The work to ensure people are ready and able to respond to an emergency on Whakaari (White Island) will now formally be delivered by the Bay of Plenty Civil Defence Emergency Management Group.
It follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding today by the Associate Minister of Local Government Jacqui Dean and the group.
The Memorandum of Understanding officially sets out the responsibilities of the group in relation to the active volcano including readiness and response work, support for the work of other agencies, including police and GNS, and gives the group the authority to declare a local state of emergency if required.
Bay of Plenty Civil Defence Emergency Management Group Joint Committee Chairman Greg Brownless said, as is the case of many of the country's offshore islands, Whakaari did not come under the authority of any city or district council which would usually have had these responsibilities under the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002.
"Because of this, the group has been carrying out this type of work as required and as able on behalf of the minister of local government, however it's great for us to day to formalise this agreement and set a clear direction for the future."