Agenda and minutes

Venue: Lecture Theatre - Fire Service Headquarters, Sadler Road, Winsford, Cheshire CW7 2FQ. View directions

Contact: Victoria Elliott 

Items
No. Item

1.

PROCEDURAL MATTERS

1a

Recording of Meeting

Members are reminded that this meeting will be audio-recorded.

Minutes:

Members were reminded that the meeting would be audio-recorded.

1b

Apologies for absence

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor T Sherlock.

1c

Declarations of Members' Interests

Members are reminded that the Members’ Code of Conduct

requires the disclosure of Statutory Disclosable Pecuniary Interests, Non-Statutory Disclosable Pecuniary Interests and Disclosable

Non-Pecuniary Interests.

Minutes:

A Member appointed by Cheshire West and Chester asked whether it was necessary to declare an interest.  Both sites were in the areas of Cheshire West and Chester Council and both would require planning permission.  The Member was involved in determining planning applications. The Director of Governance and Commissioning said that he could see no reason to declare an interest at the meetings of the Fire Authority or its committees. However, he felt that it would be important for Members to be clear about their involvement in determining planning applications made on behalf of the Fire Authority.

1d

Minutes of the Estates and Property Committee pdf icon PDF 84 KB

Minutes:

RESOLVED: That

 

[1]       the minutes of the meeting of the Estates and Property Committee held on Wednesday 6th December 2017 be confirmed as a correct record.

2.

Exclusion of the Press and Public pdf icon PDF 49 KB

Minutes:

RESOLVED: That

 

by virtue of Section 100(A) (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) Order 2006, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the item of business listed below on the grounds that they involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Schedule 12A to the Act in the paragraph indicated:

 

Item 3: Chester Fire Station Update

 

(3) Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding the information)

 

Item 4: Training Centre Update

 

(3) Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding the information)

 

3.

Chester Fire Station Update

The report presents information to Members about the work that has been carried out to-date to produce an initial design and initial cost plan for the replacement fire station that is proposed at Chester.  The report also covers planning matters and risk. Members will be shown the design and taken through the initial cost plan. Officers are encouraging Members to challenge the work that has been carried out before the project is taken to the next stage.

 

 

Minutes:

The Director of Governance and Commissioning presented the report to Members, which contained an update detailing the progress to date during the initial design phase of the project to replace Chester Fire Station.

 

RESOLVED: That

 

[1]       the content of the report and additional information providing during the meeting be noted.

4.

Training Centre Update

The discussion paper will provide Members with a summary about progress relating to the training centre and some issues have arisen.  The initial design has been developed as well as the initial cost plan.  Members are asked to consider various options before officers draft a report for the Fire Authority which meets later in July.  That report will be considered in public session.

Minutes:

The Director of Governance and Commissioning presented a discussion paper to Members. A number of officers and an external adviser provided additional information to Members. They explained how the initial design had been prepared, challenged and finalised. They provided details of the results of the surveys that had been carried out. They also provided details of the initial cost plan, which totalled a considerably higher sum than the available budget.

 

The Director of Governance and Commissioning explained that the main challenge had been unexpected abnormal costs and that officers had spent time looking at the potential for reducing the project to fit the available budget as well as considering the potential ending of the project and refurbishment of the existing facilities. Members considered the options and were clear that the project should continue as planned and that they wished to recommend the Fire Authority allocate additional budget.

 

RESOLVED: That

 

[1]      the project, as originally conceived and described in the initial design, should proceed; and

 

RECOMMENDED: That

 

[1]      the Fire Authority should allocate additional funds.