Agenda and draft minutes

In the absence of the Chair, Councillor Audra Wynter chaired the meeting

Councillor Michael Payne

None.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 26 April 2024

The minutes of the meeting held on 26 April 2024 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

Report of the Chief Fire Officer

Mick Sharman, Assistant Chief Fire Officer, presented the report providing a closure on the Futures 25 change and improvement programme, setting out the achievements and next steps to incorporate service improvement as part of business as usual activities, highlighting the following:

(a)  phase 1 of Futures 25 ran from May 2022 to March 2023 and identified three workstreams, primarily to identify both pay and non-pay efficiencies to ensure the Authority was in a position to set a balanced budget for 2023/24: a workforce review of Green Book posts at Grade 5 and above, a fire cover review, and a review of the flexi duty officer collective agreement;

(b)  phase 2 of Futures 25 was outlined to Members in February 2023, based on the identified need for wider service improvement to support the ambition to be an outstanding fire and rescue service by 2032. Work for Phase 2 was summarised into four key areas: a governance review, revenue budget management, service redesign and a review of culture, EDI and leadership;

(c)  the strategic leadership structure has been reviewed, which has seen a reduction in substantive membership of the strategic leadership team from ten posts to nine. Governance structures have also been reviewed and meeting structures streamlined;

(d)  in February 2023, Chief Fire Officers and Fire Finance Directors were asked by the Home Office to submit annual efficiency and productivity plans, and these were incorporated into the Futures 25 programme of work. The Service continues to develop improved ways of capturing and reporting cashable and non-cashable savings, and these are now embedded as business as usual within corporate and finance teams.Changes to procurement thresholds have been implemented as part of the review of financial regulations;

(e)  the service redesign workstreams have formed the most significant portion of the service improvement programme and these will continue to be driven forward. An assessment of the ICT delivery team has begun and will be reported on to members in the new year;

(f)  the deliverables from the Futures 25 programme have included the commissioning of a comprehensive qualitative data analysis project to inform the Service’s understanding of communities, and to ensure the Service is effective in engaging with those who have not yet been reached by the prevention and protection services. The interactive mapping tool, designed with support from Nottingham Trent University and the Office for National statistics, is currently being evaluated by the Community Safety and Community Engagement Team, and the Fire Protection Team, and will be embedded as part of business as usual to ensure the Service is effective in targeting activities for best effect.

Resolved to note the contents of the report.

To consider excluding the public from the meeting during consideration of the remaining items in accordance with Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, under Schedule 12A, Part 1, on the basis that, having regard to all the circumstances, the public interest in maintaining an exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

Resolved to exclude the public from the meeting during consideration of the remaining items in accordance with Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972 (under Schedule 12A, Part 1, Paragraph 3) on the basis that, having regard to all the circumstances, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

To confirm the exempt minutes of the meeting held on 26 April 2024

The exempt minutes of the meeting held on 26 April 2024 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

Report of the Chief Fire Officer

Craig Parkin, Chief Fire Officer, presented the exempt report.

Resolved to approve the recommendations in the report.

Report of the Chief Fire Officer

Craig Parkin, Assistant Chief Fire Officer, presented the exempt report.

Resolved to approve the recommendation in the report.