Archived decisions

Hampshire Fire and Rescue Authority

Performance Review and Scrutiny Committee Item 8

27th February 2009

Draft HFRS Community Safety Strategy and Community Response Strategy

2009-2012

Report of the Chief Officer

Contact: Area Manager Mick Crennell, [email protected], 07918 887509

1

Summary

1.1

This report presents the draft Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service Community Safety and Community Response Strategies which support the HFRS Plan for 2009-2012 to the Performance Review and Scrutiny Committee for their consideration and comment.

2

RecommendationError! Bookmark not defined.s

2.1

That the Committee note the progress made to date in the development of the HFRS Community Safety, and Community Response Strategies for 2009-2012.

2.2

That the Committee approve and support the Draft Community Safety, and Community Response Strategies (2009-2012).

3

Introduction Error! Bookmark not defined.and Background

3.1

Our vision is to make life safer for the public that live, work or travel within Hampshire and we are committed to reducing the risks that are faced by our communities on a daily basis. Hence, our Community Safety and Community Response activities play a vital role in achieving this vision.

3.2

We have developed inaugural over-arching Community Safety and Community Response Strategies, which provide a comprehensive range of priorities, ambitions, initiatives and measures for reducing community risk within Hampshire over the coming years. As an integral part of the Service Delivery Directorate we see Community Safety and Community Response along with our associated activities as the corner-stone of community risk reduction.

3.3

Our Community Safety and Community Response Strategies 2009-2012 are designed to support and compliment other national and local strategic plans such as the Government's National Framework for Fire and Rescue Services, the Fire and Rescue Service Equality and Diversity Strategy, our Fire and Rescue Service Plan and significantly, the local priorities identified by the Local Authorities and our partners through Local Area Agreements (LAA's).

3.4

The draft Community Safety and Community Response strategy documents set out our priorities and ambitions and provide us with a focus upon which to align our resources to meet local needs so as to ensure that every time we touch a life, we make it safer.

3.5

The Community Safety and Community Response Departments within Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service (HFRS) have been developing the new strategies since August 2008 and the final documents will be published for implementation in April 2009. A cross-function and multi-level strategy development event was held to capture people's views and due consideration taken from all areas of the organisation. Further, a number of Fire Authority Members were invited to attend, to assist in the process and we recognise the valuable contributions made.

3.6

In developing these strategies we have considered and conducted horizon-scanning analysis approach with due regard to the local priorities identified within the requirements of the Local Area Agreements and a stakeholder analysis, which has guided our thinking accordingly and elected members have participated in this work.

3.7

Moving forward we will ensure that we consult fully with our stakeholder groups so as to guide our thinking further and crystallise our strategy.

3.8

The Community Safety Strategy sets out our 10 priorities of Community Safety to reduce community risk around the following areas of focus:

    o Protecting the Environment

    o Home Safety

    o Road Safety

    o Children and Young People

    o Vulnerable Groups of People

    o Tackling Arson

    o Safety of Buildings

    o Partnership Working

    o Community Contact Points

    o Water Safety

3.9

The Community Response Strategy sets areas of focus for ensuring effective service delivery by appropriate Community Response:

    o Firefighter Safety

    o Use of resources to meet local, regional and national needs

    o Regional Collaboration

    o Incident Task Analysis to inform Pre Determined Attendance review

    o Developing Response Vehicles to meet our risks

    o Response Standards

3.10

Once published the Community Safety and Community Response Strategies 2009-2012 will be underpinned by a comprehensive range of action plans that will serve to achieve our ambitions and reduce community risk accordingly.

4

Contribution to Corporate Aims and Objectives

4.1

The HFRS Community Safety and Community Response Strategies 2009-2012 have been specifically designed to fully underpin and contribute directly, as well as significantly, to the delivery of the HFRS corporate priorities.

5

Risk Analysis

5.1

All of our community risk reduction initiatives are subject to comprehensive risk assessment and risk management protocols.

5.2

Failure to deliver the strategies will result in increasing the exposure of the public to unnecessary community risk.

6

Resource Implications

6.1

The full resource implications for the implementation of the final strategies are unknown at present and the requirements will be identified as each strategy reaches its final development phase and individual projects are fully scoped.

6.2

We are committed to aligning our resources to the needs of the communities we serve and we will shape our resources to reflect and serve the local priorities identified.

7

People Impact Assessment

7.1

A People Impact Assessment (PIA) for these strategies has been conducted and has clearly indicated that there will be no adverse effects of their introduction and implementation. Indeed the basic premise of the strategies is to reduce risks within our community and to provide equity of access to our services for all. Additionally, we are committed to ensuring that we reach those people within our communities who have, historically, been difficult to reach.

7.2

Further, each community risk reduction initiative will be subject to an individual PIA or clustered with similar products to guide our thinking, decision-taking processes and shape our delivery methods.

7.3

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.

8

Consultation

8.1

As we finalise our Community Safety and Community Response Strategies to their agreed and finalised state we will ensure that we consult fully with our stakeholder groups so as to guide our thinking further and crystallise our strategy.

9

Conclusion

9.1

HFRS are committed to reducing community risk across Hampshire to make life safer. In order to achieve this we have developed over-arching Community Safety and Community Response Strategies for 2009-2012 that will prioritise our community safety activity into ten key areas (our 10 priorities of Community Safety).

9.2

The attached draft Community Safety Strategy and Community Response Strategy documents are respectfully offered for consideration by the Performance Review and Scrutiny Committee and we would fully welcome comment.

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.

Appendix 1 - Draft Community Safety Strategy 2009-2012

Appendix 2 - Draft Community Response Strategy 2009-2012