Meeting Agenda:
Emergency Planning
| Meeting Date: | Thursday 21 May 2026 |
|---|---|
| Time: | 14:00 |
| Councillors | Jon Aldridge Vice-Chairman, Angela Baker, Sarah Compton, Michael Gemmell Smith, Carey Jacques, Margot McArthur Chair, Stuart McGregor, Jeff Streets. |
| Committee: | Emergency Planning |
| Venue: | Rickards Hall. 72a High Street Edenbridge, TN8 5AR Kent |
| Notes: | |
| Summary: |
Agenda
Minutes
The disclosure must include the nature of the interest. If an interest becomes apparent to a member during the course of a meeting that has not been disclosed under this item, the member must immediately disclose it.
Members are reminded to the Code of Conduct, and Appendix B - Registering interests and non-participation.
Co-option provides non-councillor committee members with the opportunity to speak at meetings (though not to vote on decisions). The current co-opted Members are Paul Byrne; John Martin; Robert McKillop, Robert Peters; Richard Rooth; and Colin Thurston.
Do Members confirm the current co-opted Members?
Do Members want to consider a recruitment of volunteers or co-opted Members?
Budget for 2026/27 is £546.90 to include licences, equipment and training. Total expenditure to date is £0.00.
The budget for 2025/26 was £445.00, with a total expenditure of £142.50.
Do Members have any questions?
Members are advised that the Council’s Emergency Plan has undergone a comprehensive review by Cllrs McArthur and Aldridge, the Open Spaces Officer, the Community Warden, and Robert McKillop.
As part of the review process, all sections of the document were checked to ensure the information remains accurate, relevant, and fit for purpose. Out of date information, including contact details and references, has been updated where necessary, while obsolete or unnecessary content has been removed in order to improve the clarity and usability of the document.
In addition, the Emergency Management Team Action Card and Telephone Tree appendices have been removed from the plan as they were considered outdated and no longer operationally required in their current format.
The review has helped ensure that the Emergency Plan remains concise, current, and more practical for use in the event of an emergency or incident response.
Do Members have any questions?
| Confidential Annex Omitted from Papers. |
In reviewing the current Edenbridge Emergency Plan, changes to the communications arrangements were considered.
As Silver Command at Sevenoaks District Council no longer has any amateur radio licensed operators, this method of communication with Sevenoaks is no longer considered necessary and could therefore be removed from the plan.
Current radio licence holders have been contacted regarding the expiry of the licences and the return of any associated radio equipment.
The Business Radio Licences are due for renewal on 30 November 2026 and will remain valid until that date.
Do Members confirm to agree that the radio licences should be allowed to lapse and not be renewed upon expiry?
Members to note that a resident of Church Street has been in contact regarding the increasing erosion of the northern bank of the River Eden behind their property. Within the Town Council’s Emergency Planning documents, the property is not identified as having riparian responsibilities, despite a number of neighbouring properties being listed as having such responsibilities. The matter has been raised with the Environment Agency, who will be looking into this further and an update will be provided at the next meeting.
The last Emergency Planning equipment check was carried out in September 2024 and is now overdue.
Would any Committee members like to volunteer to carry this out, alongside the Community Warden, and familiarise themselves with the equipment?
The Facilities Manager recently arranged for the Honda generator to undergo a routine service and inspection. During the service, it became apparent that the generator had developed a fault as a result of prolonged periods of inactivity and lack of regular operational use.
The servicing engineer advised that repairs were necessary to restore the generator to full working order and ensure it remains reliable for future operational and emergency requirements. The total cost of the required repairs amounted to £250.
Do Members approve to proceed with the repairs to the Honda Generator and the expenditure of £250?
The Town Council website includes a dedicated Emergency Planning page, providing residents with information and guidance to help them prepare for and respond to emergencies. The page includes advice on responding to different emergency situations, flood advice and information, useful emergency contact details, and practical guidance on how individuals and households can be better prepared for emergencies and unexpected events.
| Emergency Planning |