publish all decisions taken and all matters taken into account and all advice received when reaching the decision. Part 1 of this Notice will detail all information which the Commissioner will disclose into the public domain. The decision and information in Part 1 will be made available on the NYPCC web site within 2 working days of approval.

Only where material is properly classified as restricted under the GPMS or if that material falls within the description at 2(2) of The Elected Local Policing Bodies (Specified Information) Order 2011 will the Commissioner not disclose decisions and/or information provided to enable that decision to be made. In these instances, Part 2 of the Form will be used to detail those matters considered to be restricted.  Information in Part 2 will not be published.

Part 2

Is there a Part 2 to this Notice – YES

If Yes, what is the reason for restriction –  Restricted information relating to the national response to CBRN incidents.

Originating Officer Declaration

Author name:         Claire Craven-Griffiths                 

Collar number:      4529

 

  Name      (Collar Number) Date of completion (√)
Head of Departmenthas reviewed the request and is satisfied that it is correct and consistent with the NYPCC’s plans and priorities. Ken McIntosh 1414 20/04/2015
Legal AdviceLegal advice has been sought on this proposal and is considered not to expose the PCC to risk of legal challenge or such risk is outlined in Part 1 or Part 2 of this Notice. Jane Wintermeyer3840 16.04.15
Financial AdviceThe CC CFO has been consulted on this proposal, for which budgetary provision already exists or is to be made in accordance with Part 1 or Part 2 of this Notice. Jane Palmer 004364 15/04/15
Equalities AdviceEither there is considered to be minimal impact or the impact is outlined in Part1 or Part2 of this Notice.  Author to complete as Equalities matters are mainstreamed within departments. Claire Craven-Griffiths 4529 02.04.15
HR AdviceHR advice has been sought in relation to any people related matters  Rosmarie Holmes4647 16.04.2015

 

I confirm that all the above advice has been sought and received and I am satisfied that this is an appropriate request to be submitted for a decisionSignature                                                                                                      Date 02.04.15Claire Craven-Griffiths

 

 

Published on