The UK Government publishes a National Risk Register that sets out an assessment of the likelihood and potential impact of a range of different risks that may directly affect the UK.

The Community Risk Register is informed by this national register and looks at the likelihood and impact of a range of risks to the whole of Dorset. It is produced by partners, including BCP Council and Dorset Council, as part of the Dorset Local Resilience Forum. The forum is made up of key responders in the community such as police, fire, utility providers and health services, who come together to plan for and respond to the risks to Dorset.

The main categories considered in the Community Risk Register are:

• natural events
• human and animal diseases
• major accidents and malicious attacks

Community risk registers differ from area to area. For instance, coastal flooding will feature as a high priority in Dorset whereas it is not a concern in Wiltshire.