After the horse has bolted : A quantitative assessment of the count of civil protection officers in London local authorities between 2006 and 2024

This paper examines trends in the employment of emergency planning officers (EPOs) within London’s local governments over 18 years. The main aim is to assess how workforce levels in local authority resilience and civil protection roles have been influenced by policy and significant regional, national and international incidents and events. The paper analyses employment data, correlating EPO numbers with major legislative, economic and societal events to investigate perceived and actual workforce trends. Key findings reveal fluctuations in EPO employment, including a significant decline from 2009 to 2017 due to austerity, which was later offset by sharp increases following regional emergencies and new resilience policies. The 2023–24 period saw the highest EPO employment in London for the research period, although disparities in staffing levels between boroughs persist, potentially affecting regional resilience capabilities. Conclusions emphasise the critical yet reactionary nature of resilience staffing, with increases often prompted by recent crises rather than proactive planning. This pattern underscores vulnerabilities in organisational learning and continuity in civil protection functions. The study highlights the need for consistent investment in resilience personnel to address an increasingly complex risk environment. Further implications suggest that local resilience planning could benefit from standardised strategies and continued evaluation of EPO capacity to better support London’s ability to respond to future emergencies. This article is also included in The Business & Management Collection which can be accessed at https://hstalks.com/business/.