Hampshire Fire and Rescue Authority Item

6^th June 2007

Fire and Rescue Performance Assessment 2006

Report of Chief Officer

Contact: Philip Webb, Performance Review Manager

Telephone: 023 8062 6828

E-mail: [email protected]

1 Summary

1.1 This report summarises the outcomes of the Fire and Rescue Performance Assessment 2006 against the benchmark of a `Good' score in the Comprehensive Performance Assessment (2005).

The following scores were achieved:

Service Assessment (2006) - 4 - Performing strongly

Use of Resources (2006) - 3 - Performing well

Direction of Travel (2006) - Improving well

These scores led the Audit Commission to comment in its Annual Audit & Inspection Letter that "this is an Authority that is improving well having demonstrated good overall performance ...."

2 Recommendation

2.1 That the Authority notes and welcomes the outcomes of the Fire and Rescue Performance Assessment and recognises this provides evidence that the Authority is amongst the top 10 of high performing fire and rescue authorities.

2.2 That the Authority notes the action taken to address the corporate issues identified for improvement and their inclusion in the Improvement Register.

3 Introduction and Background

3.1 Over the last two years (2005/06) fire authorities have undergone the most comprehensive audit and assessment to date. Beginning in 2005 with Comprehensive Performance Assessment, the process rolled out in 2006 to include reviews of Service Assessment, Use of Resources and Direction of Travel.

Details of these individual assessments are as follows:-

3.2 Comprehensive Performance Assessment

The Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA) was conducted in 2005, following which the Audit Commission gave the following judgement:-

"We assessed the Authority on the way it was run and the delivery of its services. Our corporate assessment did not give an opinion on how well the fire and rescue service responded to emergency incidents. The assessment provided a baseline measurement that helps fire and rescue authorities focus on improvement. Fire and Rescue CPA 2005 was scored on the scale Poor/Weak/Fair/Good/Excellent."

As a result of this assessment the Authority was given a rating of good.

3.3 In 2006, the Audit Commission introduced the next round of assessments under the Fire and Rescue Performance Assessment. This consisted of three separate - but linked - areas of assessment. They were:

(1) Service Assessment

(split into an Assessment of Service Delivery and Comparison of Key Performance Indicators)

(2) Use of Resources

(3) Direction of Travel

3.4 Service Assessment:

Service Assessment comprised of two parts:-

(1) Operational Assessment of Service Delivery (CLG led)

(2) Review of key performance information (Audit Commission led)

Part 1 - Operational Assessment of Service Delivery

The operational assessment examined five key lines of enquiry (KLOES). These (with their individually awarded scores) relate to:-

Risk Analysis (3)

Prevention and Protection (4)

Operational Preparedness (4)

Call Management and Incident Support (4)

Emergency Response (3)

An overall top score of 4 was awarded.

Part 2 - Review of Key Performance Indicators (BVPIs)

This section of the assessment reviewed key performance indicators and considered our performance against an upper and lower performance threshold (these thresholds were based primarily on the 25^th and 75^th percentiles).

Scores for the Operational Assessment of Service Delivery and the Comparison of Key Performance Indicators were combined and Hampshire was awarded an overall top score of 4 "performing strongly - well above minimum requirements".

3.5 Use of Resources:

This assessment looked at financial and asset management arrangements - focusing on how well the Authority plans and manages it's resources and whether the Authority achieves value for money. The use of resources judgement is drawn from five individual judgements provided by the Authority's appointed auditor. These were:

Auditor Judgements 2006 ratings

Financial reporting 3

Financial management 3

Financial standing 3

Internal control 2

Value for money 3

Overall we were judged to be at level 3 "performing well - consistently above minimum requirements".

3.6 Direction of Travel

This assessment indicates the progress being made, or otherwise, to achieve improvement.

The Audit Commission summarised their findings as follows:

"Hampshire has a good track record of improvement in its priority areas and is delivering good results for the community. The Government's recent operational assessment indicated that Hampshire is performing strongly in prevention and protection, operational preparedness, call management and incident support. The number of injuries from accidental fires has increased but the Authority has responded well with actions to improve this. The Authority has built on successes and continues to work well with partners to deliver outcomes, especially for young people and hard-to-reach groups. The Authority is making progress to address equalities and diversity within the service and across the community but performance outcomes in some areas remain low. It has made further progress in improving its performance and risk management arrangements to ensure that resources are targeted to those most in need. It has a good track record in implementing the modernisation agenda and makes a clear contribution to the Regional Management Board (RMB). Hampshire demonstrates good value for money; it has robust plans for increasing its ability to improve services and has the capacity to deliver them."

As a result of this assessment we were rated as improving well.

4 Next Steps - Continuing the Improvement

4.1 Members will be aware that, following the 2005 CPA Assessment, all items identified from individual audits and assessments for corporate improvement were recorded in an Improvement Register. Similarly, all items identified for improvement following the 2006 Performance Assessment have been included into the register.

4.2 The Improvement Register is reviewed by Members and Principle Officers every six weeks and reported to the Authority annually. (The next report is scheduled for the June meeting).

5 Contribution to Corporate Aims and Objectives

5.1 One of our corporate aims is to be in the top 10 fire and rescue services in the country by 2010. With some brigades contesting their scores it is too early to say where our final position will be in the national league table. What is certain is that we are very well placed to achieve our target ahead of 2010.

6 Risk Analysis

6.1 Failure by the Authority to meet the challenges set by this assessment and demonstrate satisfactory performance would have left the Authority open to criticism, damage to its reputation and potential intervention by the CLG.

7 Resource Implications

7.1 Preparation and participation in this assessment had considerable resource implications for the time commitment of our staff. As such we have lobbied strongly for some level of continuity in future assessments to try and reduce the burden on our staff.

8 Equality Impact Assessment

8.1 A key area for improvement is to drive forward with our policies and strategies to meet our equality and diversity targets.

Carrying out equality impact assessments ensured that all proposed policies and actions comply with current legislation and expectations for improving equality and diversity in the workplace and in our delivery of services to the public.

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

9 Conclusion

9.1 This is considered to be a very good result for the Authority. We feel that it presents a fair and reasonable picture of our current level of performance. Some of our strategies and action plans are at an early stage and when these become fully embedded into normal working practices I am confident we can improve on this good rating in the next round of assessment and that this will put us into a strong position to meet our Corporate Aim 5 and place us in the top ten performing fire authorities.

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 relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of the report

Fire and Rescue Circular 20-2006 - Office of the Deputy Prime Minister

http://comunities.gov.uk/index.asp?id=1163104

Fire and Rescue - Performance Framework 2006/07 - Audit Commission

http://www.audit-commission.gov.uk/reports/NATIONAL-REPORT.asp?CategoryID=&ProdID=6D6A7DAD-A052-4c10-8BAA-7034DE2D1383

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

Secretarial/WP/Corporate/HFRA HFRA 6 6 07 Performance Assessment 2006 NW/JMW/25/5/07