Working with agencies outside the Resilience Partnership

In light of the cross-cutting nature of recovery it is likely that the range of participants will include those that have a limited role in the RP’s activities in preparation. They may include organisations such as Scottish Enterprise, Visit Scotland/Tourist Boards, Chambers of Commerce, Scottish Natural Heritage and many community groups, voluntary organisations, faith communities and individual businesses.

Local authorities should lead recovery. They are skilled and experienced in multi-agency working and aligning the aims of disparate organisations to achieve common objectives. By building the initial recovery activities on the RP’s flexible and adaptable arrangements, the activities of organisations that are not normally involved in public policy making can be integrated and co-ordinated. This will have benefits both for the overall recovery effort and for the organisation involved by improving communications, co-ordinating joint work and obviating the duplication of effort.

RPs’ management structures allow for the effective integration of the recovery activities of external supporters and providers. Ideally they should work closely with the groups established by the RP that align with their functions and build upon existing networks and awareness of roles or, at the very least, bring together people who have a common understanding of the issues to be addressed.