Hampshire Fire and Rescue Authority Item 12

15/03/200513 September 2006

Error! Bookmark not defined.House of Commons' Communities and Local Government Select Committee

report on the Fire and Rescue Service

Report by the Chief Officer

Contact: T/Area Manager Steve Hamm Tel: 02380 644000 ext 4065

1

Summary

1.1

The recently published report by the House of Commons' Communities and Local Government (DCLG) Select Committee on the Fire and Rescue Service highlights the significant progress being made in modernising the Fire and Rescue Service, and congratulates the Service on meeting the targets for reducing fire deaths.  The report recognises that the public can continue to have confidence in the management of fire and rescue authorities and their capability to respond quickly to incidents.

1.2

This report summarises the principal recommendations and comments of the Select Committee's report together with a brief assessment of the implications for the Authority. It should be noted that the recommendations of the Committee place no formal requirements on Authorities but they may well influence future DCLG guidance to the FRS.

2

RecommendationError! Bookmark not defined.

2.1

That the principal findings and recommendations of the House of Commons' Communities and Local Government Select Committee on the Fire and Rescue Service summarised in this report be noted.

3

Introduction Error! Bookmark not defined.and background

3.1

The Select Committee was appointed by the House of Commons in 2004 to examine the workings of the ODPM (now the DCLG) and its associated bodies. Its fourth report of the 2005-06 session was published on 5 June 2006 and dealt with issues of Fire and Rescue Service modernisation.

3.2

In preparing its report, the Select Committee consulted with key stakeholders inviting the submission of written evidence and called for witness statements from those responsible for delivering on the modernisation agenda for the FRS.

3.3

Eleven reports were produced in the 2004-05 session and the fourth report of 2005-06 was the first undertaken of the Fire and Rescue Service. It focussed on some key themes in the modernisation programme which are dealt with in this report.

4

The scope of the Report

4.1

The Select Committee's report dealt with the following key areas:

· Governance and Funding

· Regional Fire Control Centres

· FireLink

· Prevention and Risk Assessment

· Civil Resilience

· People Management

· Performance Measurement and Management

· Joint Working with other Emergency Services

Each of these areas was critically examined through the consideration of the witness evidence and written submissions provided by stakeholders. For each area, the Committee published its findings and these are summarised below.

5

Principal findings of the Report

5.1

Governance and Funding Arrangements

The Committee made recommendations concerning Regional Management Boards' (RMBs) funding for modernisation and procurement. It expressed concern over the apparent contradictory statements made by ODPM/DCLG over future plans for regional governance in general and called for full consultation with stakeholders in the Fire and Rescue Service prior to any further regionalisation of the Service taking place. In terms of funding for the modernisation agenda, the Committee noted the funding being made available for the New Dimensions programme, Firelink & Regional Control Centres, home fire safety visits and other community safety activities. However, it went on to recommend that the Government fully fund, from central sources, any additional burdens placed on authorities by modernisation that cannot be funded through efficiency savings. In respect of procurement, the Committee called for a baseline to be set, against which, future procurement costs can be measured against the Government's assertion that "FireBuy" will result in savings.

5.2

Regional Control Centres

The Committee made a range of statements and recommendations in respect of Regional Control Centres (RCCs). Whilst agreeing that the plans to amalgamate the 47 existing control rooms into 9 RCCs would result in modern technology being put in place, the Committee expressed concerns about the lack of information on: future funding arrangements, predicted efficiency savings, service delivery standards, and the apparent lack of confidence among authorities over the proposals. The key recommendations centre on the need to ensure greater information provision in respect of these concerns, with the aim of generating the level of confidence and support that will be necessary for the success of the RCC proposals.

5.3

FireLink

FireLink is the replacement communications system for the FRS to work with the RCCs. The Committee broadly welcomed the project which it acknowledged would upgrade the communications technologies used by the Fire and Rescue Service and other emergency services. A recommendation did however point out the need to address the omission of `fire ground' communications equipment from the project. This is a key area where new technology is urgently required. This was also highlighted in the report into the 7 July 2005 bombings in London.

5.4

Prevention and Risk Assessment

On Integrated Risk Management Plans (IRMPs), the Committee recommended that their impact and adequacy be assessed on a nationwide basis and that guidance should be provided to the fire and rescue authorities on the relative priorities between local and regional planning. A further recommendation was that the publication of the Fire and Rescue Service National Framework should be better co-ordinated with the timescales for producing IRMPs. In respect of the new Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order, the Committee recommended that its impact be assessed on a regular basis following its implementation. It also recommended that in the current review of building regulations the requirement for sprinkler provision within schools be made mandatory.

5.5

Civil Resilience

Following the bombing incidents of July 2005 in London, the Committee recommends that the Government should review the equipment requirements of the Service to deal with such occurrences. It also calls for greater integration between day to day planning and planning for major catastrophic incidents. In particular, urgent consideration should be given to how IRMPs may be better linked to planning for major events.

5.6

People Management

The Committee expressed its disappointment on the amount of progress made on diversity within the Service. It called the Government's leadership on the issue "half hearted and ineffective". It recommended that targets for diversity are set which are consistent and make it clear exactly what is required of fire and rescue authorities. Importantly, a recommendation was also made that no authority should receive a rating above "good" unless it can demonstrate that it has made significant progress in line with revised Government targets that may be made on diversity issues. The report also covered retained duty system staff, and recommended that the Government take a positive lead on the reforms impacting on them, including a timescale for action.

5.7

Performance Measurement and Management

The Committee welcomed the introduction of Comprehensive Performance Assessment for the Service, which it felt had been useful in identifying areas for improvement. It also welcomed the planned independent `Operational Assessment' of fire and rescue authorities.

5.8

Joint Working with other Emergency Services

The Committee expressed that it was convinced of the life saving benefits of the operational collaboration between fire and rescue authorities and other emergency services - particularly `co-responder schemes'. It recommended that the Government, in conjunction with the Department of Health, develop a national co-responder protocol that includes guidance on funding.

6

Contribution to Corporate Aims and Objectives

6.1

The Select Committee's report gives welcome support in areas such as co-responding which is key objective in our IRMP.

6.2

The report also highlights the need to continue efforts at improving diversity within the workplace - something that the Authority has continued to invest resources into achieving.

7

Risk Analysis

7.1

Although the report's recommendations do not give rise to any formal requirements for fire and rescue authorities to take action, it is likely that many of the recommendations will form part of a future National Framework, particularly in respect of Diversity and Civil Resilience planning. The Authority will therefore consider carefully the recommendations during its IRMP review and planning processes. At this stage there are no identifiable resource implications for the Authority arising from Select Committee's recommendations.

8

Conclusion

8.1

The specific comments of the Select Committee relating to the FiReControl project reflect the broad concerns of fire authorities and other key stakeholders. The Authority and the South East Region Management Board has clearly not been alone in seeking reassurance and information around a number of aspects of funding, the business case and the governance and legal issues.

8.2

It makes sense for the Authority to anticipate potential changes to a future National Framework for the Fire and Rescue Service and take any major issues into account when setting future corporate aims and strategies as part of the IRMP process.

Background Information (Section 100D of Local Government Act 1972)

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:

House of Commons Community and Local Government Committee - Fourth Report of Session 2005-06. Fire and Rescue Service - 5 June 2006

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmselect/cmcomloc/872/87202.htm

Note: The list excludes: (1) published works; and (2) documents that disclose exempt or confidential information defined in the Act.