Our preparations

Over the last 12 months, the council has actively engaged with all the relevant partners through the Kent Resilience Forum at a strategic and tactical level, in preparation for the UK leaving the EU on the 31 October 2019.

Every council service area has carried out a business continuity impact assessment and the council will be testing its overarching business continuity plans with specific reference to Brexit. This is to ensure that possible impact on service delivery as a result of leaving the EU is identified and that actions are in place to mitigate the impact on the community as far as possible. We have assigned a Brexit lead who is overseeing the range of activities taking place.

We have also been liaising with both the Department of Transport and the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government to ensure that any potential impact on our community is recognised by the Government.

The council is signposting local residents and businesses to the advice and guidance on how to prepare and will ensure that regular information is shared through its communication channels – see Keeping you informed

Responses to requests for information on our preparations:

We hold a number of documents relating to the potential impact of the EU exit on Thanet District Council which, given the fluidity of the situation, are subject to frequent change.

Information recorded by us for the purposes of planning for the EU exit is exempt from disclosure at this stage, under Section 36 (2)(b)(i)(ii) and 36 (2)(c) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. This is because disclosure would be likely to inhibit the free and frank provision of advice and exchange of views for the purposes of deliberation and prejudice the effective conduct of public affairs.