When disruption happens, faith and community organisations can offer trusted relationships, local knowledge, practical support, and safe places. Resilience planning needs to make it clear how these contributions fit into London’s wider arrangements.
LBFN highlighted this as an important theme at the Partnerships Risk and Capability Workshop on 7 October 2026. Partners considered draft proposals for reviewing London’s resilience capabilities — the plans and arrangements that help organisations prepare for, respond to and recover from emergencies.
For faith and community organisations, one question brings the discussion into focus: Where do we fit, and what do we need to do?
Keeping plans responsive to changing risks
The workshop explored how review schedules could respond to changing risks, new guidance and lessons from exercises and incidents. Partners saw value in this flexibility, while stressing the need for a dependable programme that prevents some capabilities from being repeatedly postponed.
For communities, this matters because plans must remain relevant to the conditions people face. Partners highlighted climate change when discussing how frequently severe weather and natural hazards arrangements should be reviewed.
Clear reasons for prioritising work, and a way to raise concerns when reviews are deferred, would help partners understand and contribute to those decisions.
Making guidance easier to use
Partners also considered whether related guidance could sit beneath broader “umbrella” frameworks. A possible utilities disruption pilot would bring together material on power, fuel, water and telecommunications.
The potential benefit is practical: organisations may find it easier to understand how disruptions connect and locate the guidance they need. However, partners questioned whether restructuring would improve usability or simply move existing content.
For LBFN, the test should be whether someone supporting their community can find, understand and act on the information. Distinct risks still need clear guidance, and established resources should remain usable.
Giving partners clear, manageable roles
A recurring request was for a plain explanation of what is required, from whom and when. Partners asked for clearer responsibilities, realistic workloads and better links between planning, training and exercising.
This is particularly relevant to organisations working with limited staff and volunteer time. Clear expectations can help them identify useful contributions and explain where they need additional support.
The discussion also recognised that assessing risk differs from understanding how prepared the whole partnership is to address it. That wider picture requires evidence and contributions from multiple organisations.
Turning discussion into practical participation
The proposals remain under development. Further work was identified on review schedules, annual work plans, responsibilities and possible umbrella frameworks.
LBFN’s message is that this development should build in community participation. Faith and community partners need opportunities to help shape arrangements, ask questions and understand their role.
Making resilience planning work for communities means connecting London’s wider plans with the people, relationships and resources that can put them into practice.
