Committee:                 FIRE AND PUBLIC SAFETY SELECT COMMITTEE

Date:                          18 FEBRUARY 2002

Title:                           EMERGENCY PLANNING BEST VALUE REPORT

REPORT OF THE CHIEF FIRE OFFICER

SUMMARY/PURPOSE

To provide Members with an opportunity to scrutinise Emergency Planning’s Best Value Report 2001 and make recommendations.

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.

OPTIONS

That Committee consider the report paying particular attention to the Improvement Plan and:

1.  Recommend its acceptance to the Executive.

2.  Identify further improvements to the service for inclusion in the report before it is submitted to the Executive.

BACKGROUND PAPERS

Emergency Planning’s Best Value Report 2001 as attached.

Contact Point: Mike Jolliff, Tel 82(3114)

RICHARD HARDS

Chief Fire Officer