Agenda item - Collaboration Update

Agenda item

Collaboration Update

Report of the Chief Fire Officer

Minutes:

John Buckley, Chief Fire Officer, presented the report that provides an overview of collaboration activity.

 

The following points were highlighted and questions from members responded to:

 

(a)  the Collaboration Delivery Board, consisting of officers, and Strategic Collaboration Board, consisting of councillors, both report to the Full Fire Authority;

 

(b)  planning permission has been submitted for the Joint Police and Fire Service Headquarters at Sherwood Lodge, with a decision expected during the autumn or 2019;

 

(c)  the LLP agreement is ongoing, as is the work on the tender document, but if approved, development could start next year with an anticipated 18 month build period, meaning that the service could move to Sherwood Lodge as early as 2021;

 

(d)  consideration of the potential of the current NFRS headquarters site is ongoing;

 

(e)  there are still sensitivities for some staff, but joint Fire and Police Workshops have been held and are proving successful in broadening understanding of each other and building relationships;

 

(f)  it is apparent that there are common themes within each service regarding managerial and leadership roles. Each service has the opportunity to learn from the other, both on current practices (the Police are particularly good at handling data), and also further developing processes and approaches, particularly in regard to improving performance for future HMICFRS inspections;

 

(g)  a Joint Police and Fire Service Cadets Program has been established with an eight week course taking place within the city, which is proposed to be rolled out to other areas;

 

(h)  the jointly branded Police and Fire Welfare unit is working well for major incidents covered by each or both services and has been particularly welcomed by Police colleagues;

 

(i)  a mutually beneficial collaboration agreement enabling the Police to access bunkered fuel from some NFRS premises is working well and is likely to reduce the cost of fuel for each service. Another potential collaboration may include Police access to jet washing facilities at fire stations;

 

(j)  the Fire Service now has access to deploy jointly commissioned drones (with professional Police controllers), which would otherwise require capital investment of between £40-50,000 plus ongoing maintenance and training costs;

 

(k)  the Joint Control Centre based in Derbyshire is working well and it is anticipated to arrange a visit for Fire Authority members following the Full Fire Authority meeting in September;

 

(l)  although having a small operational border, discussions are ongoing with South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service with regard to a mutual collaborative approach to fire protection and fire investigation learning and support, including potential prosecution;

 

(m)Police colleagues are considering the feasibility of reconfiguring the West Bridgford Fire Station site to meet their requirements, and it is anticipated that the joint site will open in the autumn of 2019. A specific briefing by the Assistant Chief Fire Officer can be arranged for local members;

 

(n)  the additional opportunity suggested by members, of the Police and Fire Services jointly engaging with schools to improve road safety, is welcomed and will be further investigated.

 

With regard to the increased traffic resulting from the shared headquarters site, members of the committee reiterated safety concerns regarding entry and exit onto the busy A60 and A614 roads. Local Authority highways colleagues had been consulted through the planning permission process and stated that no action is required. However, the professional opinion of services such as Police and Fire, which attend road traffic incidents, should also be considered and preventative measures to ensure road safety should not be dependent on the potential negative impact to local economy.

 

Members of the committee welcomed the shared fuel facility, and whilst the Service had been prepared for previous fuel supply disruptions, the provision of further fuel storage capacity would be supported by members, particularly as other public service authorities, including councils delivering crucial services, had approached the Fire Service to request access to its fuel reserves.

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