ECC Adaptation Action Plan
Contents
Title Page
i
1. Introduction............................................................................................. 3
2. Summary of Essex ................................................................................. 3
3. ECC Adaptation Action Plan................................................................... 4
3.1 Action Plan Assessment ................................................................... 4
4. Monitoring and review of actions ............................................................ 4
5. Conclusion.............................................................................................. 5
6. References ............................................................................................. 5
7. Appendix 1:
Headline Priority climate risks and actions for ECC..............6
2
ECC Adaptation Action Plan
1. Introduction In recent years, our climate and weather patterns have changed significantly,
becoming much less predictable.1
With the scale of change in our weather systems it is now paramount to focus
our efforts on adapting our behaviour and planning for the possibility of severe
weather events and the likely impact on the health and quality of life of our
people and potential damage to our economy and natural environment. 2
By planning and preparing for severe weather we hope to build resilience in to
our organisation services, reducing the potential damage and cost as a result
of the unpredictability of our climate.
This action plan highlights the types of severe climatic events we could face in
the future and the impact these could have on services. It provides each type
of event a risk score (based on impact x likelihood)3 and sets out measures
that Essex County Council can take both now and over the next ten years to
adapt and build resilience to these types of event. Most adaptation measures
will not require major investment but will be about changing our systems and
behaviours to ones more appropriate for a changing climate.
2. Summary of Essex
Essex is one of the largest counties in the UK, covering approximately
337,000 hectares and recorded a population of 1.712 million 4 in 2008. The
county is subject to significant development pressures and agriculture covers
more than half of the counties low-lying land. Essex has important transport
links, extensive networks of roads and inland waterways and 350 miles of
coastline, with ecological important areas and numerous coastal
communities.5 The low-lying land and geographical location on the Thames
Estuary makes Essex vulnerable to various natural hazards, such as flooding
and drought. 6 7
In general, Essex can expect warmer, wetter winters, hotter, drier summers
and a rise in sea levels by 2080. Weather is likely to become more variable
and extreme events could be more frequent, increasing the risk to Essex from
events such as droughts, extreme cold conditions and floods.8. These
projections for Essex are based on the 2009 scenarios produced by the UK
Climate Impacts Programme, funded by Defra.
In 2010, a Local Climate Impact Profile (LCLIP) study highlighted the number
of weather related incidents occurring in Essex. More than 160 severe
weather related incidents affected Local Authority services, business and
communities between January 2004 to December 2009. These incidents
consisted of road and rail disruptions and damages, the disruption and
demand on public sector services, damage to buildings from falling trees and
flooding, power cuts, risk to the environment and health concerns in
vulnerable people.9
The Essex LCLIP and comprehensive risk based assessment enables Essex
County Council (ECC) to assess the impacts of recent and projected weather
events on its services, and communities.1011 This encourages informed
adaptation decisions and has led to the development of ECC’s adaptation
action plan.
3
ECC Adaptation Action Plan
3. ECC Adaptation Action Plan
3.1 Action Plan Assessment
Each directorate12 identified a number of actions addressing climate related
risks, which either:
• contributed to building their capacity to adapt by gathering and sharing
information, developing appropriate policies, plans and strategies and/or,
• minimises and takes advantage of the consequences of climatic change
through delivering adaptation actions to build resilience.13
There are several viable adaptive measures that result in effective adaptation
and these were assessed and ranked as one of the following options:
•
Cost effective measures, delivering benefits that exceed the costs.
•
Low cost measures, low costs with potentially large benefits.
•
Cross-cutting benefit measures contribute to adaptation and also
deliver other benefits.
•
Adaptable management measures are useful for dealing with longer-
term uncertainties.
•
Managed approach, where climate risks are out weighted by non-
climate factors.14
The following timescales have also been identified for each adaptation
measure:
•
Act Now - Aim to have implementation from now to 5 years.
•
Monitor - monitor the situation and review or implement actions as
required.
•
Plan Ahead - Longer-term planning for implementation within 10+ years.
The headline actions identified within this plan are summarised below and
detailed in appendix 1:
• As the Lead Local Flood Authority for Essex on flood and water
management an action plan has been developed and is being
implemented in line with the Flood and Water Management Act (2010).
• Highways Management adhere to the winter maintenance plan when the
snow, ice and frost cause a disruption to Essex transport infrastructure.
• All directorates maintain and exercise their business continuity plans and
allow flexible working where appropriate.
• ECC will ensure alternative waste disposal options are available to
mitigate individual waste treatment or disposal site closures triggered by
high winds.
• Vulnerable clients cared for by ECC who are at risk from prolonged hot
summers and cold weather are identified, such as older people and
young children with a disability and underlying health problems.
4. Monitoring and Review of Actions
Implementation has begun on a number of actions within the action plan.
However certain actions addressing future climatic events will not be
implemented immediately and will require those associated climate related
risks to be monitored before any actions are implemented. The action plan
covers the next 10 years and will also require monitoring with the risks and
actions being reviewed annually. Annual progress reporting on the
adaptation action plan will incorporate progress reporting against all
directorate actions.
4
ECC Adaptation Action Plan
The plan will be updated on an ongoing basis to reflect growing evidence of
risks and impacts and improving understanding of the needs of each
directorate. It is important that each directorate takes responsibility for and
continually reviews their actions. This may in turn enable a revision of the
risks and actions in line with the climatic and weather changes and ensures
the actions remain relevant to ECC services.
5. Conclusion
The action plan is intended to be a ‘living document’ and adaptable, in order
for actions to be amended as our knowledge and understanding of climatic
and weather changes grows.
The priorities for continuous development on
adaptation should reflect the following:
• Continue to understand ECC risk threshold.
• Focus on actions that manage and address risks associated with current
climate variability and extremes as a starting point.
• Balance the Management of climate and non climate risks.
• Ensure climate risk management is integrated into ECC decision making,
policies and planning, especially in areas responsible for long term
assets. (Such as council buildings, built environment).
• Avoid actions that stop or limit future adaptation.
• Review the continued effectiveness of adaptation decisions in light of any
climatic and organisational changes.
• Work in partnership with key stakeholders (internally and externally).15
Adaptation is the only way to cope with the inevitable impacts from a changing
climate and severe weather events over the next few decades and without
early and strong mitigation, the cost of adaptation will rise sharply.16
Mitigation and adaptation are two critical issues ECC must address to help
ECC services, Essex’s communities and businesses manage climate change
and build resilience. Implementation of the adaptation action plan will help
tackle these issues at the local level.
6. References:
1
UKCIP website:
www.ukcip.org.uk & Met Office website:
www.metoffice.gov.uk
2 & 5 HR Wallingford, Climate Change in Essex –The Evidence base and priorities
for a county-wide action plan Part 1 – Project Report, Report no EX 5210, 2005
3 Based on JCAD Risk Management Score system
4 Office for National Statistics, Sub-national population projections, 2008
6 Essex Community Risk Register, 2008
7 & 9 Calder, A. Essex LCLIP, University of Essex & ECC, 2010
8 UKCIP, © UK Climate Projections 2009
10 UKCIP, A Local Climate Impacts Profile: How to do a LCLIP, UKCIP, Oxford,
2009
11 Essex County Council Climate Change Risk Assessment, 2010
12 In light of organisational changes and directorate restructuring the climate
risks will be reviewed and incorporated into any new directorate structure.
13 & 15 UKCIP, Identifying Adaptation Options, Defra, 2006
14 Rising to the challenge–The City of London Corporation’s Climate
Adaptation Strategy, January 2007.
16 The Stern Review of the Economics of Climate Change, 2006
5
link to page 6
ECC Adaptation Action Plan
7. Appendix 1:
Headline priority climate risks and actions for Essex County Council.
Climate
Risk to Service
Risk
Adaptation Response
Adaptation
Timescale
Lead
Monitoring/
&
Delivery
Score (1-
measures
Responsible
Review
Building Adaptive Capacity
Delivering Adaptation
Weather
2 Low, 3-5
options rank
process
Medium, 6-8
Actions
event
High, 9- 16
Very High) 1
Responsibility as a
Action plan developed and
Carry out flood risk and
Cost
Act Now
Strategic
Lead Local Flood
requires a local flood risk
management work
Effective
Development
Authority for Essex on
management strategy;
concerning surface runoff
(ESH)
flood and water
establish partnership working, and ground water.
management.
16
completion of preliminary flood
risk assessment and a record
of drainage assets.
Update Highways
Low Cost Act Now
Highways
Maintenance Strategy in line
Management
6
with current needs & statutory
(ESH)
requirements
Revise public transport routes Action plan will focus on
Adaptable
Initial report
Passenger
Annual
to develop a process for
transport service changes
Management end 2011/12, Transport
update from
emergency and /or longer
and journeys with transport
Action plan
Strategy (ESH)
2013
4
term planning to avoid key
companies; identify key
implemented
sites where problems may
areas to be affected and
mid 2013
occur
type of measures.
Risk to delivery care
Follow business continuity
Business Continuity Plans
Cross-
Act Now
Business
Yearly
provisions and support
plans, Flu plans and
reviewed, updated and
Cutting
Continuity
review.
to vulnerable people
redeployment plans as
tested regularly.
Benefits
Champion
and hard to reach
required.
/ Cost
(AHCW & SCF)
Flooding & Coastal Flooding
groups isolated by
Effective
9
floods and during
Flood watch risks monitored by Flood watch risks and
Cost
Monitor Emergency
severe weather.
Emergency Planning. Flood
alerts monitored and
Effective
Planning and
watch risks available for public cascaded
AHCW Business
from DEFRA.
Continuity
Maintain communication
Low Cost Act Now
Business
Providers
cascades with Providers.
Continuity
mapped.
12
Map of Providers locations.
Champion.
Communica
(AHCW)
tions tested.
1 The risk score is based on ECC JCAD risk score (impact x likelihood)
6
ECC Adaptation Action Plan
Climate
Risk to Service
Risk
Building Adaptive Capacity
Delivering Adaptation
Adaptation
Timescale
Lead
Monitoring/
&
Delivery
Score
Actions
measures
Responsible
Review
Weather
options rank
process
event
Risk to people and
Include risk in Business
Ensure that Business
Low Cost Act Now
Business
Yearly
properties from flooding.
Continuity Plans
Continuity Plans cover
Continuity
review.
9
Potential requirement to
information provision to all of
Champion (SCF,
temporarily relocate
School service areas.
ESH, AHCW)
council services (for
Identify building issues which
Roll out text alert system
Cost
Act Now
SCF
Respond as
example schools).
prevent opening or are likely
across Adult Health and
Effective
and when
to prolong closure.
School services to enable
required.
4
Communicate information to
front line staff and providers
Review after
Area Managers in order to
to plan their journeys. Use
event.
support schools where
teletext to provide public with
necessary.
service update and contacts.
As the Lead Local Flood
Investigate major flood
Low Cost Act Now
Strategic
Authority for Essex the
incidents across Essex and
Development
council’s reputation
ensure the correct authority is
(ESH)
maybe at risk if it is
identified.
perceived not to have
16
Develop a Local Flood Risk
Agree affordable and
Cost
Act Now
Strategic
met its responsibilities
Management Strategy for
effective actions in sites of
Effective
Development
concerning flood
Essex which will link in with
high risk
(ESH)
management. Flooding
Flooding & Coastal Flooding
the flood communication
will impact on insurance
strategy.
costs for council
Testing of emergency/
Low Cost Act Now
Risk Management
buildings and locally for
disaster recovery plans and
Consultancy
businesses and
6
business continuity plans.
Services (Finance)
residents.
Disruption to transport
Implement Winter Maintenance
Cost
Act Now
Highways
network due to icy and
9
Plan by reviewing previous
Effective
Management
snowy conditions
seasons to plan for next season,
(ESH)
leading to increased risk
secure adequate salt supplies, Provide timely and adequate Low Cost Monitor
Passenger
of collisions and road
initiate emergency salting
transport information for the
Transport Strategy
closure preventing
network to keep key areas
public.
(ESH)
6
public to travel to work
moving and raise public
or access vulnerable
awareness of winter driving
people etc. A demand
on salt provisions to
Frequent testing of Business
Update Business Continuity Cost
Act Now
Vulnerable
expand salting routes.
Continuity Plans
Plans to include key agency Effective
Children Service
Snow, Ice & Frost
9
contacts to respond where
Development
ECC services are unable to
(SCF)
within required timescales.
7
ECC Adaptation Action Plan
Climate
Risk to Service
Risk
Building Adaptive Capacity
Delivering Adaptation
Adaptation
Timescale
Lead
Monitoring/
&
Delivery
Score
Actions
measures
Responsible
Review
Weather
options
process
event
rank
Snow and flooding will
Work with contractors on
Cost
Act Now
Waste
prevent collection of
winter operation plan to review
Effective
Operations &
recycling and opening
previous seasons to plan for
Contracts team
of civic centres which
next season, secure adequate
(ESH)
will potentially lead to
salt supplies and update the
6
waste stockpiling
public on service
Ensure alternative disposal
Cross-
options are available to
Cutting
mitigate individual site
Benefits
closure
School closure due to
Update and test Business
Ensure that Business
Cost
Act Now
School
Annually
staff shortages, child
Continuity Plans.
Continuity Plans cover
Effective/
Improvements &
safety, building
information provision and
Low Cost
Early years
damage and transport
advice to all of School
(SCF)
disruption which leads
service areas.
to child care issues
Public awareness of school
Communication team to
Cost
Act Now
Respond as
and parents unable to
closures through key media
liaise with senior
Effective
and when
go into work.
sources, ensuring the
management regarding
required.
9
communication team have a
school information handling
Review after
shared awareness of issues
and media management.
event.
emerging. Liaise with
Transport teams regarding
information on the condition of
roads and access to schools.
Snow, Ice & Frost
Area Managers informed in
order to support schools.
Staff unable to make it
Met office warnings to be
Warnings actively monitored Cross-Cutting
Act Now
Adult Health &
All snow/ice
to work - risk of not
forwarded to BC Champions to within AHCW and cascaded.
Benefits
Community
warnings
enough staff to cover
decide actions. ACL Service to Each ACL teaching centre /
/ Adaptable
Wellbeing
cascaded to
front line services -
publish teaching centre
local Library branch decide
Management
BC plan
Staff health and safety
closures on websites, via
independently to close if
managers,
for those who need to
Contact Essex, and Essex
conditions are dangerous.
and
visit clients such as
radio stations.
Providers
Meals on Wheels,
9
Gritting near care homes
Cost
Monitor/Act
Adult Health &
Gritting
WRVs kitchens. Non-
and day care centres.
Effective now
Community
policy on
main roads,
Communities / Residential
Wellbeing
internet
pavements not gritted
homes to store grit. Front
but still need to be
line staff warned which roads
accessed to get to
are being gritted early to
clients.
plan their journeys
8
ECC Adaptation Action Plan
Climate
Risk to Service
Risk
Building Adaptive Capacity
Delivering Adaptation
Adaptation
Timescale
Lead
Monitoring/
&
Delivery
Score
Actions
measures
Responsible
Review
Weather
options rank
process
event
Failure to maintain cover
Maintain and test Business
Cross-
Act Now
Business
Yearly
for frontline services or
Continuity Plans. Exercise a
Cutting
Continuity
review.
unable to reach and
8 to 9
call down communication
Benefits
Champions
provide support to
systems and flexible working
(AHCW, SCF &
clients
with staff.
ESH)
Disruption to transport
Discuss and influence where
Encourage operators to
Cross-
Monitor Passenger
network causing road
possible appropriate vehicle
access Government funding Cutting
Transport
closures, congestion,
contracts with operators to
streams, work with operators Benefits
Strategy (ESH)
9
rail delays and reduced
meet changing needs and
to improve the benefits of
bus passenger
passenger expectations.
public transport as an
satisfaction.
alternative to the car.
Staff unable to access
Maintain and test Business
Low Cost Act Now
Business
Yearly
place of work due to
Continuity Plans. Implement
Continuity
review.
council building and IT
flexible working arrangement
Champions
3
damage, health and
Update and inform staff of
Corporate HR
Continually
Extreme Weather
safety causing service
issues and provisions. Review
Service
reviewed
disruption.
HR web pages and polices.
Building damage and
Testing of emergency/ disaster
Low Cost Act Now
Risk
public injuries will impact
recovery plans and business
Management
on ECC self insurance
continuity plans.
Consultancy
6
fund, costs and
Implement a long term risk
Cost
Services
availability for the council
financing strategy to mitigate
Effective
(Finance)
and businesses.
these risks.
Service delivery
Action Business Continuity
Cost
Act Now
Business
Yearly
severely affected by
Plans - call down
Effective
Continuity
review.
6
disruption to transport
communication/ flexible
Champions
network, phone line
working/ working from home.
(AHCW, ESH)
connections and power
Promote registration and
AHCW Business
Monitor
failure. Risk to Care
awareness of EDF helpline
Support
homes and clients
8
who provide 'priority services
homes with medical
for customers with special
equipment.
needs during power cuts
Storms
Windblown waste &
Ensure contractors include
Adaptable
Plan Ahead
Waste
debris will be a risk to
measures to prevent increased
Management
Operations &
the public. High winds
levels of leaching at landfill
Contracts team
will result in closure of
sites from storms.
(ESH)
6
waste facilities, which
Ensure alternative disposal
Cross-
Act Now
may lead to waste
options are available when
Cutting
stockpiling, impacting on
individual site closes.
Benefits
health
9
ECC Adaptation Action Plan
Climate
Risk to Service
Risk
Building Adaptive Capacity
Delivering Adaptation
Adaptation
Timescale
Lead
Monitoring/
&
Delivery
Score
Actions
measures
Responsible
Review
Weather
options rank
process
event
Storms
Consider the need for more
Cost
Act Now
frequent collection, Working
Effective
with District and Boroughs.
Vulnerable clients at risk
10
Identify young and families most Include in Service Action
Cost
Act Now
Vulnerable
from heat exposure
vulnerable to heat stress, with
Plans planning for hotter
Effective
Children Service
include: older people
physical and mental health
summers, such as
Development
living alone, or in a care
problems. Train social care staff increased visits during
(SCF)
home, children with
to manage and advice on heat
heatwaves.
disabilities in ECC
stress
residential centres or
9
System to identify and check Cost
Monitor AHCW
Business
Vulnerable
fostering homes, Clients
on vulnerable people living
Effective
Support
client list
with underlying health
alone. Daily contact by care
maintained
problems on
workers or volunteers to
(currently
medications or
those identified as high risk.
1,000
bedbound. Those living
Follow the 2010 heatwave
clients).
in poor ventilated
advice for health & social
buildings, homeless and
care professionals
those with physical and
outdoor jobs.
Follow government Heat
Cost
Act Now
AHCW Business
Review after
Wave Plan: leaflets sent to
Effective
Continuity
incident
clients and libraries. Meals
Champion
on Wheels place drinks into
client’s hands.
Rubbish decaying
Through education and
Cost
Act Now
Recycling
more rapidly in warmer
awareness activities and
Effective
Promotions &
weather, encouraging
campaigns, reduce the
Education team
Hotter Summers
pest species and risk
amount of waste produced
(ESH)
4
to people’s health.
per household.
Review and revise Codes of
Cost
Plan Ahead Waste Operations
Practice and enforcement to
Effective
& Contracts team
ensure proper waste storage
(ESH)
Increased demand on
1
Review and revise
Transport companies adapt
Cost
Monitor
Passenger
Initial report
public transport due to
maintenance routines for publictheir services to reflect new
Effective
Transport
end
an increase on outdoor
transport to take into account travel and leisure patterns.
Strategy (ESH)
2011/12,
activities and facilities.
rising temperatures.
Monitor impact on
Implementa-
Pass holders increase
concessionary fares costs.
tion plan
travel due to weather
Find new methods to promote Passenger Transport
Low Cost Act now
2013/14
unrelated to price could
public transport use, walking
information strategy review
increase costs.
and cycling to visit tourist
locations.
10
This booklet is issued by
Essex County Council, Spatial Planning and Regeneration.
You can contact us in the following ways:
By Post:
Spatial Planning and Regeneration
Environment Sustainability and Highways
County Hall
Chelmsford, Essex
CM1 1QH
By Telephone:
0845 603 7624
By email:
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxx.xxx.xx
Visit our website:
www.essex.gov.uk
The information contained in this document can be translated, and/or made
available in alternative formats on request.