Archived decisions

Mr Jim Fitzpatrick MP

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State

Office of the Deputy Prime Minister

Eland House

Bressenden Place

London SW1E 5DU

20 October 2005

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Cllr Murphy CFO/jl/letters/rmb/201005

Dear Minister

GOVERNANCE OF REGIONAL FIRE CONTROL CENTRES

I refer to your letter of 28 September 2005 seeking responses by 21 October 2005, the contents of which are duly noted.

On behalf of the Regional Management Board for the South East, who considered your letter at its meeting this week, it is clear that there remain a significant number of concerns to be resolved in relation to the proposed approach of a local authority company model that will have to be addressed over the coming months. Despite these concerns, it is recognised that a consistent approach in governance arrangements is more appropriate than different arrangements across the country. In this context, your decision is welcomed, as there will then be a synergy between all Regional Management Boards towards establishing future effective governance arrangements that will be understood by all relevant parties on a national basis.

However, in relation to the detailed responses received to the previous concerns raised, whilst these are welcomed, the extended timescale of these responses has not helped in sustaining the necessary momentum in the political dialogue required to gain ownership of the extensive changes required at the local level. I would wish to record the level of local frustrations which have been expressed on these matters. This region looks forward to receiving the information promised, at the earliest opportunity, to be able to consider in sufficient depth the significance of the likely implications which will arise from this entirely new concept in Fire & Rescue Service governance arrangements.

To this effect, concerns raised previously remain relevant. Whilst your letter expresses a request for this Regional Management Board to confirm that it is prepared to set up a company owned by

our respective local Fire & Rescue Authorities to run the new control centre, it has to be recognised that, politically, no such confirmation can be given until the detailed implications of what is being proposed can be fully assessed in relation to:

· the need to establish effective, proportionate and sustainable local governance of the proposed structure which may yet involve fundamental reform of many Regional Management Boards' current governance arrangements;

· consideration of best value, corporate risk and proportionality in terms of sharing the future financial risk implications;

· Consideration of previous issues raised in relation to Customs & Excise matters such as VAT;

· issues of legality and the inter-relationship between the entities to be established, how national future policy determined by the ODPM is to be addressed either directly upon the entities concerned, or via the Regional Management Boards;

· the extent to which the determined local democratic policy decisions of the respective local Fire & Rescue Authorities might impact upon the future regional governance arrangements of both the Regional Management Boards and their relationships to their fire control companies;

· how future development of the functionalities, technologies and infrastructures of the control centres are to be managed on a national basis as part of these arrangements; and

· the arrangements which might be required of the Chief Fire Officers' Association, the respective Regional Management Boards and the ODPM to resolve future differences which may emerge between regions; particular types of Fire & Rescue Authorities represented within the Boards, corporate risk prioritisation and relative financial constraints.

The Regional Management Board has expressed its willingness to acknowledge, in principle, that the arrangements now being proposed are likely to offer a practical means of future governance arrangements, but cannot confirm its wholehearted support until satisfactory outcomes are reached in addressing these and the previously expressed fundamental issues of concern, including the position in respect of tax and financial implications.

Yours sincerely

Councillor Michael Murphy

Chairman

South East Regional Management Board

cc Chief Fire Officers & Chairs of Fire & Rescue Authorities