Hampshire Fire and Rescue Authority Item 10

6 June, 2007

Appointment of Committees, Chairmen and Vice-Chairmenships, Deputies and Other Appointments

Report of the Clerk

Contact: Mr. K. Ridout. (01962) 847356.

1 Summary

1.1 This report seeks approval to the proportional allocation of members to the Authority's Finance and General Purposes, Governance, Human Resources, Performance Review and Standards Committees, to the appointment of members and deputies to serve on each, the appointment of their respective Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen and to various other appointments. It also deals with the role of independent members and in particular whether or not the Standards Committee shall be chaired by an independent member.

2 Recommendations

2.1 That, for the purposes of Part 1 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989, the allocation of seats on the Finance and General Purposes, Governance, Human Resources, Performance Review and Standards Committees of the Authority, be as set out in Paragraph 3.3 of the report.

2.2 That a Chairman of the Standards Committee be appointed.

2.3 That, the Authority re-appoint members of the Finance and General Purposes, Governance, Human Resources, Performance Review and Standards Committees and their respective Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen, as necessary.

2.4 That the Fairness and Dignity Group be re-appointed on the same basis as previously.

2.5 That the position over the future of the Community Fire Safety - Strategic Steering Group be reported to the Authority at a later date.

2.6 That the Clerk be notified by the Members appointed in paragraph 6.2 of their respective deputies to attend a particular meeting, if required.

2.7 That the Authority appoint one member to each of the 13 Crime and Disorder Reduction/Community Safety Partnerships currently operated by the 11 districts and 2 unitary authorities in Hampshire on the same basis as previously.

2.8 That the Corporate Management Team of leading Members continue as previously; the Team to comprise the Chairman, two Vice-Chairmen, Chairman of Human Resources Committee and also a Member of Performance Review Committee, Chairman of the Asset Management Working Group of Finance and General Purposes Committee, two Liberal Democrat Members and the Labour Member spokesman.

2.9 That the Authority appoint a member to serve on the Local Authority Controlled Company due to be set up late Summer 2007 in relation to the governance and management of the Regional Control Centre.

3 Size and Political Composition of Committees

3.1 Following the recent Portsmouth and Southampton City Council elections, the political composition of the Hampshire Fire and Rescue Authority is to remain as before with 13 Conservative, 9 Liberal Democrat and 3 Labour. From the County Council, there have been no changes. Portsmouth City Council have re-appointed Councillor D Horne and L. Hunt and appointed Councillor D. Phillips in place of H. Jones. Southampton City Council have reappointed Councillors R. Smith and R. Williams and appointed Councillor Sue Jackson in place of P. Galton. The names of the Hampshire County, Portsmouth and Southampton City Council members now serving on the HFRA appears as Appendix 1.

3.2 The political proportionality of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 applies to the Authority. This requires, inter-alia, that where one political group has an overall majority, that group must have a majority on any Committee.

3.3 The number of seats on the Authority's existing Committees is set out below and it is proposed that this remain unchanged.

Committees Conservative Liberal Democrat Labour Group
Group Group

Finance and General
Purposes 6 4 1

Human Resources 6 4 1

Performance Review 5 3 1

Governance 5 3 1

Standards 3 2 1

(plus 3 Independent Members)

4 Independent Members and Chairmanship of the Standards Committee

4.1 The Standards Committee on 9 December 2005 considered a report by the Clerk about the role of independent members on the Standards Committee. In addition to dealing with the number of independent members to serve on the Standards Committee, which has subsequently been increased by the Authority from two to three (with Mrs W. Allen, Mr M. James and Miss S. Roberts being appointed until February 2010), the report questions whether or not independent members should Chair meetings of the Standards Committee. Members of that Committee acknowledged that whereas an independent member Chairman may enhance public perception of the Committee and its work, it may have the effect of preventing Councillors from considering that they fully own the process. The Authority considered this issue at their Annual Meeting on 31 May, 2006. Members concluded at that time that a Councillor Member should be appointed as Chairman of the Standards Committee for a further year. The Authority are now asked to reconsider this matter in the light of a provision in the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Bill requiring that an Authority's Standards Committee must be chaired by an independent member.

4.2 The Standards Board for England have issued guidance to the effect that although there is no requirement under current legislation for an independent member to Chair the Standards Committee, it is in their opinion good practice to do so. In their view, it promotes confidence in local arrangements and sends out a strong signal to the public and to the Authority's own members.

4.3 The Clerk has approached the 3 independent Members on this matter. Mr. M. James and Mrs. W. Allen have both indicated an interest to chair the Standards Committee if this was the wish of the Authority. Miss S. Roberts is unable to devote the time to this role. As a way forward, the Authority may wish to continue as at present by appointing a Councillor Member as Chairman of the Standards Committee until legislation is introduced making it a requirement for an independent Member to assume this role.

5 Appointment of Deputies

5.1 The Authority's Standing Orders normally require each Committee to include one member from each of the constituent authorities. In respect of the two Cities, where they have had only one representative on a Committee, it has been the practice to appoint a deputy. Notwithstanding this, currently there is no Portsmouth member on the Standards Committee. The Authority may wish to take this into consideration in making their appointments. The former membership of the five Committees, as previously appointed, appears as Appendix 2.

6 Other Authority Appointments

6.1 The Fairness and Dignity Group - This Group comprises Fire Service Management staff and union representatives and deals with issues of equality etc. within the Fire Service. Meetings are normally held bi-monthly and on a rotation basis at different fire stations across Hampshire. The local HFRA member is invited to attend those Fairness and Dignity meetings held in their particular area.

6.2 The Authority is asked to re-appoint members and deputies to this Group.

6.3 Community Fire Safety - Strategic Steering Group - This has been a cross-party steering group that normally met at Service Headquarters. It has overseen the development of a Community Fire Safety Strategy in HFRA, has monitored the performance of the service through the use of Performance Indicators and has provided a forum for Members to remain updated on current and future developments within Community Fire Safety. It has comprised of Fire Service Management staff, a teaching advisor, union representatives and members of the Authority. However, it has been decided at this time to review the work of this particular Group within the context of the new Service Delivery Structure established within HFRS as of 1 April, 2007. Therefore, it is not proposed to make any Member appointments at this meeting but to instead, make a further report to the Fire Authority, once the general direction and way forward in relation to the Group has been agreed.

6.4 The Authority is asked not to make any Member appointments at this time to this Group.

6.5 Corporate Management Team - The Authority has previously agreed that leading members (the Chairman, two Vice-Chairmen, Chairman of Human Resources Committee and also a Member of Performance Review Committee, Chairman of the Asset Management Working Group of Finance and General Purposes Committee and spokesmen for the two minority political groups) would meet as a preliminary sounding board with senior officers to develop polices, plans and recommendations for subsequent presentation to the Authority. This informal working group - called the Corporate Management Team (CMT) - was originally established to make progress with the Authority's Integrated Risk Management Plan (IRMP). It has also been used as a useful cross-party group to discuss and deal with matters of urgency. Also, there is a standing invitation from CMT for any Member of the Authority to attend any of their meetings. It is recommended that the Corporate Management Team continues as before.

6.6 The Authority is asked to nominate 2 Liberal Democrat and 1 Labour Member spokesmen for the minority political groups on CMT.

6.7 Crime and Disorder Reduction/Community Safety Partnerships - The Authority by way of the Clerk, in consultation with the Chairman, has appointed one of its members to serve on each of the 13 partnerships currently operated by the 11 district and 2 unitary authorities in Hampshire. They are seen as an important way to achieve and improve the delivery of "joined-up" services to the local community and enable resources to be targeted using the most appropriate skills.

6.8 The Authority is asked to re-appoint members to the 13 Crime and Disorder Reduction/Community Safety Partnerships.

6.9 Regional Control Centre - Governance and Management - The governance and management arrangements for the future Regional Control Centre will be provided by a Local Authority Controlled Company (LACC). The Company will be composed of Member representatives from each of the nine Fire and Rescue Authorities in the South East as well as a Regional Control Centre Manager. Although it is not envisaged that the LACC will be established until late Summer, 2007, it is felt advisable to appoint a HFRA Member representative in anticipation of its establishment.

6.9.1 The Authority appoint a Member representative to serve on LACC.

7 Equality Impact Assessment

7.1 An impact assessment has been made on the proposals in the paper and shown that they are not discriminatory. They 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.

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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 this report.

N.B. The list excludes:

1. Published works.


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

TITLE FILE

None

Appendix 1

Hampshire Fire and Rescue Authority

Membership

Appendix 2

PREVIOUS COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP

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