Civil Defence Act 2023

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Civil defence plans

8. (1) Subject to subsections (7) and (9), as soon as may be after the coming into operation of this section each local authority shall, in accordance with this section, prepare and submit to the Minister for approval a plan (in this section referred to as a “civil defence plan”).

(2) A local authority shall, in the preparation of a civil defence plan, have regard to the need to ensure the most beneficial, effective and efficient use of resources in the implementation of the key objectives and strategies specified in the plan.

(3) A civil defence plan shall—

(a) specify the key objectives and related strategies (including strategies relating to the use of resources) of the local authority with regard to—

(i) its functions under this Act having regard to any direction of the Minister given under this Act,

(ii) the admission to its civil defence unit of civil defence volunteers,

(iii) the training of civil defence volunteers, and

(iv) the provision of equipment required to carry out its functions under this Act,

(b) be prepared in such form and manner as the Minister may determine, including in electronic form, and

(c) make provision in relation to any other matters that the Minister may from time to time specify.

(4) Each local authority shall review and, as appropriate, revise its civil defence plan—

(a) not later than 3 years, or such other period as may be determined by the Minister, after the submission to the Minister of that plan under subsection (1), and

(b) thereafter not later than 3 years, or such other period as may be determined by the Minister, after the completion of its most recent review of that plan under this subsection.

(5) Where a local authority reviews its civil defence plan in accordance with subsection (4), it shall, as soon as may be after the completion of the review of the plan, submit a copy of the plan to the Minister for approval whether or not it has been revised following such review.

(6) The Minister may give a direction to the local authority to make specified amendments to a civil defence plan, including any civil defence plan referred to in subsection (5).

(7) Where 2 or more local authorities have established a joint civil defence unit in accordance with section 4 (2), a single civil defence plan shall be submitted to the Minister in respect of the local authorities concerned and subsections (4), (5) and (6) shall apply to a plan under this subsection with any necessary modifications.

(8) Where a civil defence plan (including any civil defence plan referred to in subsection (5)) has been approved by the Minister, with or without amendment, as the case may be, each local authority shall, as soon as practicable, publish the approved civil defence plan on a website maintained by or on behalf of that local authority.

(9) A plan which has been submitted to the Minister in accordance with section 12 (5) of the Civil Defence Act 2012 within 3 years before the coming into operation of section 13 (a) shall be deemed to be a civil defence plan for the purposes of this section and this section shall apply to that plan as it applies to a civil defence plan subject to the modification that a reference in subsection (4) to “its most recent review of that plan under this subsection” includes a plan so deemed.