Archived decisions

Theme

Engaging our staff and communities

1

Area for improvement

Engaging our staff

Ref. &

Progress

Strategy and Actions

Associated Plans

Lead Member / Officer

1.1

We will continuously improve internal communications with our staff by implementing initiatives and actions that seek to address any reasonable concerns and issues expressed through employee satisfaction surveys and other consultative exercises (including personal development reviews) with the aim of improving genuine staff engagement. Specifically we have taken, or will take the following actions:

Strategic Risk Register

IRMP (MR1) - Workforce Strategy and People Strategy

Chief Officer

1.1.1

_

_

_

_

Produced (in August 2005) a marketing & communications strategy and plan which included:

o Publication of `Exchange' in-house magazine (from December 2005)

o Publication of IRMP eXtra and other Service bulletins (ongoing)

o Instigation of meetings between the Chief Officer and Leadership Forum (from January 2006)

o Improved format of Service Management Team Visits, (now called Senior Manager Visits) to stations and work groups (from October 2005)

IRMP (MR8)

Marketing & Communications Strategy

Head of Marketing & Communications

1.2

_

A `cultural audit' of our staff was undertaken in September 2006. The response rate was 58% compared to 37% response from the 2005 Employee Survey.

Corporate Marketing and Communications Strategy

Head of Marketing & Communications

1.4

_

Successfully gained greater engagement of staff and members of the HFRA in the development of the IRMP through an extensive consultation exercise from September 2005 to January 2006. Over 30 consultation events and activities were staged.

IRMP Consultation Strategy

Performance Review Manager / Head of Marketing & Communications/

Cllr Representative

1.5

_

A Workforce Strategy and action plan was first produced in December 2005. It has been revised, and this version is due for publication during quarter 2 of 2006/07.

IRMP (MR1);

Workforce Strategy

Cllr Representative / Head of Human Resources

1.6

_

Publication of the Workforce Strategy and Action Plan progressively from April 2006. Action plan over 3 years. To be constantly reviewed by the Improvement Planning Steering Group.

IRMP (MR1);

Workforce Strategy

Cllr Representative / Head of Human Resources

1.9

_

Our review of the `lessons learned' from the 2005 IRMP consultation process has identified the need to provide staff with an opportunity - at the beginning of the IRMP consultation process - to propose options at an ideas day for inclusion in future editions of our IRMP. Two sessions have taken place with an external facilitator for employees to put forward ideas on what to include/ exclude from the IRMP, in September 2006.

Head of Marketing & Communications/

Performance Review Manager/ Principal Officers

2

Area for improvement

Engaging our communities

Ref. &

Progress

Strategy and Actions

Associated Plans

Lead Member / Officer

2.1

Our engagement with black and ethnic minority groups and other at risk groups has suffered because of a previously fragmented approach. We are addressing this through:

Strategic Risk Register

Race Equality Scheme

Cllr representative

Director of Service Delivery

2.1.2

_

The establishment of community outreach workers in September 2005 as part of our overall Equality and Diversity strategy.

Race Equality Scheme

Disability Equality Scheme (Dec 06)

Gender Equality Scheme (April 07)

Director of Service Delivery

2.1.3

_

An External Equality & Diversity Consultative and Advisory Group are in place and our disability involvement is operational.

Race Equality Scheme

Disability Equality Scheme (Sept 06)

Equality & Diversity Manager

2.1.4

_

The development of a marketing and communications strategy which specifically identifies gender, age, people from black and minority ethnic groups and disabled people as key target audiences.

Marketing & Communications Strategy

Head of Marketing & Communications/ Equality & Diversity Manager

2.1.5

_

Review and improve our IRMP and budget consultation process to increase communication with harder to reach groups (black and ethnic minority community groups, disabled groups, older people). IRMP consultation taking place in Oct/Nov 2006 includes a focus group for disabled and black and minority ethnic groups.

Consultation Strategy

Performance Review Manager

Equality & Diversity Manager

2.1.6

_

Our published Comprehensive Equality Policy and associated Race Equality Scheme includes a consultation process and methods to improve accessibility and communication links with our black and minority ethnic communities. Our Disability Equality and Gender Equality schemes will ensure similar benefits for these groups when published.

Race Equality Scheme Disability Equality Scheme (Dec 06) Gender Equality Scheme (April 07)

Cllr representative / Director of Service Delivery

2.1.7

_

Through the establishment of a Fairness & Dignity Forum at different locations which actively encourages community leaders to engage in the debate to develop effective solutions and contribute to service planning and decision making.

Director of Service Delivery

2.1.8

_

The Community Safety department have linked up with Community Action Hampshire to identify how best to work with the voluntary sector and improve our access to the homes of vulnerable people. This has assisted in developing a partnership arrangement with a voluntary group in Eastleigh to deliver HFSVs in the Eastleigh area. The service will be developing further partnerships with voluntary groups in the future to increase our accessibility to hard to reach groups.

IRMP (PR4)

Head of Training & Development

2.1.9

_

The Service now has established partnership arrangements with Southampton and Basingstoke Primary Care Trusts to generate HFSV referrals from our target groups. These arrangements are being co-ordinated at Groups and Station Manager level in co-ordination with the local health service managers and have successfully increased the HFSV referrals for vulnerable people within these areas. With the reorganisation of the PCTs further work will be required to develop these arrangements across the county.

IRMP (PR4)

Head of Training & Development

3

Area for improvement

Develop a clearer framework for partnership working

Ref. &

Progress

Strategy and Actions

Associated Plans

Lead Member / Officer

3.1

_

Following development of Partnership Register, a Best Value Review (externally led) of the effectiveness of our partnerships was commissioned and was completed and submitted to Performance Review Committee in June 2006 for adoption by HFRA in September.

Progress is currently being made towards implementing the recommendations that arose from the review. A draft Partnership Policy was produced in October 2006.

Best Value Performance Plan

Cllr Representatives/

Director of Corporate Services

Performance Review Manager

3.2

_

Establish pump-priming funding at Group Manager level to support partnership activities. £10k per Group allocated from 2005/06.

MR6

Head of Response/

Head of Community Safety /

Head of Finance & Office Services

3.3

_

We have committed to active participation in Hampshire's Local Public Service Agreement (2) in the areas of reducing deliberate fire and extending the Co-responder schemes, and will look at this from an equality perspective.

Hampshire LPSA2

IRMP(MR6)

Director of Specialist Response /

Head of Training & Development/

Director of Corporate Services

3.4

_

The effectiveness and value for money of Service Level Agreements for support services was examined during a Best Value Review of Service Level Agreements. The review was completed and submitted to the Performance Review Committee in June 2006 for adoption by HFRA in September 2006.

Progress is currently being made towards implementing the recommendations that arose from the review.

Best Value Performance Plan

Cllrs Representatives/

Director of Corporate Services

4

Area for improvement

Using the results of consultation to inform the development of the IRMP

Ref. &

Progress

Strategy and Actions

Associated Plans

Lead Member / Officer

4.1

_

We consider that our consultation process in 2005/06 - particularly in respect of our IRMP - has been much more thorough and robust than in previous years. However, we do accept that there is a need to better summarise and reflect the outcomes of the various consultation exercises in our various plans and actions. Where proposals are modified as a direct result of consultation exercises, we will make this explicit.

Consultation Strategy

IRMP Project Board/

Performance Review Manager/

Head of Marketing & Communications

4.2

_

We recognise that we have not always been as thorough as we could have been at feeding back from the consultation process. To address this, IRMP 2006 has a specific section on results on consultation and how we have responded to it. We have strengthened this through the publication of IRMP Xtra

Consultation Strategy IRMP (2006)

IRMP Xtra

IRMP Project Board

Performance Review Manager/

Head of Marketing & Communications

5

Area for improvement

Maintaining stakeholder satisfaction

Ref. &

Progress

Strategy and Actions

Associated Plans

Lead Member / Officer

5.2

_

A public satisfaction survey was conducted in Autumn 2006. We are bound by the rules set by the DCLG which state that the survey is sent to 3500 households, followed up by 2 reminders.

Consultation Strategy

Performance Review Manager

5.3

_

The `after the incident' survey process was strengthened in June 2006 in order to obtain improved levels of quantitative and qualitative feedback to inform our future plans.

Consultation Strategy

Performance Review Manager

Theme

Managing our capacity to deliver

6

Area for improvement

Clarification of non-priorities

Ref. &

Progress

Strategy and Actions

Associated Plans

Lead Member / Officer

6.1

_

Having determined our priorities, we will interpret these in the IRMP Action Plan using "What? & Why?" and "How & When?" statements to justify their inclusion. We also recognise that some items are of lower priority and/or are less urgent. These are better reflected in our move to a three-year IRMP.

IRMP action plans for Preventing, Protecting, Responding, and Managing Resources.

CMT

Chief Officer

6.2

_

Similarly, our various Medium Term Plans (most covering a three-year period) will be able to show the relative importance through the relative timing of actions and initiatives which will also take into account our capacity to deliver.

Medium-term functional (and other) business plans.

SMT

7

Area for improvement

Management capacity and increasing workloads

Ref. &

Progress

Strategy and Actions

Associated Plans

Lead Member / Officer

7.1

We have a number of actions aimed at improving capacity:

7.1.1

_

The development and implementation of our Workforce Strategy

Workforce Strategy

IRMP (MR1)

Head of Human Resources

7.1.2

_

A further review of administrative support for retained stations was conducted and additional resources approved by the Authority from 2007/08.

Station support procedures and guidance

Head of Finance & Office Services

7.1.3

_

Increase discretionary budget to Group Managers and install a system of financial monitoring - £10k group per annum approved from within existing resources from 2005/06

IRMP2

Head of Finance & Office Services/

Head of Community Safety/

Head of Response

7.1.5

_

Middle management and senior management review completed and approved by the Authority in September 2006

Middle Management Review Report and action plan

Director of Service Delivery

7.1.6

_

Integrate Group and Station plans to meet key aims and objectives and engage middle managers more in key sessions around change management. A series of workshops was undertaken in 2006 (23^rd February, 1^st & 3^rd March, 25^th April and 6^th December). Leadership Forum meetings commenced March 2006.

Corporate planning process and Performance Management Framework

Head of Response

SMT

7.1.7

_

A best value review of Partnerships was carried out by `SOLACE' in April 2006 identifying key partnerships such as Hampshire County Council, National Trust and the Ministry of Defence Fire Service. In addition we have engaged specialist consultants to deliver initiatives such as `Rank to Role', Job Evaluations, Equal Pay, Management Appointments and Legal Services for our Employee Relations Department.

Best Value Review Plans and other major reviews

SMT

7.1.9

_

SMT Pay, Pay Rewards & Capacity Review was established for October 2006 to examine the strategic capacity and associated workloads within SMT and will lead to proposals for re-structure. This was accepted by the HFRA in December 2006.

Agreed local pay arrangements include a PRP (performance related pay) element based on the achievement of good PI results and positive audit outcomes.

Workforce Strategy

Cllr Representatives/

Director of Service Delivery

8

Area for improvement

Management capacity to deliver the required level of change

Ref. &

Progress

Strategy and Actions

Associated Plans

Lead Member / Officer

8.1

_

We have changed our working routines during the day and night whilst maintaining the existing shift patterns on continuously crewed stations to increase productivity. Implemented 1^st April 2006; review to be undertaken April 2007.

IRMP (MR3)

Director of Service Delivery

8.2

_

Submission of a "capacity building fund" bid as a region. Bid submitted to the RMB in January 2006. Involvement in regional approach to the review of Training, Assessment and Development Centres and Procurement. Approval received October 2006. Hampshire and IOW form the Governance Board for the partnership.

RMB Business Plan (2006/07)

IRMP (MR7)

Cllr Representative/ Chief Officer

8.3

_

Development of an integrated set of supporting medium-term functional business plans - and Group & Station plans - which include targets that are realistic and achievable. These help to identify resource and capacity issues. Implemented October 2006.

Medium-term functional business plans

Group plans

Station plans

SMT

Relevant Group/Station Managers

8.4

_

All our supporting plans to follow standard templates that are consistent with our corporate planning process and performance management framework, and which demonstrate clear links to the achievement of corporate aims and objectives.

Medium-term functional business plans

Group plans

Station plans

SMT

8.5

_

We will use, wherever appropriate, a standard report template with the aim of ensuring that SMT's and the Authority's decisions are taken based on information which has taken into account links to corporate aims, risk assessment, equality impact assessment, and resource implications. A template is in use which itself is kept under continual review.

Report template

Director of Corporate Services

8.8

_

Further training of our managers in the `Prince2' project management process will help to scope the resource implications and needs of major projects. During 2006/07 Green and Grey book managers will receive training if a need is identified in the PDR. Courses are now established.

Training Needs Analysis 2006/07

Director of Human Resources

Theme

Managing our performance and raising our game

9

Area for improvement

In relation to road safety initiatives, the need to make clearer links between identified actions and core business

Ref. &

Progress

Strategy and Actions

Associated Plans

Lead Member / Officer

9.1

_

To provide coherence to these initiatives and to demonstrate a link to core business, we have clarified and made explicit the initiatives and partnerships we will be pursuing in the current IRMP.

IRMP(PR6)

Director of Specialist Response

9.2

_

In September 2006 we agreed with the Fire Authority a new corporate aim in respect of Road Traffic Collisions.

SMT Away day - Minutes of Associated Action Plan (27/06/2006)

Performance Review Manager

10

Area for improvement

Performance monitoring prevails over performance management and improvement

Ref. &

Progress

Strategy and Actions

Associated Plans

Lead Member / Officer

10.1

_

We have clarified the key indicators we intend to focus on by: reducing our suite of local indicators, and concentrating on those that directly contribute to areas of improvement and our corporate aims.

Best Value Performance Indicators (BVPI's) and Local Performance Indicators (LPI's)

Flight Deck Indicators

Performance Review Cttee (PRC)/

Service Mngnt

Team (SMT)

10.2

_

A quarterly review of indicators and associated action plans takes place at Service Management Team (SMT) and at the Performance Review Committee.

BVPI's and LPI's

Performance Review Committee Minutes

Service Management Team Minutes (March/June 2006)

Performance Review Cttee (PRC)/

Service Mngnt

Team (SMT) /

Director of Corporate Services /

Performance Review Manager

10. 3

_

A new management information software application has been acquired and this will be developed to provide more timely and detailed (drill-down) analyses of information to satisfy the needs of managers at various levels in the organisation. This will facilitate the setting and monitoring of more localised targets (including those that are community-focused).

Phase 1 of the roll out to senior managers was completed in September 2006.

Phase 2 to Group Managers was completed in October 2006. Phase 2 has been facilitated by the upgrading of the IT network.

Performance Review Team Medium Term Plan

ICT Medium Term Plan

Director of Corporate Services /

Performance Review Manager/

Information Services Manager

10.4

_

We have extended the performance management culture by ensuring that Service, Function and Group Plans are formally linked into the IRMP.

Group Plans

Station Plans

Function Heads

10.7

_

We have in place a comprehensive process to follow up progress on the implementation of recommendations made arising from audits and Best Value Reviews. The outcome of this process is reported on a quarterly basis to Performance Review Committee.

Performance Review Team Medium Term Plan

Performance Review Committee

11

Area for improvement

A mixed picture of overall performance (BVPIs and LPIs) some key areas not improving

Ref. &

Progress

Strategy and Actions

Associated Plans

Lead Member / Officer

11.3

_

We have established key local performance indicators to provide assurance to the public that in progressing our modernisation agenda we will not compromise our ability to respond quickly and effectively to emergencies. We have set a target to attend all emergency calls within 8 minutes on 80% of occasions (8/80); and we will closely monitor our average attendance time to all incidents. We know from public consultation and public focus groups that this is something that is considered (by the public) to be of acute importance.

LPI 20a

LPI 20b

Chief Officer

12

Area for improvement

Embedding risk management

Ref. &

Progress

Strategy and Actions

Associated Plans

Lead Member / Officer

12.1

_

There is a quarterly review of the risk register by both SMT and CMT, to monitor the management of corporate risk. Recognising our capacity issue in this area, we intend to continue to work with external consultants.

The Strategic Risk Register was reported to the Fire Authority in September 2006, and will be continue to be reported annually.

Strategic Risk Register

Service Management Team Minutes April and July 2006

Corporate Management Team Minutes

Performance Review Manager and Deputy Manager /

Service Management Team

13

Area for improvement

Lack of a strategic approach to asset management

Ref. &

Progress

Strategy and Actions

Associated Plans

Lead Member / Officer

All items currently ongoing

14

Area for improvement

Living our values

Ref. &

Progress

Strategy and Actions

Associated Plans

Lead Member / Officer

14.1

To achieve a fundamental shift from a hierarchical organisational form to one which fosters discretion, innovation, and an element of risk taking in order to improve performance, decision making needs to move down the organisation. We have a number of initiatives to begin the process:

14.1.3

_

Improvement of performance management to provide decision support information at a local level by the implementation of a new management information software application. This will be developed to provide more timely and detailed (drill-down) analyses of information to satisfy the needs of managers at various levels in the organisation. It will facilitate the setting and monitoring of more localised targets (including those that are community-focused).

Phase 1 of the roll out to Senior managers has been completed.

Phase 2 to Group Managers is due for completion in August 2006. Phase 2 has been facilitated by the upgrading of the IT network.

Performance Review Team Business Plan

ICT Medium Plan

Director of Corporate Services /

Performance Review Manager/

Information Services Manager

14.1.5

_

It has been identified that senior managers need to empower their middle managers by devolving decision making to them. Devolution of decision making has a structural and behavioural aspect to it.

Also refer to 7.1.3 `Increase discretionary budget to Group Managers and install a system of financial monitoring - £10k group per annum approved from within existing resources from 2005/06.'

IRMP2

Head of Response /

Head of Community Safety /

Head of Finance & Office Services

14.1.6

_

The development of leadership forum dialogue fosters an increased sense of trust and ownership between senior and middle managers. These are now held quarterly.

Leadership Forum Action Plan

Chief Officer /

Head of Marketing & Communications

14.2

_

We now have a compliant Race Equality Scheme and the Workforce Strategy Steering Group is in place to monitor the delivery of the action plan

Race Equality Scheme and Action Plan

Workforce Strategy

Chief Officer

Cllr Representatives/

Workforce Strategy Steering Group/ Local Diversity Group

14.3

_

We have established a team of three outreach workers and a diversity trainer.

Human Resources Medium Term Plan

Equality & Diversity Manager

14.5

_

We have also implemented our Comprehensive Equality Policy which represents an overarching strategy to progress equality in its broadest sense to progress the six key areas of the equality agenda:

Race

Gender

Disability

Religion/belief

Sexual orientation

Age (Policy effective from October 2006)

Comprehensive Equality Policy

Race Equality Scheme

Disability Equality Scheme (Dec 06)

Gender Equality Scheme (April 07)

Cllr Representative/

Equality & Diversity Manager

14.6

_

A Disability Equality Scheme has been produced in partnership with the Disability Equality group.

Disability Equality Scheme (Dec 06)

Director of Service Delivery