Agenda and minutes

Venue: Lecture Theatre - Sadler Road, Cheshire

Contact: Victoria Elliott 

Items
No. Item

1.

PROCEDURAL MATTERS

1A

Record 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:

There were no apologies for absence received.

1C

Declaration 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:

There were no declarations of Members’ interests.

 

1D

Minutes of the Performance and Overview Committee pdf icon PDF 112 KB

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of the Performance and Overview Committee held on 27th February 2019.

 

Minutes:

RESOLVED:

 

That the minutes of the Performance and Overview Committee held on 27th February 2019 be confirmed as a correct record.

 

1E

Minutes of Closure of Accounts Committee pdf icon PDF 105 KB

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Closure of Accounts Committee held on 29th May 2019.

Minutes:

RESOLVED:

 

That the minutes of the Closure of Accounts Committee held on 29th May 2019 be confirmed as a correct record.

 

2.

Performance Report - Quarter 4 2018-19 pdf icon PDF 249 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Head of Protection and Organisational Performance introduced the report, which provided an update on the 2018-19 Quarter 4 review of performance for each of the Service’s Key Performance Indictor (KPIs). Appendix 1 to the report included the Corporate Performance Scorecard, which reflected the Quarter 4 position against targets set and the year-on-year direction of travel for the KPIs.

 

Officers expanded on each of the KPIs, providing further context particularly where targets set had not been achieved. These included the number of recorded deaths and injuries in primary fires, on call availability and working days lost to injury.

 

The Head of Protection and Organisational Performance reported that although there had been a rise in the number of working days lost to injury compared with figures from last year, there had been none reported for the last quarter of 2018-19.

 

The Head of Service Delivery provided Members with an update on the performance of ‘On-call availability’ for the final quarter of 2018-19. He informed Members that the overall availability for the year was 63.07% against the 85% target. He explained that although the Service was below target, recruitment for on-call firefighters had improved significantly having 13 firefighters recruited and 34 more going through the training programme to achieve their certificate allowing them to ride a fire engine.

 

RESOLVED: That

 

[1]      the report be noted.

 

3.

Programme Report - Quarter 4 2018-19 pdf icon PDF 57 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Chief Fire Officer and Chief Executive provided Members with an update on the Service’s 2018-19 Integrated Risk Management Plan (IRMP) programmes and projects.  He referred Members to Appendix 1 to the report which contained a health report for the final quarter of 2018-19.

 

He provided an update on the Blue Light Collaboration programme and confirmed that new signage had been erected to reflect the joint occupancy of Police and Fire at the Clemonds Hey site in Winsford, following permission granted by the Cheshire West and Chester Council planning department.

 

A Member queried which of the joint corporate services teams were planned to taken back ‘in house’ by the Service. The Chief Fire Officer and Chief Executive confirmed that there were no plans to bring the services back ‘in house’. However, there was still further work to be done to improve the overall service provided by the joint teams.

 

A Member drew officers attention to page 16 of the report which included an update on the replacement of Chester Fire Station project. He queried why details of a petition the Fire Authority had received was not included. The Director of Governance and Commissioning confirmed that the information contained within the report was compiled for the last quarter of 2018-19 prior to receipt of the petition.

 

RESOLVED: That

 

[1]      the report be noted.

 

4.

Internal Audit Progress Report and Internal Audit Annual Report and Head of Internal Audit Opinion 2018-19 pdf icon PDF 69 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Ann-Marie Harrop, a representative from Mersey Internal Audit Agency (MIAA), was in attendance at the meeting to present the Internal Audit Progress Report and Internal Audit Annual Report and Head of Internal Audit Opinion 2018-19.

 

The auditor referred Members to the appendices in particular the Internal Audit Annual Report and Head of Internal Audit Opinion 2018-19.  She explained that the overall opinion for the period 1st April 2018 to 31st March 2019 was that substantial assurance could be given that there was a good system of internal control in place and that controls were being applied consistently.

 

The independent non-elected member queried what benchmarking activities were in place. The auditor confirmed that as there was no longer a national body, there was no way to benchmark without reviewing all fire and rescue services and comparing assurance levels.

 

RESOLVED: That

 

[1]      the report be noted.

5.

UPG Annual Report 2018-19 pdf icon PDF 57 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Head of Service Delivery introduced the report, which provided an update on the initiatives supported and funded by the Unitary Performance Groups (UPGs) during 2018-19. The report had been produced at the request of the Chair and would be presented to this meeting on an annual basis.

 

It was reported that the UPG meetings provided an opportunity for Fire Authority Members to engage with officers from Service Delivery, Prevention and Protection to scrutinise performance at a local level.  The UPG also developed initiatives which assisted with improving performance and outcomes for the communities within each unitary area. The UPGs received £25k per year to enable them to consider and approve funding bids for activities within their areas. Information on some of the initiatives supported and funded by the UPGs during 2017-18 and Quarter 1 of 2018-19 were detailed at Appendix 1 of the report.

 

A Member queried how members of the public were able to find out about funding from UPGs. The Head of Service Delivery explained that the Service runs campaigns throughout the year to inform the community of the initiatives and funding available for community projects or to individuals keen to make a difference in their local area.

 

RESOLVED: That

 

[1]      the report be noted.

6.

North West Fire Control - Annual Report 2018-19 pdf icon PDF 253 KB

Minutes:

The Group Manager for Operational Policy and Assurance introduced the report which provided an update on the performance of North West Fire Control during the 2018-19 reporting year (1st April 2018 to 31st March 2019).

 

He informed Members that the performance recorded for the availability of the call handling and mobilising system was 100%. Members were informed above the current areas that officers were reviewing to help improve performance which included, automatic call distribution, standardisation of operating procedures amongst the brigades and business continuity arrangements.

 

A Member queried if relevant security arrangements were in place to deal with possible hackers. The Group Manager for Operational Policy and Assurance confirmed that the information technology security arrangements were maintained by Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue which provides regular assurance in this particular area.

 

RESOLVED: That

 

[1]      the performance information relating to North West Fire Control be noted.

7.

Operational and Command Training - End of Training Year Report 2018-19 pdf icon PDF 1015 KB

Minutes:

The Group Manager for Operational Policy and Assurance introduced the report, which provided members with an update on the training arrangements and achievements throughout the training year 2018-19.

 

He drew Members attention to the new performance report template which was similar to the corporate performance report and provided an indication of the performance for each of the training courses provided by the Service including a RAG status and dashboard. He asked Members to confirm that this template be used to report on an annual basis to the Performance and Overview Committee.

 

RESOLVED: That

 

[1]      the end of training year report be noted and that future reports be presented in the same format.

8.

HMICFRS Inspection Action Plan pdf icon PDF 62 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Head of Protection and Organisational Performance introduced the report which presented Members with the action plan produced in response to the ‘Areas for Improvement’ highlighted within the inspection report from Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) about the performance of Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service.

 

He reminded Members that it was reported at the last Performance and Overview Committee that it was the intention of the Service to develop the action plan through engagement and consultation across the organisation. Since then 275 members of staff had been engaged with to help inform the development of the action plan.

 

RESOLVED: That
 

[1]      the content of the action plan be agreed.

[2]      the HMICFRS Action Plan Performance Health Report be noted.

[3]      progress be reported to Performance and Overview Committee every six months.

9.

Annual Prosecutions Report 2018-19 pdf icon PDF 287 KB

Minutes:

The Head of Protection and Organisational Performance introduced the report which provided Members with an update on the prosecutions under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 during the 2018-19 IRMP period.

 

He informed Members that 25 cases had been taken to court over the past 10 years and 100% of them had been won with significant fines and sentences given. He drew Members attention to Appendix 1 to the report which included a brief description of each of the prosecutions pursued by the Service between the years 2006 to 2018.

 

RESOLVED: That

 

[1]      the contents of the report be noted.

[2]      the annual report continue to be presented to Performance and Overview Committee.

 

 

10.

Pension Administration Update pdf icon PDF 64 KB

Minutes:

The Payroll and Pensions HR Lead introduced the report which aimed to provide Members with further information regarding the changes that had been made to improve the quality of employee data and business processes following a number of errors made by the current pension administrator.

 

She provided a brief overview of the errors made by the company and led Members through each of the proposed arrangements in place to reduce the risk of reoccurrence.

 

The Chief Fire Officer and Chief Executive commended the payroll team for their diligence in spotting the errors and thanked them for their efforts to ensure that pension scheme members receive a satisfactory service.

 

RESOLVED:

 

[1]      the report be noted.

11.

Forward Work Programme pdf icon PDF 166 KB

The table includes those items that have been identified/agreed to-date.  Members are asked to agree any additional items at the end of the meeting which need to be added to the programme.

 

Minutes:

The table included those items that have been identified/agreed to-date.

 

RESOLVED: That:

 

[1]      The Forward Work Programme be noted.