MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE FIRE AND PUBLIC SAFETY SELECT COMMITTEE HELD AT COUNTY HALL, NEWPORT, ISLE OF WIGHT ON MONDAY, 13 OCTOBER 2003 COMMENCING AT 10.00 AM

 

Present :

 

Mr V J Morey (Chairman), Mr B E Abraham, Mr J R Adams, Mr C B W Chapman, Mr A C Coburn, Mr J F Howe (deputising for Mrs B Lawson), Mr C H Lillywhite, Mr G P Price, Mr I R Stephens, Mr A A Taylor

 

Apologies :

 

Mrs B E Foster, Mr D G Knowles, Mrs B Lawson, Mrs M J Miller

 

Also Present (non voting) :

 

Mr A J Mellor

 

 

28.              MINUTES

 

RESOLVED :

 

THAT the minutes of the meeting held on 16 September 2003 be confirmed.

 

29.              DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

 

There were no declarations made at this stage.

 

30.              BUDGET MONITORING AS AT END OF SEPTEMBER 2003

 

Members considered the report of the Chief Financial Officer relating to the revenue and capital budgets as at the end of September 2003.  The Select Committee noted that there were no significant variances or pressures on either budgets.  Members sought clarification as to the progress on Health and Safety works at Bereavement Services sites and replacement Dog Bins, which were contained in the capital programme.  It was anticipated by the Head of Consumer Protection that both budgets would be fully spent by the end of the financial year.

 

Members believed that additional information should be included within the capital monitor to indicate actual and committed expenditure to assist them in their monitoring role.

 

RESOLVED :

 

(i)                  THAT the Chief Financial Officer be requested to include actual and committed expenditure in the capital monitor.

 

(ii)                THAT the budget monitoring report be accepted.

 

 

31.              FIRE AUTHORITY INTEGRATED RISK MANAGEMENT PLANS (FAIRMaP)

 

The Chief Fire Officer reminded members that each Fire Authority was required to produce an Integrated Risk Management Plan and associated Improvement Programme.  This was being driven by the need to utilise resources at prevention work within the wider community.  It was also the Government’s intention to withdraw the Standards of Fire Cover to enable Fire Authorities to apply an appropriate provision taking into account local circumstances and priorities.

 

Members were advised that the 12 week consultation period commenced on 1 October 2003.  The basis of the consultation process was outlined and all responses were to be dealt with by an independent company, Questions Answered.  This should lead to a draft improvement programme which would be considered by the Executive in February 2004.  The Government expected implementation of the FAIRMaP and Improvement Programme by April 2004.  It was noted by members that no additional grant had been forthcoming to assist with the work associated with the process.  The Chief Fire Officer advised that the FAIRMaP was a completely separate exercise from proposals contained within the White Paper ‘Our Fire and Rescue Service’.

 

The Select Committee discussed the lack of additional funding from central government to assist with achieving targets set by FAIRMaP.  Some concern was expressed by members on them having insufficient time to compile any comments on the Strategic Plan Improvement Programme in advance of the meeting.  The Chairman stated that there was a twelve week consultation and members could forward their own individual comments as part of this.  If it was felt by any member that certain issues required extended debate by the Select Committee the Chairman would be willing to place an appropriate item on a future agenda.

 

The Chief Fire Officer clarified issues relating to the progress on the replacement radio scheme.  The circumstances surrounding this had changed following experiences of 9/11 in America.  It was now the intention of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister to fund the new radio scheme. It was unlikely that the proposals contained within FAIRMaP would lead to immediate budget savings and in the short term additional funding would be required to assist implementation.

 

RESOLVED :

 

THAT members submit comments individually as part of the normal consultation process but if there is a major area of concern the Chairman include this as an agenda item.

 

32.              SERVICE PLANS

 

(a)               Fire and Rescue Service

 

The Select Committee noted the range of issues facing the Fire and Rescue Service over the next few years.  The Chief Fire Officer outlined the background to the Resource Bids contained within the Service Plan for 2004/05.  It was noted that the maintenance of the Specialist Decontamination Incident Unit would now be met by central government.  The actual financial effect of the changes in conditions of service were not yet known.  There were also important issues surrounding current legal cases on pensions for retained firefighters.

In discussing the bid for ICT systems and programmes, mainly to support data required for FAIRMaP, members believed that this should lead to some savings.  It was noted that the identification of savings was not part of the Service Plan process.

 

RESOLVED :

 

THAT the Fire and Rescue Service Plan be noted.

 

(b)               Emergency Planning

 

The Chief Fire Officer reported on the relevant sections of the Service Plan for Emergency Planning.  The resource bid related to the continuation of the level of service as the central government funding was insufficient.

 

RESOLVED :

 

THAT the Emergency Planning Service Plan be noted.

 

(c)        Crime and Disorder

 

Members debated the Service Plan prepared by the Head of Corporate Policy and Communications.  An outline was given of the resource bid for crime and disorder.  This related to £25,500 for continuation of the Assistant Co-ordinator, £10,000 for Anti Social Behaviour Orders, £27,000 for mainstream and S17 training and £9,000 for additional administration support.

 

The Select Committee also discussed the bid for community wardens and their role in crime and disorder issues.

 

With regard to bids for IT systems the Select Committee considered that these should be approved corporately.  Additionally such systems if not achieving financial savings should enable efficiency savings to be identified.

 

RESOLVED :

 

(i)                  THAT the Crime and Disorder Service Plan be noted.

 

(ii)                THAT the Measuring Performance Task Group be requested to look at the Service Plan template to see if it fulfils the needs of Select Committees.

 

33.              ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH BEST VALUE REVIEW IMPROVEMENT PLAN – PROGRESS REPORT

 

The Head of Consumer Protection reported on the implementation of the Improvement Plan which had arisen from the Best Value Review of Environmental Health considered by the Select Committee on 18 March 2002.

 

It was noted that the service had been stretched due to a number of vacant posts and sickness absence.  All vacancies had now been filled and this would gradually enable the food hygiene inspection levels to meet the target levels.

 

The Select Committee noted that the Head of Consumer Protection had been unable to finalise his Service Plan due to these pressures but this would be submitted to the next meeting.

 

RESOLVED :

 

THAT the Select Committee continue to monitor progress with implementation of the Best Value Improvement Plan for Environmental Health.

 

 

 

 

CHAIRMAN