Meeting Details

Members were informed of the current position on budgets and expenditure for 2017/18.

Members noted the Authority's financial position for the period April to December 2017 updated to the end of February 2018, which showed a net overspend of £0.050m which was offset by higher than expected Section 31 Grant in connection with Business Rate Reliefs, and the out-turn projection based on that position.

Members raised a query with regard to the heating expenditure at Stourport fire station and were assured that only necessary spending would occur whilst waiting for the Wyre Forest Hub to be built.

There was also discussion about defibrillators at fire stations and Members were informed that all appliances carry them as standard and it's public funding that provides them at varied locations.

RESOLVED that the Committee note the forecast balanced revenue out-turn.

Members were provided with a summary of the Service's Quarters 1 - 3 performance against a comprehensive set of Performance Indicators agreed by the Senior Management Board.

Members voiced their concerns over future cover for new housing developments in the West of Worcester and were reassured that the new CRMP would take account of all development areas in the Service area. Members were also reassured that the Community Risk Department were fully aware of existing and new HMOs in the Service area.

Members suggested that the Community Risk Activity be published yearly for the public and Officers agreed to incorporate this into the Annual Report.

Members were pleased to learn that the 4x4 response vehicles during the recent snow period had been a great asset to the Service allowing support to the NHS for transporting medication to the public.

RESOLVED that Members note the following headlines drawn from Appendix 1 of the report relating to performance in Quarters 1 - 3, 2017-18:

i) A total of 5,281 incidents were attended in Quarters 1 – 3, an increase of 0.7% (37 incidents) over the same period in 2016-17, and 4.1% (214 incidents) higher than the average for the last five years.

ii) The majority of the increase in Quarters 1 - 3 can be accounted for by a rise in the numbers of Special Service incidents at 9.1% or 104 incidents (66 of which were RTCs) when compared to the same period in 2016 – 17. Fire incidents were also up by 34 mainly due to a spike in Secondary Fires in Quarters 1 and 2, whilst False Alarms were down (101 incidents).

a. Fires: an increase of 34 incidents for this period over the previous year is largely accounted for by an increase in Secondary Outdoor Fires (up by 43 incidents) due to the warmer summer period during Quarters 1 and 2.

b. Special Services: there was an increase of 104 incidents over the period. Most subcategories have increased slightly; these include Road Traffic Collisions (RTCs), assisting other Agencies, Rescue/Evacuation from Water, Spills and Leaks (non-RTC) and Ring Removal. There was a decrease in the number of lift releases attended (down by 12 incidents).

c. False Alarms: there was a decrease of 101 incidents overall when compared to the same period in 2016-17. There was a small increase of the sub-category of Malicious False Alarms, which went up by 13 incidents.

iii) Overall Staff Sickness levels were 5.67 days lost per head.

iv) The Service attended 60.2% of Building Fires (485 incidents) within 10 minutes in Quarters 1 – 3, compared with 56.5% in the same period in 2016-17. The average time for the first fire appliance attendance at all building fires was ten minutes and twelve seconds.

v) The overall availability of the first On-Call (Retained) fire appliance remains high at 90.3%; however this has decreased by 0.7% when compared to the same period in 2016-17.

Members were asked for approval to examine formalised collaborative working options with Shropshire Fire & Rescue Service to provide long term capacity and resilience for both organisations. Members were informed that this would enable officers to produce the required Programme Business Case and associated supporting information required from both Authorities.

Members agreed that the collaborative working options with Shropshire Fire & Rescue Service should be formalised.

RESOLVED that:

i) Approval be given for officers to examine the strategic options for formalised collaborative working with Shropshire Fire & Rescue Service;

ii) Officers produce a Strategic Programme Business Case for consideration by both Hereford & Worcester and Shropshire Fire Authorities, to include initial areas of collaborative focus and appropriate governance arrangements; and

iii) The Strategic Programme Business Case is made available for the next Full Fire Authority meeting.

Members were provided with an update on the establishment and activities of the Pensions Board for the Firefighter Pension Schemes (FPS) to assist the Scheme Manager in securing  compliance with the Public Services Pensions Act 2013.

RESOLVED that the following areas of progress be noted:

i) The Pensions Board continues to be compliant with the Public Services Pensions Act 2013.

ii) There have been two meetings of the Pensions Board in the previous 12 months.

iii) Pension Board members have attended one training session and have been completing online training modules hosted by The Pensions Regulator.

Members were asked to review the Authority’s policy on the authorisation of covert surveillance techniques under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 and note that there had been no use of covert investigatory techniques during the past year.

RESOLVED that the Committee note there has been no use of covert investigatory techniques during the past year.

Members were informed of the activities of the Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) since September 2017.

RESOLVED that the following items currently under discussion by the Joint Consultative Committee be noted:

i) The review of crewing systems

ii) Relocation of Service Headquarters (SHQ) to Hindlip

iii) Taxation changes to the private use of Service vehicles

Members were asked to approve the proposed lease of 2 Kings Court to Worcestershire Health & Care NHS Trust, following the relocation of SHQ to Hindlip.

RESOLVED that:

i)  the Authority enter into an agreement for the lease of 2 Kings Court with Worcestershire Health & Care NHS Trust on the terms described in the report and otherwise as agreed by the Head of Legal Services; and

ii) Officers be authorised to market the property with a view to the potential sale of the freehold reversion in due course, as advised.

The Authority were asked to exclude members of the public and press from Agenda Item 11 and the Late Item.

It was RESOLVED to exclude the public and press on the grounds that the discussion would be likely to involve the disclosure of exempt information within the meaning of section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, namely - information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information) and information subject to legal professional privilege.

The Chairman agreed to the consideration of this Late Item pursuant to section 100B(4)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972 as a matter of urgency on the grounds that

• this matter had only recently come to the attention of the Authority; and
• a decision is required before the date of the next scheduled meeting of the Committee.

Summary of Decision

The Authority agreed the way forward following the announcement from the Home Secretary on Monday 26 March 2018.