PAPER C
Purpose: For Decision
Committee: EXECUTIVE
Date: 26 MARCH 2002
Title: EMERGENCY PLANNING BEST VALUE
REPORT
PORTFOLIO HOLDER - FIRE AND EMERGENCY PLANNING
SUMMARY/PURPOSE
To present
to Members Emergency Planning’s Best Value Report 2001 for acceptance.
BACKGROUND
The Governments
Best Value legislation requires that all Councils put in place mechanisms to
deliver continuous improvements to services. A key element of this is to carry
out fundamental reviews of its services at least every five years. Community
Safety forms part of the Council’s second year review programme and Emergency
Planning is placed under that heading.
The report
reflects the Government requirement that reviews should be subjected to four
key processes:
Challenge - Consideration of the
appropriateness of the service provided as a means of delivering the
objectives.
Consult - Ensuring
that the views of stakeholders are taken into account.
Compare - Measuring
performance by exchanging information with others.
Compete - Examining
whether the service is being delivered in the most appropriate way.
The final element
within the report details targets dates and actions designed to improve the
service over the next five years.
On 18th
February, the Fire and Public Safety Select Committee was given an opportunity
to scrutinise the report and make changes. The Committee resolved to accept the
Best Value Report, but asked Emergency Planning to submit further options for
delivering their Training Plan.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
The next budget
round, which begins in May, provides an opportunity for Members to consider a
revenue bid for delivering continuous training under agreed Best Value
improvements.
OPTIONS
That
Committee consider the report paying particular attention to the Improvement
Plan and:
1. Accept
the report with consideration being given to funding a Training Officer during
the 2003/04 budget round under Best Value Improvements.