Agenda for Nottinghamshire and City of Nottingham Fire and Rescue Authority - Finance and Resources on Friday, 31st March, 2017, 10.00 am

Agenda and minutes

Venue: Fire and Rescue Services HQ, Bestwood Lodge, Arnold Nottingham NG5 8PD

Contact: James Welbourn  Email: james.welbourn@nottinghamcity.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

28.

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Minutes:

None.

29.

DECLARATIONS OF INTERESTS

Minutes:

None.

30.

MINUTES pdf icon PDF 304 KB

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 20 January 2017.

Minutes:

The minutes from the meeting held on 20 January were agreed and signed by the Chair.

31.

External Audit Plan 2016/17 pdf icon PDF 1 MB

Report of the Chief Fire Officer

Minutes:

Andrew Cardoza, Director at KPMG introduced the External Audit Plan for 2016/17, presenting the external auditors’ audit plan for work which they intend to carry out on the Authority’s 2016/17 financial statements and value for money arrangements.

 

Kanika Bassi, listed in the report as an Assistant Manager at KPMG is leaving KPMG in the next week.  A replacement for her has already started.

 

The audit fee is the same as last year; however there is some additional work to undertake.

 

RESOLVED to note the report.

32.

Revenue and Capital Monitoring Report to February 2017 pdf icon PDF 392 KB

Report of the Chief Fire Officer

Minutes:

Sue Maycock, Head of Finance at NFRS reported to Members the financial performance of the Service in the year 2016/7 to the end of February 2017.

 

The following points were highlighted:

 

(a)  there is a forecasted underspend of £207,000;

 

(b)  there is a negative variance of £141,000 this year due to the overpayment of National Non-Domestic Rate (NNDR) to the Authority during the previous three financial years.  Nottinghamshire County Council is the other precepting Authority so it will affect them too;

 

(c)  a difference in Budget estimates for 2015/2016 has led to the minimum revenue provision charges of £101,000;

 

Following comments and questions from members, further information was provided:

 

(d)  the methodology around non-domestic rates seemed to be wrong, and even when it was highlighted, it took time for the problem to be rectified. 

 

Newark and Sherwood District Council and Bassetlaw District Council will have highest proportion of money going back into their accounts.

 

RESOLVED to:

 

(1)  note the contents of the report;

 

(2)  approve a transfer of £200,000 to the Organisation Transition earmarked reserve at the end of this financial year.

 

 

33.

Prudential Code Monitoring Report to February 2017 pdf icon PDF 262 KB

Report of the Treasurer to the Fire Authority

Minutes:

Neil Timms, Treasurer to the Fire Authority informed Members of performance for the three month period to 28 February 2017 relating to the prudential indicators for capital accounting and treasury management.

 

The Authority is within all limits, and has not exceeded its overdraft.

 

RESOLVED to note the contents of the report.

34.

Corporate Risk Management pdf icon PDF 271 KB

Report of the Chief Fire Officer

Minutes:

Craig Parkin, Assistant Chief Fire Officer at NFRS updated Members on the review of the risk management policy, and provided an overview of the key strategic and corporate risks to which the Authority is exposed as part of the Authority’s governance and scrutiny process.

 

The following points were highlighted:

 

(a)  risk management is required around social media, as the use of this is growing within the organisation;

 

(b)  events surrounding the exit from the European Union will need monitoring, along with the repatriation of the legal framework;

 

(c)  the Corporate Risk Register has seen a number of wording changes.  In the future, staff and Members will be able to see a fuller review of the decisions the Authority is taking;

 

(d)  NFRS are a relatively small organisation in the emergency services world in the context of the Emergency Services Network (ESN) project;

 

(e)  as resources and budgets become tighter, the priorities of the Service have to be focused on more narrowly.  The Integrated Risk Management Plan is ready for a review later in the year.

 

RESOLVED to note the content of the report.

 

 

35.

Road Risk Group Action Plan Update pdf icon PDF 272 KB

Report of the Chief Fire Officer

Minutes:

Craig Parkin, Assistant Chief Fire Officer at NFRS updated Members of the progress made against the Road Risk Group action plan.

 

It is going to take the Service longer to take this fully on board.  Currently, a lot of work is going into event investigation.

 

The policy framework is as strong as it is going to get.  Priorities are making sure the staff are highly trained, as well as robustly enforcing processes.

 

RESOLVED to:

 

(1)  endorse the progress made against the Road Risk Group action plan;

 

(2)  request a further report on progress against the Road Risk Group action plan for April 2018.

36.

Newark Fire Station Project pdf icon PDF 190 KB

Report of the Chief Fire Officer

Minutes:

Ian Pritchard, Head of Procurement and Resources at NFRS updated Members on the Newark Fire Station project and the appointment of a works contractor.

 

The following points were highlighted:

 

(a)  a Contractor has been appointed recently, and will be starting on site within the next couple of weeks; however, there is a ten day standstill period where objections can be put in by other Contractors;

 

(b)  there was a full tender process advertised nationally.  Twenty Contractors initially expressed an interest, with nine then going on to submit a questionnaire.  This was shortlisted down to five, with one of these five withdrawing.  The initial sixth placed Contractor was added to the final five;

 

(c)  the process ran from November 2016 to March 2017.  Contractors were scored 70% on their price, and 30% on their technical quality;

 

(d)  all Contractors passed the assessment.  Gelder Group got the highest score – they were in charge of the build at Retford Fire Station, as well as the refurbishment at Blidworth Fire Station;

 

(e)  there was a reduction of £87,000 in the overall project costs;

 

(f)  the Contractor has been mobilised, with a view to them being on site in mid April.  The start of the demolition is planned for April; however there is asbestos in the old Ministry of Defence buildings so further work is needed with this;

 

(g)  Construction work is hopefully to start in May.  The plan is that occupation of the new station will start in December 2017, with the project completed in February/March 2018.  This plan can still be revised if any hitches come up when work starts on site;

 

(h)  the new station will be smaller than the existing one.  The new layout has saved space;

 

(i)  a feasibility study will be required to decide whether part of the site is sold as it is, or whether it is cleared;

 

(j)  there is no co-location with either the Police or the Ambulance services.  The Police station couldn’t accommodate the Fire Service, and they have a relatively new site.  It would have been cheaper for the Ambulance service to move into a site with the Police;

 

Thanks were made to Sue Maycock as it was her last meeting.

 

RESOLVED to note the contents of the report.