Resilience Team

What we do

The Resilience Team is responsible for maintaining the Council's plans to respond to major incidents and emergencies.  The team also advises businesses and the voluntary sector on business continuity management.

The Resilience Team ensures the Council can meet its statutory duties and responsibilities as a Category One Responder, as set out by the Civil Contingencies Act 2004. The duties within this Act include an obligation assess local risks, develop emergency plans, warn and inform the public, as well as share information and cooperate with other emergency responders (such as the Police, Ambulance Service and NHS).

Legal basis for using your data

We are under a legal obligation to process data, specifically working within the Civil Contingencies Act 2004.

Our lawful basis for processing special category data is as a “substantial public interest”, specifically the Data Protection Act (2018) Schedule 1, Part 2, Paragraph 6D, 6E, and 9G, 9J.

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(d) Vital interests: the processing is necessary to protect someone’s life.
(e) Public task: the processing is necessary for you to perform a task in the public interest or for your official functions, and the task or function has a clear basis in law. 

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(g) Reasons of substantial public interest (with a basis in law)
(h) Health or social care (with a basis in law)

These legal bases are underpinned by acts of legislation and guidance that dictate what actions can and should be taken by local authorities. This includes, but may not be limited to:

• Civil Contingencies Act (2004)
• Emergency Preparedness (2012) Cabinet Office guidance of the Civil Contingencies Act
• Health and Safety at Work Act (1974) 
• Housing Act 2006
• Control of Major Accident Hazards (COMAH) Regulations (2015)

What information we collect

We may collate the following aspects of information, as well as other details as required: 

• name
• date of birth
• gender and pronouns
• address
• contact details
• languages spoken
• housing status/tenure type
• pets
• allergies
• dietary requirements

Special category data:

• details of disability/impairment/vulnerability
• information about your care and support needs
• religion or philosophical beliefs

How is it used?

We may use personal information to:

• provide coordinated, humanitarian help to you if you have been affected by an emergency
• plan for, respond to and recovery from emergencies and business disruptions
• ensure that appropriate staff and partners can be contacted to support the single agency and multi-agency response to an emergency or business disruption
• enable the London Borough of Lewisham to meet its legislative duties under the Civil Contingencies Act (2004)

How long is the personal data retained by the Council?

Personal data will only be retained for as long as it is needed for the purpose specified above, for as long as the duration of the emergency requires it, or as required by applicable law or regulatory requirements. Councils are required to retain copies of information collated in an emergency for the purpose of inquiry, should the proceedings arise. 

How we get the personal information and why we have it

Most of the personal information we process is provided to us directly by you so that we can provide you with support following an emergency that you have been affected by. 

As part of our statutory duties, we may also receive information about vulnerable citizens who need support from other agencies involved in the response to this incident, including the London Ambulance Service, Metropolitan Police service, London Fire Brigade or utility companies.

Agencies we might share the information with

The Civil Contingencies Act places a duty on Category 1 and 2 responders to share information upon request. To help us provide emergency response services appropriate to your needs both during an incident and throughout the longer-term recovery period, we may share information with others such as:

• Poilce
• Fire Services 
• Ambulance Service 
• National Health Service
• UK Health Security Agency 
• other local authorities
• utility companies
• Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government other Central Government Departments
• the Coroner’s Office
• voluntary organisations

Why we process your information

We process your information for:

• service delivery, planning and improvement 
• understanding your needs to provide humanitarian support to you following an emergency