Emergency planning is a public service which ensures that when an emergency occurs, the resources of Local Authorities can be used to support and co-ordinate the emergency services, the utilities, the voluntary agencies and other organisations to mitigate the effects on the public and the environment. 

It is the process by which public agencies ensure that they can help the local community to recover from extraordinary events, sometimes called major incidents, when they occur.

In Autumn 2004 The Civil Contingencies Act received Royal Assent. Each Category One responder has a statutory duty for Emergency Planning. Category Two responders have a duty to share information and cooperate with Category One responders in fulfilment of their own duty.

The chief requirement of the Act in regard to Emergency Planning is to maintain plans to ensure that if an emergency occurs or is likely to occur, each category one responder body can deliver its functions for the purpose of preventing the emergency, reducing, controlling or mitigating its effects, or taking other action in connection with it.