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Template preview · Public service

Public service continuity

Keep an essential public service available through disruption with clear priorities.

A continuity plan for a fictional public-facing service.

Sample purpose

Keep an essential public service available through disruption with clear priorities.

Audience: Service manager, Continuity lead
Structure
4 sections
Criteria
12
Sources
8
Watches
3
Default approach
Review first
See the sample

Set the purpose first. Then change every section, criterion, and agent setting before anything runs.

Fictional sample

Structure and criteria

Sample content shows the shape of a useful document. Copying it is optional.

  1. 01

    Essential service priorities

    For this public service continuity, ranks services and minimum service levels.

    Review first

    Criteria

    • Each service has a minimum operation and recovery time.
    • Each recovery time is justified by a named harm if missed, such as a statutory permit deadline or a stalled build site.
    • Ranking uses current request volumes (for example 60 permit applications a week) dated within the last quarter.

    Sources

    Sample content

    Essential serviceMinimum operationLeadRestore by
    Urgent permit intakeAccept phone requests and issue reference numberDana4 hours
    Public outage noticeUpdate accessible status pageComms lead1 hour
  2. 02

    Alternate service procedure

    For this public service continuity, defines authorized alternate process and accountable roles.

    Review first

    Criteria

    • Each step has an owner and trained backup.
    • Names where paper intake forms are stored and the reference number format used so entries can be keyed in after recovery.
    • Each alternate channel has a test date and the number of requests it handled per hour in that test.

    Sources

    Watches

    • Follows Essential service priorities

    Sample content

    • ☐ Use approved paper form and secure daily transfer log
    • ☐ Assign one staff member to status updates
    • ☐ Escalate suspected duplicate permit before issuing
  3. 03

    Public updates and access

    For this public service continuity, maintains accessible status channel and update cadence.

    Manual

    Criteria

    • States the update cadence before an outage starts, such as every 2 hours from 08:00 to 18:00, and the time of the next update.
    • The status channel does not depend on the failed system, such as a static page or phone line outside the permit platform.
    • Each update tells residents what they can do now, such as submit by email, and what deadlines are extended.

    Sources

    Watches

    • Follows Essential service priorities

    Sample content

    1. 2026-10-02 09:00 · Outage noticeDana posts known impact and next update time.
    2. 2026-10-02 13:00 · Service checkPermit lead confirms received requests are logged.
    3. 2026-10-03 10:00 · Recovery reviewReconcile temporary register with restored system.
  4. 04

    Recovery and exercise

    For this public service continuity, tests restoration and captures improvement actions.

    Review first

    Criteria

    • Each exercise records its date, the scenario, who took part and the measured recovery time against the target.
    • Each gap found in an exercise becomes an action with an owner, a due date and the exercise that will retest it.
    • Shows the status of actions from the previous exercise and flags any still open past their due date.

    Sources

    Watches

    • Follows Alternate service procedure

    Sample content

    Urgent requests assigned reference
    100% within 30 minutes
    Status updates on schedule
    Every 4 hours
    Unreconciled paper cases
    0 target