Agenda item

Before discussion of the report commenced, Councillor Flude moved an amendment to the proposed approach to crewing in Crewe and Ellesmere Port which was set out in paragraph 30 of the report. The amendment was seconded by Councillor Sherlock and was as follows:

‘No change to the current arrangements in Crewe and Ellesmere Port in 2017-18 pending a review, the outcome of which is to be considered by Members’

This would replace the wording in paragraph 30, also contained in the draft IRMP.

Councillor Flude also asked that, if approved, the spirit of the amendment be adhered to by all Members.

In light of the proposed amendment to the IRMP a Member requested that an amendment be made to recommendation [3] to ensure that ‘the Chair of the Fire Authority was consulted on any changes to the draft IRMP prior to publication’.

The Head of Communications then presented the report which sought Members’ approval to publish the Authority’s annual action plan for 2017-18 (IRMP 14), following the conclusion of a formal 12 week consultation programme.

She provided Members with an overview of the consultation programme and a summary of the key issues highlighted in the full consultation report.  There were 632 responses received from the public consultation. This provided a margin of error of plus or minus 4 at a 95% level of confidence.

The quantitative survey comprised 22 questions relating to the various proposals set out within the draft IRMP 14 and also more general questions in respect of public satisfaction.  The headline results included:

·         Overall satisfaction with the Service – 99% of the public valued Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service as a local service provider and 92% were satisfied with the overall performance of Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service.

·         IRMP overall – 79% of the public and 49% of staff agreed overall with the proposals as set out in the draft IRMP 14.

·         Council Tax increase – 66% of the public would have supported the proposed increase in the precept of 1.99%.

·         Hydraulic platform review – 19% of the public and 30% of staff agreed with the proposed move from three to two hydraulic platforms across the Service; 36% of the public and 42% of staff disagreed and opposed the proposal.

·         Additional engine at Crewe and Ellesmere Port fire stations – 75% of the public and 45 % of staff agreed; 4% of the public and 31% of staff disagreed.  The public were supportive of additional resources but some raised concerns over a perceived lack of fire cover in the evening and at weekends.  It was also noted that this question caused some confusion as the second fire engine at both stations had not yet made the transition to on-call as planned.  Therefore, some staff questioned whether this was indeed ‘an additional’ resource.  Staff also expressed concerns over on-call availability and a potential reduced resilience or a reduction in service in Cheshire East.  The proposal also generated debate in Crewe about the planned change of the second fire engine to on-call.

·         Expansion of the cardiac response pilot – 89% of the public and 82% of staff agreed with rolling out the cardiac response pilot.

As a result of feedback received during the consultation process changes were proposed for IRMP 14. These were highlighted in the report and included:

·         Review of staffing arrangements Wilmslow – in light of feedback received during the consultation period, the Authority would undertake a further review of the suitability and sustainability of the current duty system at Wilmslow Fire Station.

·         Review of Staffing Arrangements Penketh – The draft IRMP 14 proposed the introduction of the nucleus duty system in Penketh, similar to that which operated at Wilmslow, Birchwood and Macclesfield. However, in light of the feedback received the Authority proposed to reconsider this proposal in 2018-19.  Any future proposal would be subject to a further period of consultation.

·         Hydraulic Platform Review:  The draft IRMP 14 proposed a reduction from 3 to 2 hydraulic platforms (or aerial appliances).  In light of feedback a hydraulic platform would be maintained at Macclesfield until the Service assesses the impact of the move of the hydraulic platform from Stockton Heath to Lymm. It was considered appropriate to review this proposal again in 2018-19.  Any future proposal would be subject to a further period of consultation.  

·         Crewe and Ellesmere Port: In 2013 the Fire Authority approved the first Emergency Response Programme which set out a series of proposals to be implemented over a number of years. This included proposals to change the duty system on the second fire engines at Crewe and Ellesmere Port from wholetime to on-call. The draft IRMP 14 for 2017-18 included plans to introduce an additional resource during the day, at both stations, to support the transition to the on-call crewing arrangements of the second fire engines.  The Fire Authority would still work towards implementing these on-call crewing arrangements but would continue to monitor the levels of operational activity, on-call availability and progress around the recruitment of on-call firefighters, with a commitment to review the proposal if it is not deemed to be achievable and sustainable (although this had been subject to consultation in late 2012/early 2013).

The final draft of IRMP 14 had been distributed with the agenda.  The latest Medium Term Financial Plan in the document assumed that the Authority had agreed to increase its Council Tax precept by 1.99% and the performance information was based on data as at 31^st December 2016 projected to the end of the year.  It was noted that all the performance and financial information would be updated with the latest available information just prior to publication in March and would be validated by the Chief Fire Officer and Chief Executive. 

Members discussed the information provided in respect of the final draft of IRMP 14 and a number of comments/queries were made prior to moving to vote on the amendments proposed.

A Member asked for assurance that, if the amendment was approved, officers would ensure there would be a full review and the current IRMP plan to work towards implementing on-call crewing arrangements at Crewe and Ellesmere Port would be suspended and that these stations would continue to be staffed 24/7 (wholetime) until the outcomes of the review were considered.

The Chief Fire Officer and Chief Executive explained what he considered to be the potential issues and risks associated with the proposed amendment.

The Chief Fire Officer and Chief Executive suggested that the review of the plan to implement on-call crewing arrangements for the second pumps at Crewe and Ellesmere Port should be discussed as part of the IRMP 15 and 2018-19 budget planning process which was scheduled to commence at the planning days in July, with reports back to the Authority in September and December to inform the approval of IRMP 15 (2018-19) in February 2018.  He went on to suggest that it would be prudent for officers to also consider the alternative options for the savings (£1.3m) required if the current plan was not to be implemented.

The Chief Fire Officer and Chief Executive went on to explain that there would be an impact on the 2017-18 budget, but that reserves could be used to manage this.  In addition, if the second pumps at Crewe and Ellesmere Port continued to be wholetime there would be a loss of circa £1.3m (currently accounted for in the MTFP) and it would be prudent, therefore, for officers to work on alternative options to deliver these savings.  It was also assumed that there would be no requirement to introduce the additional resources at Crewe and Ellesmere Port until the review was completed.

The Chief Fire Officer and Chief Executive also highlighted potential impacts on the current on-call firefighter cohorts at Crewe and Ellesmere Port.  In particular determining whether to suspend the recruitment programme and deciding how to deal with the existing cohorts of on-call firefighters.  He also highlighted the potential compulsory redundancy risk if Members decided to maintain the wholetime status of the second pumps at Crewe and Ellesmere Port.

A Member asked if a review of the move of the second pump at Chester to Powey Lane could also be considered. The Chief Fire Officer and Chief Executive explained that the second pump had already moved to Powey Lane, as agreed as part of IRMP 10 and Powey Lane was now operational.  Therefore Members requested that the impact of the removal of the second pump from Chester to Powey Lane and any subsequent reduction in cover be monitored and reviewed.  The Chief Fire Officer and Chief Executive responded that officers would review the arrangement throughout the year and report back to Performance and Overview Committee.  A Member asked that this includes the details of the impact upon response times.

A Member commented that she was pleased with the proposal for the expansion of the Cardiac Response Pilot and the support shown for this proposal by both public and staff.  A Member queried whether the IRMP should reflect that the Cardiac Response pilot would be subject to national union agreements going forward.  The Chief Fire Officer and Chief Executive explained to Members that there were national discussions on-going at present as firefighter role maps did not include co responder or cardiac response ‘roles’.  He added that there was a possibility that the FBU could withdraw from the pilot schemes and this would impact upon the Authority’s ability to continue/extend the cardiac response activity. 

Members then moved to vote on the recommendations and amendments.  In accordance with section 4.44 of the Authority’s constitution a request was made that the voting should be recorded to show how each Member present, and voting, cast their vote or whether he/she abstained.  The voting was recorded as follows:

For: Councillors Bailey, Booher, Dirir, Flude, Harris, Johnson, Mahon, Marren, Morgan, Mundry, Nelson, Parker, Polhill, Rudd, Sherlock, Simon, Tarr, Weatherill and Wright.

Councillor Deynem abstained.

RESOLVED: That

[1]       the feedback received from the consultation on the Integrated Risk Management Plan  2017-18 (IRMP 14) be considered;

[2]       the publication of IRMP 14 be approved subject to:

·         The current wording on page 24 of the draft IRMP, in relation to Crewe and Ellesmere Port, be removed and replaced with the following wording:

-       Crewe and Ellesmere Port: No change to the current arrangements in Crewe and Ellesmere Port in 2017-18 pending a review, the outcome of which is to be considered by Members; and

[3]       the Chief Fire Officer and Chief Executive be authorised to make any final changes to the draft IRMP 14 (including the addition of final performance and financial information) following consultation with the Chair of the Fire Authority.