Archived decisions

Hampshire Fire and Rescue Authority Item 11

26 May 2004

Regional Management Board: Progress Report

Report of the Chief Fire Officer

Contact: Deputy Chief Fire Officer, John Bonney - Tel: 023 80 626832

1

Summary

1.1

To advise the Authority on progress in establishing the Regional Management Board for the South East Region and key issues currently being dealt with by that body. The report also suggests an approach to ensure the Authority is provided with regular updates on the Board's work.

2

Report

2.1

The Government's National Framework for the Fire Service required all Fire and Rescue Authorities to establish a Regional Management Board (RMB) in their area by 1 April 2004. The Board is required to:

-

-

-

-

set aims and objectives

have delegated powers that are appropriate to its aims

set plans to progress its work

demonstrate that it has sufficient resolve and expertise to deliver its plans

2.2

As members will be aware, the RMB has six key areas of work:

-

-

-

-

-

-

to integrate common and specialist services, eg fire investigation

to put in place effective resilience plans for large scale emergencies

to introduce regional personnel and human resource functions

to develop a regional approach to training

to establish regional control rooms

to introduce regional procurement within the context of a national procurement strategy

2.3

In the last few months there has been considerable work by the former South East Forum group to develop a constitution that allows the RMB to conduct its business effectively and in so doing, discharge its duty. Although timescales have been extremely tight the constitution was agreed and signed by all Fire and Rescue Authorities by 1 April 2004. The first meeting of the RMB took place on 29 April and was attended by the Chairman of the Authority and DCFO John Bonney.

2.4

The constitution establishes a Chair to the Board. The position rotates annually among the nine constituent authorities. Secretariat functions are provided by the Chair's own Fire and Rescue Service (i.e. arranging meetings, drawing up agendas and circulating papers etc). The RMB is assisted by the network of fire authority legal advisers who were instrumental in drawing up the constitution. Each constituent Authority is represented by one elected member and its Chief Officer (nominated substitutes are allowed).

2.5

Clearly the establishment of the RMB within the timescales is testimony to the co-operation of the nine authorities which make up the South East Region (Hampshire, Kent, Surrey, East and West Sussex, Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Isle of Wight). Now the drive is for the RMB to progress its work in the six key areas. As such, the principal items of discussion at the inaugural meeting of the RMB were internal working arrangements and work plans for the region.

2.6

A report submitted to the RMB meeting on 29 4 2004 entitled Framework Action Plan and Working Arrangements (see appendix 1) sought to establish a framework of six lead members responsible for the key areas of Procurement, Training, Human Resources, Resilience, Regional Controls and Common and Specialist Services. Each is supported by a principal advisor (the Chief Officer). The lead member and his/her supporting Chief Officer are drawn from the same authority for simplicity and ease of contact.

2.7

The Chief Fire Officers Association (CFOA) in the region (formerly CACFOA) has realigned its committee structure to enable it to better service these workstreams by providing both professional advice, resources and project management. The RMB recognises that a variety of different arrangements might be applied to achieve successful outcomes in the six key areas. Arrangements might include cross service project groups, lead authority arrangements and even externalisation.

2.8

Given the impact of regional activity on local budget and planning processes within each Authority, it is important for the RMB to agree its work plan for each financial year by December of the preceding year. This will enable each Authority to take regional activities and resource requirements into account in preparing financial and business plans.

2.9

Although the RMB will initially establish a budget to cover only its administrative activities, as work plans are developed further resource requirements will inevitably be identified. However, the clear expectation is that the RMB will facilitate collaboration and thus generate savings through economies of scale. Savings can be reinvested in the work of the region.

2.10

Beyond the six key areas, the RMB discussed and agreed the development of a protocol for negotiation and consultation with the relevant representative bodies. As a result, the current Chair and Vice Chair was tasked with pursuing a consultation strategy with the representative bodies. Similarly, arrangements for a unified approach to public relations was agreed in which the Vice Chairman of the Board, supported by the existing network of fire media professionals from across the region would take the lead.

2.11

The following authorities have therefore given lead references:

Royal Berkshire - Training

Buckinghamshire - Civil Resilience

West Sussex - Regional Control

Surrey - Chair Consultation with Representative Bodies

Kent - Common and Specialist Service

Hampshire - Human Resources

East Sussex - Vice Chair and PR and Media

Oxfordshire - Procurement

2.12

To ensure that members of this Authority are kept updated on the work of the RMB, it is recommended that RMB minutes and relevant reports be presented at meetings of the Authority, including a covering report highlighting key issues that need to be brought to the attention of members. Clearly, there may be issues that have a direct financial or constitutional impact on the Fire and Rescue Authority, in which case the matter will form the subject of a separate report with specific recommendations. As such, the Clerk to the Authority is currently examining the extent to which the purposes of the RMB need to be circulated before the meeting.

3

European Convention on Human Rights and the Human Rights Act 1998

3.1

The proposals within this report are compatible with the provisions of the European Convention on Human Rights and the Human Rights Act 1998 and considered in the light of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000.

Recommendations

1

That the report be noted.

2

That, in future, the minutes and relevant reports of the Regional Management Board be presented to meetings of the Authority with a covering report identifying key issues that need to be brought to the attention of members.

Section 100D - Local Government Act 1972 - Background Papers

The following documents disclose the facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and has been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of the report.

None

Note: The list excludes:

(1) Published works

(2) Documents that disclose exempt or confidential information as defined in the Act