PAPER D


FIRE AND PUBLIC SAFETY SELECT COMMITTEE - 16 SEPTEMBER 2003


RE-AFFIRMATION OF THE FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICE ICT STRATEGIC PLAN


REPORT OF THE CHIEF FIRE OFFICER

REASON FOR SELECT COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION


At Select Committee Meeting 14 July, the Chief Fire Officer was requested by the Chairman to update the Committee on the progress on the ICT Strategic Plan and how it fits with the FAIRMaP process.


ACTION REQUIRED BY THE SELECT COMMITTEE

To endorse the progress made so far and to re-affirm the continued strategic direction, in light of the FAIRMaP.

 

BACKGROUND

 

Members will recall that the Strategic Plan for the implementation, use and development of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the Fire and Rescue Service was forwarded to Executive Committee, and accepted under Delegated Powers, in April 2003.

 

The ICT Strategic Plan has been embedded into the Fire and Rescue Service as a direct result of the recommendations made by HM Inspectors of Fire Services in their report of 2001. An ICT Project was initiated under the authority of the Project Board, presided over by Richard Hards, Chief Fire Officer, Cllr David Knowles, Portfolio Holder and David Price, ICT Manager. The Strategic Plan was produced from requirements and processes identified by the Project Mandate and Initiation Process.

 

Since the publication of the ICT Strategic Plan, the Government have requested the formulation of an Integrated Risk Management Plan (FAIRMaP).

 

This requirement does not affect the fundamental principles within the ICT Strategic Plan and indeed re-affirms the need for timely, reliable data collection and analysis and underpins the importance of information/knowledge management.

 

RELEVANT PLANS, POLICIES, STRATEGIES AND PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

 

Progress of ICT Project

 

The Project Board met in November 2002 and authorised the completion of Stages 1 and 2 of the Project;

 

•          Stage 1 – Safety and Risk Management Software Program, is to be installed during August 2003. This takes into account the requirements of the Regulatory Reform Order to be introduced in Autumn 2004;

 

•          Stage 2 – Procurement and Stores Inventory Software Program (the need for this was identified by the Best Value Review on Procurement), has been installed and is being used to the advantage of the Service.

 

 


An integral part of communications is the ability to contact all areas of the Service. This has, historically, been a particular problem due to the dispersed nature of administrative and operational sites on the Island. However, through prudent management of existing budgets, the Fire and Rescue Service has funded the installation of email (Outlook) facilities throughout the Island, the last strand being the connectivity of the Retained Fire Stations. Training of Station Commanders and Junior Officers is being undertaken during August. This will enhance communications, exchange of information and greatly contribute to the efficiency and effectiveness of administrative processes.

 

Work is being carried out to enhance the Management Reporting Systems in order to produce monthly, quarterly and annual reports.

 

The next steps

 

The Fire and Rescue Service depends upon the receiving, disseminating and recording of up to date guidance and safety advice together with communications from all areas of the community. In order to control, monitor and manage this information/knowledge we require robust, flexible systems. The large amount of information/guidance produced by the FAIRMaP process alone has determined this work as a priority.

 

Further progress leading to basic Incident Data being collected and interrogated in a more sophisticated way, to assist in the formulation of the FAIRMaP, needs to be made and much work has yet to be carried out in order that the Fire and Rescue Service can adequately meet the full requirements of the FAIRMaP process.

 

This work is planned as Stage 3 of the ICT Project but will depend upon necessary funding.

 

Stage 4, also subject to a successful funding bid, is the renewal of the existing Training Database to be used by Instructors at the Brigade Training Centre in the planning, administering, recording and monitoring of operational training courses throughout the Service to take into account the requirements under the Integrated Personal Development System (IPDS) which Members will be aware, is being implemented, nationally, within the Fire and Rescue Service over the next year.

 

BV157 – e-Government (e-Fire)

 

The Fire and Rescue Service’s progress on BV Performance Indicator 157 e-Government is being assessed by the Fire Policy Unit of the ODPM. Along with all National Fire and Rescue Services, the Isle of Wight was requested to submit an ‘Implementing Electronic Government’ (IEG) Statement, independently of the Isle of Wight Council. This was prepared and submitted in October 2002 and the results have been published this month. The Isle of Wight received a score of 18 which was 4th highest nationally (Appendix A). This is a reflection of the work that has already been carried out corporately and by the Fire and Rescue Service, together with the fact that future plans to ensure the Service is compliant by the target date are focussed and clear. As the Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service adequately met the requirements in the Statement, we have been allocated £50,000 towards the progress of this initiative. This will be used to implement processes identified in the IEG Statement, for example :

 

•          Partnership working with other emergency services – sharing of information, collaboration (for example on arson prevention initiatives) etc.

 

•          Online services for retained/wholetime recruitment, special services, consultation etc

 

•           Enhanced public information, which is an integral strand of the FAIRMaP.

 

The 2003 IEG Statement for the Fire and Rescue Service will be submitted in November 2003.

CONSULTATION PROCESS

 

During this process members of staff have been kept informed of the plans and progress via a newsletter and announcements on the weekly Routine Notice. For each Project Stage a team comprising of the key stakeholders has worked together to identify, commission and advise of their specific requirements for the resulting program. The ICT Manager and the Portfolio Holder have been involved in the ICT Project as Project Board Members and have been consulted at all stage.

 

FINANCIAL, LEGAL, CRIME AND DISORDER IMPLICATIONS

 

The work that has been carried out on the implementation of this Strategic Plan has been financed by prudent management of existing budgets, together will allocations from Best Value Improvement Plan (Procurement) pump-priming money.

 

Budget bids were submitted in previous budget rounds but no specific funding was allocated in this current year.

 

To enable the Fire and Rescue Service to continue with the ICT Project as specified in the Strategic Plan, bids have been produced as part of the budgetary process. Revenue implications for costs of maintenance agreements and equipment upgrades have also been included.

 

Budgetary requirement :

 

                                   2004/05                      2005/06

 

Capital :                      £190,000                     70,000

Revenue :                   £ 27,000                     47,000

 

If this funding is not received, the requirements of the FAIRMaP process and implementation will be seriously impeded and could result in the Fire and Rescue Service not meeting its targets as required by the ODPM.

 

All new and existing systems and processes comply with the Data Protection Act 1998 and are risk assessed as part of the Prince 2 Project methodology used within the ICT Project.

 

APPENDICES ATTACHED

 

Appendix A :   National Results of Fire and Rescue Service IEG Statements

 

BACKGROUND PAPERS USED IN THE PREPARATION OF THIS REPORT

 

6.        HMI Inspection Report 2001.

 

7.        ICT Project Initiation Document (November 2001)

 

8.        Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Implementing Electronic Government (IEG)Statement (October 2002)

 

9.        Information and Communication Technology (ICT) within the Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service – Strategic Plan (February 2003)

 

Contact Point :           Jan Alexander, Corporate Services Manager ☎ 823198;

email [email protected]

 

 

RICHARD HARDS

Chief Fire Officer