MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE FIRE AND PUBLIC SAFETY SELECT COMMITTEE HELD AT COUNTY HALL, NEWPORT, ISLE OF WIGHT ON MONDAY, 17 JUNE 2002 COMMENCING AT 10.00 AM

Present :

Mr G P Price (Chairman), Mr J R Adams, Mr A C Coburn, Mr M J Cunningham (deputising for Mr A A Taylor), Mrs B E Foster, Mr G S Kendall, Mrs M J Miller, Mr V J Morey, Mr I R Stephens

Apologies :

Mr C B W Chapman, Mr R A S Sutton, Mr A A Taylor

Also Present (non voting)

Mr A C Bartlett

8.        MINUTES

RESOLVED :

THAT subject to the addition to minute 7, 999 System, of the following resolution:-

                                   “(iii)     THAT an investigation on call routing through Ryde be undertaken.”

the minutes of the meeting held on 20 May 2002 be confirmed.

9.        DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

There were no declarations made at this stage.

10.      URGENT BUSINESS

The Chairman agreed to two items of urgent business as there was a need to update Members .

           (a)       Fire Cover at Bembridge Airfield

The Select Committee was advised by Councillor Bartlett on arrangements that had been made, in conjunction with the Chief Fire Officer, to identify suitable applicants to receive specialist training as airport firefighters at Bembridge Airfield. This was to assist in the development of air services and activities connected with the use of the Airfield. These arrangements would be provided at no cost to the Council by PBN.

RESOLVED :

THAT the initiative be welcomed.

           (b)       999 SYSTEM

It had been reported in the local media over the weekend of another failure in the 999 system. This affected parts of Hampshire and involved the ambulance service. Officers had no further details on this but would be following the matter up as part of the investigations discussed at the previous meeting.

RESOLVED :

THAT a report on the failures in the 999 system be made to a future meeting.

11.      UPDATE ON BEST VALUE CROSS CUTTING REVIEW - “PROMOTING A SAFE SOCIETY

The Chairman welcomed Mr K Law, Chairman of the IW Accident Prevention Forum, and Ms M Ringer, Co-ordinator to the Forum.

The Committee was reminded that it had considered the Best Value Review “Promoting a Safe Society” at its meeting on 21 March 2001. A number of recommendations and actions had been agreed and the report of the Head of Paid Service outlined progress made on these.

In discussing the progress members considered that the recommendations and action points should be more focussed so that progress could be properly measured within a meaningful timescale. In addition since the Review had been completed further discussions had taken place in relation to a wide range of crime and disorder issues. The need for close working with a number of agencies to overcome the fear of crime was emphasised. The Committee debated the effect of criminal damage, the drinking of alcohol in public places, anti-social behaviour and CCTV. Members also considered that the Council should be more pro-active in publicising its actions in reducing crime and disorder.

RESOLVED :

                      (i)        THAT the Action Plan be revisited to produce Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timebound (SMART) targets.

                      (ii)       THAT the Principal Education Welfare Officer liaise directly with the Crime and Disorder Manager with regard to truancy and exclusion and a report be produced to advise members of the areas of responsibility in such cases.

                      (iii)       THAT the Crime and Disorder Manager review the current policy and procedures for dealing with criminal damage, including graffiti, litter and vandalism, and report back to the Committee.

                      (iv)      THAT the new Drug Action Team Co-ordinator be invited to a future meeting to give a presentation on the work of the DAT.

                      (v)       THAT a higher public profile be given to the work of the Crime and Disorder Partnership, especially on the Council’s website.

12.      MONITORING PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

The Committee considered the report of the Head of Paid Service which outlined the method that was being adopted to show service performance against selected indicators. The system had been developed through the work of the Measuring Performance Task Group established by the Resources Select Committee.

Although only two statutory indicators were shown this highlighted how the system would operate. Members believed that this information would be beneficial in its role when all the relevant performance indicators were reported, together with appropriate benchmarking. Work was also being undertaken by officers on the production of data on up to date performance levels.

The Committee indicated that the Chairman could liaise with officers on the range of performance indicators that were appropriate for consideration by the Committee.

RESOLVED :

THAT the report be noted.

13.      REPORT OF THE CHIEF FIRE OFFICER

           (a)       The Seaview Services Coach Incident

Members were briefed on an incident, which occurred on 28 May 2002, involving a coach carrying twenty-nine passengers which left the carriageway at Ventnor. An outline was given of the response by the emergency services to this incident. Fortunately there were no injuries but the road was closed for three hours whilst the coach was made safe and subsequently removed.

The incident tested the plans of the emergency services and enabled some areas of working to be clarified.

RESOLVED :

THAT the report be noted.

           (b)       Aerial Appliances

The Chief Fire Officer reported on the risk assessment undertaken on the provision of aerial appliances on the Island. This had been arisen following an intention to make savings of £10,000 in the 2002/03 budget through the reduction of aerial appliances from two to one. The savings had been found from another area but it was necessary to review the Council’s policy regarding the requirement for such appliances.

Members were advised of the background to the provision of aerial appliances and the technical aspects of the two types that were currently in operation on the Island. It was noted that the Bronto Skylift was due for replacement in 2008/09 and the Turntable Ladder in 2012/13. A breakdown of the operational usage of both appliances was given for 2000 and 2001. A comparison with the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man was also reported together with the possibility of reinforcement arrangements with Hampshire Fire and Rescue.

The Chief Fire Officer’s report highlighted four options that were available. Each option had been analysed from an operational and financial viewpoint and took into account the current standards of fire cover and assessment of risks. The report concluded that the two existing aerial appliances should be retained for the present time. A full review of this policy should however take place prior to the proposed replacement in 2008/09 of the Bronto Skylift.

RESOLVED :

                                  (i)        THAT the report of the Chief Fire Officer be endorsed.

                                  (ii)       THAT the Chief Fire Officer undertake a full review of this matter prior to any decision to replace the next time expired aerial appliance.

CHAIRMAN