Committee details

Local Outbreak Engagement Board

Purpose of committee

Bracknell Forest Outbreak Engagement Board Terms of Reference V5

 

Purpose of the board

 

To have oversight in relation to outbreak response and provide direction and leadership for community engagement and public facing communications.

 

Role of the board 

 

1.    The role of the Board is to

·      Lead engagement with the public regarding Covid-19 risks and prevention.

·      Support the Local Outbreak Plan and the accompanying communications plan.

·      Provide ongoing oversight of the Plan’s implementation.

·      Proactively lead the communications and engagement in the event of a local incident or outbreak[1].

·      Coordinate, where appropriate, with neighbouring authorities in the event of cross/near border local outbreaks.

·      Provide political ownership of the local response.

 

2.    The Board will report through BFC Gold within the emergency command structure. They will have a working relationship through Gold with the East Berkshire Health Protection Board, responsible for delivery of the Outbreak Control Plan and the local Outbreak Management Cell.

Membership  

 

3.    The core membership consists of:

 

Cllr Paul Bettison OBE (Chair)

Leader of Bracknell Forest Council

Cllr Marc Brunel-Walker (Vice-Chair)

Executive Member for Economic Development and Regeneration.  Communications lead.

Cllr Dr Gareth Barnard

Executive Member for Children and Young People

Cllr Dale Birch

Deputy Leader, BFC.  Executive Member for Adult Services, Health and Housing

Charlotte Pavitt

Consultant in Public Health, Bracknell Forest Council

Andrew Hunter

Director of Place, Planning and Regeneration/

BFC Gold recovery lead

Kellie Williams

Head of Operations, People Directorate/outbreak management cell lead

Abby Thomas

Assistant Director - CXO/community support hub lead

Alayna Razzell

Head of Communications and Marketing

Fiona Slevin-Brown 

Executive Managing Director, East Berkshire CCG

Philip Bell            

General Manager, Involve

Acting Inspector Sophie Gardner

Acting Inspector for Bracknell Neighbourhood

 

4.    In the event of a localised ward incident, attendance at the Board can be extended to include:

·           The relevant ward councillors who will have an important role in engagement and communication with their local communities.

 

·           Any identified local experts or community based persons with local knowledge.

 

·           The relevant head of service depending on the nature of the outbreak, specifically:

o    Care homes – Assistant Director, Commissioning

o    Schools – Assistant Director, Education and Learning.

 

·           Other Members can be co-opted as determined by the board.

 

·           The Chief Executive of Bracknell Forest Council and Berkshire’s Director of Public Health will have a standing invitation to attend the Board.

 

5.    The remaining Executive Members and Chief Executive of Bracknell Forest Council, MPs for the area and Berkshire’s Director of Public Health will have a standing invitation to attend the Board. 

Quorum

 

6.    Minimum of one Member and three officers.

Ways of Working

7.    All meetings will take place virtually via Teams.

Normal operation of the board

8.    The board will meet every three weeks in public. 

 

9.    A sample agenda is included at Appendix 1.

 

10.  Papers will be published 2 days in advance of any public meeting on Bracknell Forest Council’s website.  Questions can be submitted from the public 2 days in advance of the meeting and an answer will be provided, in writing if appropriate.

In the event of an outbreak:

11.  The chair, BFC officers, the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) representative, and the Executive Member for Children and Young People or Executive Member for Adult Services, Health and Housing(depending on the outbreak setting) will meet as a strategic response group daily, 7 days a week if required, to ensure full and effective liaison with the local Gold command.  The full board will meet more regularly in public as required.

 

12.  The agenda will be published 1 day in advance of any public meeting on Bracknell Forest Council’s website, with papers published when available.  Questions can be submitted from the public up to 1 hour in advance of the meeting and an answer will be provided, in writing if appropriate.

 

 

APPENDIX 1

Sample Agenda for Outbreak Engagement Board

1.    Apologies for Absence

2.    Declarations of Interest

3.    Urgent Items of Business

4.    Public Participation

5.    National and Local Covid-19 Status

6.    Communications and Engagement Update at a National and Local Level

7.    Review of Action Log

Date of Next Meeting



[1] An outbreak is one or more cases of Covid-19, an incident has a broader meaning, encompassing events or situations which warrant investigation to determine if action is needed to manage the risk. 

Membership

  • Councillor Gareth Barnard    Conservatives
  • Councillor Dale Birch    Conservatives
  • Andrew Hunter   
  • Abby Thomas   
  • Kellie Williams   
  • Alayna Razzell   
  • Sophie Gardner  (Police) 
  • Philip Bell  (Voluntary Sector) 
  • Gabby Haffner   
  • Kirstine Berry   

Contact information

Support officer: Democratic Services. 01344 352000

Postal address:
Democratic Services
Time Square
Market Street
Bracknell
RG12 1JD

Email: committee@bracknell-forest.gov.uk

 

Contact Information

Democratic services

Email: committee@bracknell-forest.gov.uk