Role statement - Councils

Councils

There are 79 councils in Victoria. The nature and extent of work by councils to deliver activities will depend on their capability, capacity and particular circumstances of an event. Councils will utilise a variety of approaches and local arrangements to best affect the delivery of these responsibilities to meet unique local needs. Most of the activities in the list below are carried out by councils in close conjunction with, or with direct support by, government departments and agencies. Local arrangements will be specified in Municipal Emergency Management Plans, developed by multi-agency Municipal Emergency Management Planning Committees. 

Mitigation

ActivityCritical task alignment / activity source
Perform risk mitigation functions under local government, fire, health, building, and planning legislation e.g. planning schemes, building permits, food safety inspections 1.4
Work with the Municipal and/or Regional Emergency Management Planning Committee to: 
  • provide community awareness, information
1.2, 2.1
  • identify and assess hazards/risks
1.2, 1.3
  • implement/coordinate specific risk treatments for identified risks
1.2, 1.4, 1.5

Participating agency for the following bushfire mitigation activities:

  • land use planning 
  • building regulations, standards and codes 
  • landscape fuel management on council owned or managed land, and legislative requirements through the Municipal Fire Prevention Officer 
Table 8: Participating agencies for mitigation

Participating agency for the following earthquake mitigation activities:

  • building standards/regulations and enforcement (post 1989, 1993, 2007 standards) 
  • critical infrastructure (engineering) vulnerability assessments and maintenance regimes (essential services, dams, buildings, transport infrastructure, mine, quarry and petroleum sites) for council owned or managed assets 
Table 8: Participating agencies for mitigation

Participating agency for the following flood mitigation activities:

  • land use planning (strategic and statutory) and building regulations 
  • flood mitigation infrastructure e.g. levees, retarding basins on council owned or managed land 
  • flood emergency planning including readiness 
  • Total Flood Warning System as per Victorian Floodplain Management Strategy 
  • dam safety management to mitigate risks from potential dam failure (for council owned or operated dams) 
Table 8: Participating agencies for mitigation

Participating agency for the hazardous materials (including industrial waste) incident mitigation activity: 

  • land use planning 
  • regulate and process facility/residential/commercial development designs 
  • co-ordinated Prevention and Response Framework for High Risk Waste Sites
Table 8: Participating agencies for mitigation

Participating agency for the heatwave mitigation activity: 

  • urban design and planning on council owned or managed land 
  • heat safety awareness for organisers for public events (SEMP Extreme Heat Sub-Plan) 
Table 8: Participating agencies for mitigation

Participating agency for the following storm mitigation activities:

  • drainage systems (drainage standards and strategy) for council owned or managed land 
  • buildings compliant to engineering standards (building standards/regulations) 
  • Maintenance activities for land, road and drainage infrastructure, such as drain and culvert clearance, roadside clearance, bridge inspections for council-owned and managed assets 
Table 8: Participating agencies for mitigation

Response (including Relief)

ActivityCritical task alignment / activity source

Responsible for municipal relief coordination, including: 

  • support to the control agency which provides relief information to assist communities to make informed decisions about their safety 
  • coordination of relief services information to communities 
  • coordination of support to communities at the municipal level 
  • establish Emergency Relief Centres to provide immediate and basic services to people affected by an emergency 

Table 12: Relief coordination

2.3, 2.5, 3.5

When safe to do so, provide support to the incident and/or regional control centres through: 
  • provision of available council-managed resources to Control Agency
3.2
  • provision of available facilities for emergency services’ staging areas
3.3
  • partial/full closure of council-managed areas to exclude the public from dangerous areas
5.1
  • partial/full local road closures and determination of alternative routes
5.3, 9.3

Relief Lead Agency (RelLA) to:

  • coordinate the housing of displaced and lost/stray companion animals, with support from AVA and RSPCA

20.2

Table 12: Relief coordination

When safe to do so, provide support to the incident and/or regional control centres, through clearance of blocked drains and local roads 9.5

Relief Support Agency (RelSA) to:

  • DEECA in providing animal welfare (other than wildlife) support services 
Table 12: Relief coordination
  • DEECA in supporting waste services operations (continuity planning and operational support) with waste companies, councils and other major government waste contract holders
  • DFFH in arranging emergency shelter and accommodation for displaced households 
  • DH and EPA to develop and provide public health advice 
2.3, 2.5, 3.5
  • Regional tier coordinator to coordinate information on relief services and support to communities 
15.1, 15.5, 15.7

Recovery

ActivityCritical task alignment / activity source

Responsible for municipal recovery tier coordination, including: 

  • oversight of all recovery environments and associated activities 
  • recovery information for community 
  • coordination of community recovery services 

2.5, 3.5, 20.5,

Tables 14-18: Recovery coordination 

Coordinate local recovery activities, and lead agency to coordinate secondary impact assessment 11.1, 11.3

Recovery Lead Agency (RecLA) to:

 

  • form, lead and support municipal recovery committees 
  • provision of recovery centres (as required) to provide access to recovery information for impacted community such as establishing recovery centres or other activities as required 
See Tables 14-18: Recovery coordination 
  • undertake the assessment, restoration, clean-up and rehabilitation of roads, bridges and tunnels, and culverts that are council owned and managed 
  • survey and make a determination regarding occupancy of damaged residential buildings (when safe to do so) 
9.5, 9.6, 9.7, 19.2, 19.3, 19.4, 19.6
  • undertake the assessment, restoration, clean-up and rehabilitation of public buildings and assets that are council owned and managed 
  • coordinate the clean-up activities for the disposal of deceased animals (domestic, native and feral) on council-owned or managed land 
  • undertake erosion control on council owned and managed land to help manage risk to public safety, natural and cultural assets and values, and infrastructure 
18.3, 18.4, 18.5
Recovery Support Agency (RecSA) toSee Tables 14-18: Recovery coordination 
  • DH and EPA to develop and provide public health advice 
  • DH to provide and promote advice on wellbeing in recovery 
13.5
  • DFFH to support securing temporary accommodation 
20.2
  • DJSIR to identify and monitor broad economic impacts, consequences and adaptation to emergencies 
17.1
  • DJSIR to implement approved funded activities, projects and programs to assist economic and business recovery and encourage the resumption of trade following an emergency 
  • DJSIR to assist businesses to navigate available information and advice following an emergency, including through industry associations and business networks 
17.2
  • DEECA to deliver recovery programs and advice to primary producers, and rural land managers and other animal businesses 
17.5
  • DEECA and PV to rehabilitate, restore and reinstate public land and tourism and visitor assets DEECA or PV is directly responsible for managing to mitigate risks 
18.3
  • DEECA for the co-ordination of waste service and asset reinstatement and return to reliable services
  • DEECA to implement approved assistance, actions and projects related to waste service and waste sector recovery
19.4
  • ERV to coordinate approved state-led or supported clean-up 
9.5
  • DTP to provide advice and information on land use planning, building, historic heritage, land surveying and spatial services to facilitate restoration of buildings, heritage listed places, and assets 
19.2

Assurance and Learning

For assurance and learning activities, refer directly to the agency for further information.

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