MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE FIRE AND PUBLIC SAFETY SELECT COMMITTEE HELD AT COUNTY HALL, NEWPORT, ISLE OF WIGHT ON MONDAY, 19 JANUARY 2004 COMMENCING AT 10.00 AM

 

Present :

 

Mr V J Morey, Mr B E Abraham, Mr J R Adams, Mr C B W Chapman, Mr A C Coburn, Mrs B E Foster, Mr C H Lillywhite, Mrs M J Miller, Mr G P Price, Mr I R Stephens, Mr A A Taylor

 

Portfolio Holder :

 

Mr D J Knowles

 

Apologies :

 

Mrs B Lawson

 

Also Present :

 

Mr A C Bartlett, Mrs B D Clough, Mr R G Mazillius

 

 

45.              MINUTES

 

RESOLVED :

 

THAT the Minutes of the meeting held on 8 December 2003 be confirmed.

 

46.              DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

 

There were no declarations at this stage.

 

47.              PUBLIC QUESTION TIME

 

‘Our Fire Service’ asked questions in relation to the their perception that the Island’s Fire Control Centre would be closed resulting in a loss of jobs.

 

Mr M Newland asked a question in relation to Council Tax Payers having to pay more if a Regional Control Centre is implemented.

 

Mr M Pointer, Secretary of FBU, asked if all Select Committee members had received a copy of the response document to the FAIRMaP Consultation.  The Chief Fire Officer said that he was not aware of a response document from the Fire Brigades Union.  It was confirmed that the document referred to was not from the Fire Brigades Union.  The Committee said they had.

 

Mr M Pointer asked if the Portfolio Holder had been aware of a meeting between the Brigades senior managers and Control Room staff prior to his interview on Isle of Wight Radio.  He replied that he had not.

 

Mr S Thomas asked a question in relation to the Audit Commission sending out a questionnaire.  The Chief Fire Officer indicated that the Audit Commission’s Auditor was taken ill at the last minute, so they decided to send out the questionnaire instead.  All responses would be taken into account.

 

The Chief Fire Officer and Portfolio Holder gave appropriate replies.

 

48.              URGENT BUSINESS – BUDGET CONSULTATION

 

The Chairman agreed to an item of urgent business as the views of the Select Committee was required before the next meeting.

 

The Chief Financial Officer told the Select Committee that the Revenue Support Grant proposals for 2004/05 had been announced.  The increase in Formula Spending Share fell short by £3 million of what the Council needed for a standstill in service levels.  By reducing the discount allowed on second homes some of the shortfall could be offset.  It was anticipated that a tax rise of 5.9% would be needed to provide a standstill budget.

 

Members considered the recommendations made and supported by the Executive, the anticipated savings made from the headroom exercise and the original bids list.

 

The Chief Fire Officer advised Members that although it was indicated that most of the bids for the Fire and Rescue Service were self funding, this was unfortunately not the case.  Conditions of Service was the only bid to be fully funded.  The Chief Financial Officer advised the Select Committee that the words ‘self funding’ should have been removed from Appendix C.

 

The Select Committee discussed the funding for Regional Management Boards (RMB), which were to be established by April 2004.  The Chief Fire Officer advised members that there was no information available from the ODPM or LGA to say how the RMB were to be funded.  Members wanted to ensure that any funding given to the Fire and Rescue Service would not be relocated to RMB.  Members asked of there were any of the bids that could be put on hold for a year.  The Chief Fire Officer indicated that he had not put any bids forward that were not important to the service,  and there were risks and consequences associated with not getting the bids, but his top priority was £100,000 for the Integrated Personal Development System (IPDS).  If that were not funded staff would not be developed to take command on the fire ground.

 

The Select Committee supported the £100,000 being reinstated for PDS for 2004/05, as they believed the Fire Service should be properly trained so as not to put lives at risk.

 

The Head of Consumer Protection outlined his need for the two trainee posts, at a cost of £36,000 that were included within the budget, but had been deferred.  The Select Committee considered that ‘growing your own’ would be beneficial to the Council in the context of trainees and recruitment difficulties.

 

RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND TO THE EXECUTIVE :

 

(i)                  THAT the £100,000 for Personal Development System be reinstated in the bids.

 

(ii)                THAT the £36,000 for two trainee posts within Consumer Protection be reinstated in the bids.

 

49.              BUDGET MONITORING REPORT AS AT END OF DECEMBER 2003

 

The Chief Financial Officer reported on the revenue and capital expenditure up to the end of December 2003.

 

RESOLVED :

 

THAT the report be noted.

 

50.              THE FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICE – DRAFT NATIONAL FRAMEWORK

 

The Chief Fire Officer advised the Select Committee of the requirements that the National Framework would place on Fire Authorities once the Fire and Rescue Bill became law.

 

There were three principle objectives and the Framework was divided into nine chapters :

 

▪           Risk Management and Prevention

▪           Working Together: The Regional Approach

▪           Effective Response

▪           Resilience and New Dimension

▪           Fire and Rescue Staff

▪           Workforce Development

▪           Finance

▪           Effective Performance Management

▪           Research

 

The consultation period would end on 12 March 2004.  The Select Committee believed that a time limited Task Group should be set up.  It should consist of three members and the Portfolio Holder, who would make comments to be included in the response to the ODPM.  Members asked if there should be a representative from the workforce on the Task Group, but were advised that all unions were also being consulted.

 

Regional Management Boards were a key element to the National Framework and were to be in place by April 2004.  Work on the Constitution for the South East Region was presently being undertaken.

 

The Select Committee asked if the proposals would maintain or improve safety to the public.  The Chief Fire Officer advised Members that the National Framework contained provision for the Government to intervene on the grounds of public safety.

 

RESOLVED :

 

(i)                  THAT a time limited Task Group be set up to consider the draft National Framework with any recommendations being included in the Authority’s response to the ODPM.

 

(ii)                  THAT the membership of the Task Group to be :

 

Mr B E Abraham

Mr V J Morey

Mr G P Price

Mr D J Knowles – Portfolio Holder

 

(iii)               THAT the requirements in the draft National Framework that would impact upon this Fire Authority be noted and the Chief Fire Officer be instructed to include proposals for addressing such requirements in the Service Plan for 2005/06.

 

50.              CONTROLLING RATS

 

The Head of Consumer Protection outlined the background to the pest control service.  The Isle of Wight Council had operated an approved pest control contractor scheme since October 1999, which had resulted in an annual saving of £50,000 per annum.  The current cost of pest control services to the Council was approximately £18,500.  All the contractors used were Island based.  The work of the contractors was monitored to ensure compliance with agreed parameters.

 

There was no evidence of an increase in the rat population locally.  Sewer baiting took place twice a year.  Members discussed the issue of subsidy arrangements for those on means tested benefits.  At present the householder would pay £5.00 of the £36.00 charged.  Members questioned if householders were advised that an extra cost of £21.00 was charged on top of the £36.00 for out of hours work.  The Head of Consumer Protection replied that he believed the contractors advised customers of that.  The Council had a responsibility to ensure that as far as reasonably practicable the Isle of Wight was free from rats.

 

Members asked how an infestation on public land was dealt with.  The Head of Consumer Protection told members that an officer would investigate and report back to Environmental Health, the land owner would then be contacted.  The Committee asked if action was taken on people who fed birds which in turn also attracted rats.  They were advised that under the Prevention of Damage by Pests Act action could be taken in appropriate circumstances.

 

The Select Committee believed that members of the public should be advised not to put their rubbish out too early as this could be a source of food for rats.  An advertising campaign should be undertaken to help raise public awareness of the problems associated with pest control.  There was a suggestion that wheelie bins should be provided to help with this problem.  It was suggested that an article in Wight Insight might be useful in this respect.

 

RESOLVED :

 

(a)               THAT the existing approved contractor scheme be supported.

 

(b)               THAT the subsidy arrangements for householders on means tested benefit requiring rat control treatments are reasonable.

 

(c)               THAT the importance to public health of rat control and the role that all residents of the Island have in minimising growth of the rat population be noted.

 

(d)               THAT Environmental Health work with the Council’s contractors to raise public awareness of the problems associated with pest control and the actions that can be undertaken to keep them under control.

 

51.              PROMOTING A SAFER SOCIETY

 

The Crime and Disorder Manager gave a six monthly update on the Cross Cutting Best Value Review ‘Promoting a Safer Society’.

 

With regard to Community Care issues strategies were now in place and reports would be presented to the Social Services, Housing and Benefits Select Committee in future.  On the issue of Crime Prevention and Street Lighting it was reported that a draft Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG) had been produced.  Although this had been sent to the Planning Policy Department nothing had yet been actioned on this.  The Select Committee were advised that it was not a Development Control issue until the SPG had been adopted and it should go to the Economic Development, Planning, Leisure and Tourism Select Committee for consideration.

 

Members were advised that the Planning Department had now produced a criteria for dealing with all planning applications.  If a local member wanted crime and disorder implications reflected in the report this would be done.  Training was to be provided for planning officers on S.17.

 

There was some discussion in relation to the Drug Action Team and members were advised that GOSE  had assured the crime and disorder manager that there would not be any reduction in funding.

 

RESOLVED :

 

(a)               THAT the Supplementary Planning Guidance in relation to Street Lighting should be presented to the Economic Development, Planning, Leisure and Tourism Select Committee for discussion before being sent on to the Executive for adoption.

 

(b)               THAT monitoring had been completed to the satisfaction of the Select Committee.

 

 

 

 

CHAIRMAN