PAPER
B2
Purpose
: for Decision
REPORT
TO THE EXECUTIVE
Date : 21 APRIL 2004
Title : NATIONAL MUTUAL AID AGREEMENT
AND INCIDENT RESPONSE UNIT (IRU) TERMS AND CONDITIONS
REPORT OF THE PORTFOLIO HOLDER FOR
FIRE, EMERGENCY PLANNING AND CONSUMER PROTECTION
IMPLEMENTATION DATE : 5 May 2004
SUMMARY/PURPOSE
1.
The Executive are asked to approve the formal mutual
aid agreement and agree the cost apportionment of Annex B to the Incident
Response Unit (IRU) Terms and conditions of use report.
URGENCY
2.
The decision did not
appear on the April Forward Plan and cannot wait until the publication of the
May Forward Plan due to the tight timetable set by the Office of the Deputy
Prime Minister.
BACKGROUND
3.
The role and responsibilities of Fire and Rescue
Services in the UK continue to broaden beyond those envisaged when the 1947
Fire Services Act was enacted. In particular, planning under the New Dimension
Programme includes responses to incidents on a scale not previously considered
in peacetime planning. In order to meet
these new demands, Fire and Rescue Services need to be able to act together on
a regional or national basis.
4.
Presently the Authority has a Reinforcing Agreement
with Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service where they would send us additional
resources when we are in need of them.
The Agreement is one way and does not deal with the Isle of Wight Fire
and Rescue Service reinforcing Hampshire.
5.
The attached National Mutual Aid Agreement (Appendix
A) provides a framework through which fire authorities can jointly agree to
provide mutual reinforcement on a national scale in the event of a major
incident. This builds on the analysis
of mutual assistance set down in the recently published draft Fire and Rescue
National Framework. The Agreement is intended to complement and extend current
local arrangements, ensuring that Fire and Rescue Services have access to
appropriate resources should a major incident occur in their area. Ideally, all fire authorities in England and
Wales will be signatories.
6.
Fire and Rescue Authorities are invited, by the ODPM
to confirm their willingness to participate in the Agreement by signing one
copy.
7.
Similarly the attached Incident Response Unit Terms
and Conditions of Use document provides a framework through which the ODPM
and Fire and Rescue Authorities management responsibilities of the Incident
Response Units are defined. The Chief
and Assistant Chief Fire Officers’ Association (CACFOA) and the Local
Government Association (LGA) have been involved in the drafting of these
conditions.
STRATEGIC CONTEXT
8.
It is in the national interest and the well being of
the population/citizens of the Island and of the United Kingdom to sign up to
these agreements.
9.
The Corporate Plan sets out the Council’s commitment
to working in partnership with other public sector agencies.
10.
The Council’s corporate objectives of “creating
safe and crime free communities” and “protecting the Island’s physical
environment” will be addressed.
CONSULTATION
11. CACFOA and the LGA have
been involved in developing the Agreement and have agreed the final draft.
12. Legal Services department and Insurance and
Risk Management department have been consulted and their responses are at
paragraph 14 and 16-17 respectively.
FINANCIAL/BUDGET IMPLICATIONS
13. Annex B to the IRU Terms and conditions of
use document details the apportionment of costs. Those items identified for this authority’s costs will be
contained within existing budgets except for the initial and ongoing IRU
training, which amounts to £16,531.
This figure cannot be funded by existing budgets. A bid for this money is contained within the
Executive paper on the Fire Authority Integrated Risk Management Plan 21 April
2004.
LEGAL IMPLICATIONS
14. Section 2 and 12 of the Fire Services Act
enables cross county border support arrangements. (notwithstanding we have no
such formal agreement) This agreement
is being aimed at national implications of major incidents with country wide
cross support arrangements. The ODPM is
providing a residual level of indemnity for any potential liability not covered
by existing insurances in respect of the application of mass decontamination
procedures provided the Brigade procedures are approved by HMI. The procedures we adopt are those provided
by the Civil Contingencies Department of the ODPM.
OPTIONS
15. 1. Approve
the formal mutual aid agreement.
2.
Agree the cost apportionment of Annex B to the IRU
Terms and Conditions of use report at an ongoing cost of £16,531.
3.
Not to approve the formal mutual aid agreement.
4.
Not to agree the cost apportionment of Annex B to the
IRU Terms and Conditions of use report.
EVALUATION/RISK MANAGEMENT
16. Zurich
Mutual have confirmed that in terms of policy cover they are happy for the Authority
to sign up to the agreement.
17. The Authorities Risk Manager confirms that
if we were the affected authority our insurances would be effective.
18. The policies concerned have self-insurance
elements which are covered by internal funds.
Liabilities to the Council are limited to an excess on each individual
incident within on overall annual ‘stop loss’.
19. It is not specifically stated what
circumstances would prevail if we were not to sign up to the agreement and
provision of the IRU. It would however
be reasonable to expect the brigades who are not signatories will not have an
IRU allocated to them but no reasonable expectation could be made about the
mutual aid provision.
RECOMMENDATIONS
20
Option 1. Approve the formal mutual
aid agreement.
and
21. Option 2. Agree the cost apportionment of Annex B to the IRU Terms
and
Conditions of use report at an ongoing cost of £16,531.
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BACKGROUND PAPERS
22. Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service Integrated
Risk Management Plan
APPENDICES
Appendix A National Mutual Aid Agreement
& Incident Response Unit Terms and Conditions
Contact
Point : Richard Hards, Chief
Fire Officer. 01983 823199
[email protected]
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R
HARDS
Chief
Fire Officer
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D
KNOWLES
Portfolio
Holder for Fire, Emergency Planning and Consumer Protection
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