Agenda and minutes

An apology for absence was received from Councillor Ken Rigby who was on other County Council Business.

None.

Of the meeting held on 9 January 2015 (for confirmation)

The Committee confirmed the minutes of the meeting held on 9 January 2015 as a true record and they were signed by the Chair.

Report of Chief Fire Officer

Keith Jones, Area Manager Service Delivery, presented the report updating the Committee on the Service Delivery Performance assessment process following the reorganisation of Service Delivery during the past year.

The report briefly outlines:

·  the Integrated Risk Management Plan (IRMP);

·  Structure and reporting mechanisms;

·  Expectations Audit;

·  Gathering and Reporting Performance.

The following points were highlighted at the meeting:

a)  the Service Delivery Plan is plotted for a 3 Year rolling period, is reviewed annually and reconfigured where necessary;

b)  although there are increasing budgetary restraints, the best possible service must be delivered, potentially with different approaches, within the budgets;

c)  the External Communications Team is focusing on ensuring that citizens are aware that although there have been budgetary cuts and reorganisations within the Service, a high quality service is still being delivered;

d)  the External Communications Team ensure that performance information and public interest issues are presented to citizens via the following:

(i)  reports to the Authority, followed by press releases;

(ii)  the Annual Statement of Assurance;

(iii)  social media, including facebook and twitter;

e)  Engagement Officers in the Risk Reduction, Fire Protection and Community Safety Teams speak or have access to several languages and work with citizens and businesses to ensure fire safety issues are understood and addressed. The Service employs a dedicated BME Engagement Officer to ensure that fire safety and prevention messages can be targeted to the best effect. Appreciating cultural differences is important and information is shared between the teams;

f)  the Service has arranged a Fire Prevention and Safety pilot event which is to be held in June 2015 in the Arboretum area aimed at engaging with business owners and managers from emerging communities.  The Police and other partner agencies will also be attending;

g)  self assessment of staff against the ‘Expectations Document’ which specifies the standards expected of staff by the service, is undertaken quarterly and examined by the Service Delivery Team. Where issues are identified, they are discussed with Group Managers at formal monthly meetings;

h)  new personnel are initially guided, supported and monitored to achieve the standards of the Expectation Document and also to ensure competence.

Members requested that further information be circulated regarding the Fire Prevention and Safety pilot event which is to be held in the City during June 2015.

RESOLVED to note the report.

Report of Chief Fire Officer

Keith Jones, Area Manager Service Delivery, presented the report which updates the Committee on the Community Safety Framework following its review during the past six months.

The report highlighted the following areas:

o  Research, Information and Analysis;

o  Problem Solving;

o  Evaluation;

o  Performance Reporting;

o  Reporting to Statutory and Local Partnerships;

o  External Reporting;

o  Internal Performance Meetings.

Internal and external information, including from partners, is gathered to identify existing and potential issues which may compromise Community Safety, including risk areas and profiles for road safety. These issues are then addressed and the outcomes evaluated. 

The diagram within the report illustrates the current formal partnership reporting and communication routes although cross agency information is regularly shared on a more informal basis. Included within the appendices to the report are illustrations of the 2015/16 Performance Cycle, including:

o  Strategic Assessments;

o  Aligning Performance Information with Strategic Assessments;

o  The Internal Performance Management Framework.

Councillors’ questions were responded to as follows:

(a)  the Service is fully integrated with partners and provides and receives quality information;

(b)  there has recently been a review and assessment of partner meetings to which Service representatives are invited or have asked to attend. Careful matching has resulted in a more refined approach to assessing when and whether representation is needed and most effective. This ensures that officers are not spread too thinly, that their attendance adds value to the meetings and that their time is well spent;

(c)  with regard to performance reporting, the Committee has previously only been presented with the highlights of partner engagement but comprehensive information on engagement activities can be made available to members if they wish.

RESOLVED to endorse the proposed Performance and Management Framework.

Report of Chief Fire Officer

Wayne Bowcock, Deputy Chief Fire Officer, presented the report on the activity of the Fire Investigation Team’s activity and how it links with the Integrated Risk Management Plan (IRMP).

Every Fire and Rescue Service has a statutory duty to enforce the provisions of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and in doing so, protect the public from unsafe premises.

An inspection programme is informed by referrals from partner agencies, citizen reporting and intelligence gathered from operational crew, results in approximately 2,000 visits to premises each year.

The report identifies the activity overall and by the South and North Fire Protection Teams, including audits, Enforcement Notices, Action Plans, Prohibition Notices and prosecutions. The projects being undertaken by each team are also outlined within the report.

The report also outlines:

o  Interoperability and Collaborative Working;

o  Development;

o  Fire Protection Investigation Team;

o  Fire Protection Support Team and Business Education Advocate (BEA);

o  Fire Investigation Projects and Initiatives.

The Committee were informed that there is a new Government initiative to be launched and although the details are yet to be issued, it appears so far that funding will be made available to Fire and Rescue Services to provide private landlords with smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.

Members welcomed the Government initiative and suggested that the Service liaise with Local Authorities to help identify private landlords.

Members commented that although a targeted fire safety campaign had been well received in Retford following two separate fatalities of tenants of Houses in Multiple Occupation, a wider reaching fire prevention campaign would be beneficial.

RESOLVED to note the report.

To note that the proposed meeting dates for the 2015/16 Municipal Year are:

3 July 2015, 2 October 2015, 8 January 2016, 8 April 2016.

RESOLVED to note the following proposed meeting dates for the Community Safety Committee:

3 July 2015,

2 October 2015,

8 January 2016,

8 April 2016.