Strategic Co-ordinating Groups
From SR
Contents |
Roles
Based on police force areas Strategic Co-ordinating Groups (SCGs) bring together all the agencies and organisations that are involved in responding to an emergency and are chaired either by the police Chief Constable or local authority Chief Executive.
The purpose of the Strategic Co-ordinating Group (SCG) is to determine and promulgate policies for the execution of the response, and to ensure their coherence and integration with any subsequent recovery phase. It defines the desired outcomes of the consequence management operations, sets the strategic aims, integrates actions, drives forward planning and monitors progress.
Reporting Hierarchy
The SCG does not have the collective hierarchical authority to issue executive orders. Each organisation represented retains its own responsibilities, and has varying degrees of control over its entities operating at the lower levels. The Group therefore has to rely on a process of co-ordination through consensus rather than command in order to secure consistency between the overall strategic intent and the actions taken by the diverse agencies at the tactical and operational levels.
Structure
The SCG is normally made up of a nominated senior member from each of the key organisations involved with the response. Each person must be empowered to make executive decisions in respect of their organisation’s resources without the need to refer back; and to have the authority to seek the aid of others in support of their role.
In the event of a wide-area emergency the situation may overwhelm the local response the Group will need to work in conjunction with neighbouring SCGs.
Scotland
There are eight Strategic Co-ordinating Groups in Scotland that plan and prepare for dealing with a wide variety of emergencies:
- Strathclyde
- Lothian & Borders
- Tayside
- Grampian
- Central
- Fife
- Highlands & Islands
- Dumfries & Galloway
