Archived decisions

Hampshire Fire and Rescue Authority Item

17 September 2008

Draft `Error! Bookmark not defined.Fire and Rescue Service Plan 2009 - 2012': proposed corporate objectives and consultation strategy

Report by the Chief Officer

Contact: David Howells, Director of Corporate Services Telephone 02380 626833

1

Summary

1.1

Nine new corporate objectives are proposed for the draft `Fire and Rescue Service Plan 2009-12'. Once these have been considered and approved by the Authority, we will seek views and comments on them from our various stakeholders and also invite suggestions for any further objectives. The consultation period will run from 22 September to 12 December 2008.

2

RecommendationError! Bookmark not defined.s

2.1

That the Authority considers and endorses the proposed corporate objectives (set out in Appendix A to this report) and the draft key performance targets (set out in paragraph 5.2) as a basis for consultation with stakeholders; and

2.2

That the proposed consultation strategy and programme (set out in Appendix B and C to this report) be approved.

3

Introduction Error! Bookmark not defined.and Background

3.1

Members will be aware that the Authority's corporate plan covers a three-year period which is reviewed, consulted on and updated annually. From this year (2008) it was agreed to call our corporate plan, `The Fire and Rescue Service Plan'. It incorporates what we used to call our `Integrated Risk Management Plan' (IRMP) - which all fire and rescue authorities are required to publish.

3.2

The published Plan is the tangible result of a now well-established corporate planning process and performance management framework. The process ensures that the corporate objectives in the Plan (together with all other supporting plans, strategies, policies and procedures) remain relevant in the changing context in which we operate and responsive to our stakeholders needs. Important elements of the process include regular reviews of:

· current and emerging risks (Strategic Risk Register)

· operating context - assessing social, technological, economic, environmental, political, legal, ethical factors (STEEPLE analysis)

· our strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT analysis)

· past and current performance (monitoring of key performance indicators)

· the findings and recommendations from external and internal audits

· central government expectations (e.g. National Framework)

3.3

In proposing new corporate objectives careful consideration is given to the resource implications of each as well as the Service's capacity to deliver them. For this reason, the Plan is deliberately presented for final approval to the Authority's meeting in February each year when the forward budget has to be determined.

3.4

Effective consultation with our key stakeholders is vital to the planning and formation of new objectives and actions and activities. In particular, our staff are actively encouraged to contribute though the annual `Ideas Week' and the newly-launched staff suggestion scheme - `Bright Sparks'. Group Plans are also taken into account to strengthen our `top-down and bottom-up' approach to corporate planning.

3.5

Members will be familiar with the Service's current corporate branding strap line: "We make life safer". It stemmed from a view that Service's overarching purpose could be summarised as, "Every time we touch a life, we make it safer".

3.6

Members will also be aware that the Authority's determination to pursue continuous improvement was underpinned by one of our current corporate aims: "to be in the top 10 of fire and rescue services in the country by 2010". Given that the Audit Commission has assessed that in its opinion we achieved this aim for 2007/08, it makes sense to set a new statement that better describes our ambition. It is now felt that this should be: "We want to be the best-performing fire and rescue service in the country".

4

Priorities

4.1

At the start of this year's corporate planning process - and before any corporate objectives were put forward - the opportunity was taken to identify and describe priority areas for action. These are:

4.1.1

People

The fire and rescue service has a clear priority to save lives and reduce injuries. We will do all we can to:

· ensure that people escape without harm when fires and other emergencies occur;

· respond quickly to all emergencies with the appropriate resources;

· work with the police to pursue those who set deliberate fires.

4.1.2

Property

The built environment is increasingly more varied and complex. We will do all we can to:

· prevent, protect and reduce fires in buildings;

· reduce the number of deliberate fires in buildings and other property;

· visit all high risk buildings to audit fire safety standards;

· promote the use of automatic sprinkler systems in high risk buildings.

4.1.3

Environment

We are conscious of our responsibility to contribute to environmental well-being. We will do all we can to:

· reduce the environmental impact - including energy use - in our day-to-day organisational and support activities;

· minimise the detrimental impact on the environment of fires and other emergencies though our operational activities.

4.1.4

Community

Through partnership working, we are better able to contribute to a wide range of activities for safer and stronger communities. We will do all we can to:

· ensure our communities are better prepared and protected to deal with major civil emergencies;

· contribute wherever and whenever appropriate to partner organisations' community priorities and activities.

4.1.5

Resources

We are determined to deploy and manage all our resources cost-effectively. We will do all we can to:

· use our collective creativity and innovation to achieve a better use of resources;

· continuously evaluate the success, or otherwise, of our activities to ensures our investment in them is worthwhile;

· be proactive in accessing alternative funding streams;

· capitalise on our partnership working;

· ensure that we select, train and develop our people to carry out their work in the most cost-effective way.

4.2

These five priority areas of activity provide the corporate direction and overarching strategy for determining new and revised corporate objectives for the next three years (2009/10 to 2011/12). These are set out in Appendix A and described under the now familiar format using the headings: `What & Why?' and `How & When?'

5

Targets

5.1

Members will recall that the current Plan has five corporate aims with targets ending in 2010. These have been reviewed in the light of progress made to date and in the context of the priorities described above. The targets are considered to be challenging, but achievable. They are based on an analysis of five years worth of data from 2003/4 to 2007/8 (where available) but excluding data for the highest and lowest year in each case. This methodology is the same as used by the Government Office for the South East (GOSE) for the Local Area Agreements (LAA) targets and as is recommended in Communities and Local Government (CLG) guidance.

5.2

The draft key performance targets have been divided into the priority areas (as described in paragraph 4.2).

Our corporate aims under the priority headings are:

5.2.1

Property:

· By 2012 the number of fires in buildings will reduce by 20%

· By 2012 the number of deliberate fires will reduce by 20%

· By 2012 we will achieve 15 landmark sprinkler installations

5.2.2

People:

· By 2012 the number of people killed or injured in fires will reduce by 25%

· By 2010 we will have achieved level 4 of the Local Government Equalities Standard

· By 2010 we will contribute to a 40% reduction in road deaths and injuries

5.2.3

Environment:

· By 2012 our carbon footprint will be reduced by 10%

· By 2012 our organisational energy consumption will be reduced by 20%.

5.2.4

Communities:

· We will maintain our top five position on call handling throughout the transition period to the South East Regional Control Centre in 2010.

· We will be publicly recognised as an active and effective partner in our work to reduce community risks.

· We will work with our communities and other key responders to make sure when assessed we are better prepared to deal with major threats and emergencies.

· By 2012 we will reduce all fires in the community by 20%

5.2.5

Resources:

· We will achieve our financial efficiency targets of 1.6% in 2009/10 - 2010/11.

· By 2013 18% of new entrants to operational roles will be women.

· By 2013 recruitment of minority ethnic staff across the organisation will be between 2% and 5% above the representation in the local working population

6

Consultation strategy and programme

6.1

The consultation strategy attempts to provide a programme of activities designed to ensure a good level of engagement with those key stakeholders most likely to be concerned about, or able to contribute most to, the proposed set of corporate objectives. A copy of the consultation strategy and draft programme is attached as Appendix B and Appendix C respectively for Members' approval.

6.2

The consultation period will run from Monday 22^nd September 2008 until Friday 12^th December 2008.

7

Risk Analysis

7.1

Failure to produce a corporate plan (including the statutory requirement to produce an Integrated Risk Management Plan) would pose a significant risk for the Authority.

8

Resource Implications

8.1

A Service Plan Project Coordinator is employed to manage the production of the Plan. The cost of the post is being met from existing budgets.

8.2

The costs associated with the programme of consultation activities will also be met from within existing budgets.

9

People Impact Assessment

9.1

An initial `people impact assessment' (PIA) has been undertaken for each of the proposed corporate objectives.

9.2

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.

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:

None

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