Committees
Minutes of Meeting of the Highland and Islands Fire Board held in the Council Chamber, Stornoway on Thursday, 27 April 2006 at 9.45 am.
Present
Representing The Highland Council
Mr A R McFarlane Slack, Mr D C M Flear, Mr D MacKay (Substitute), Mrs R Finlayson, Mr R W Durham, Mrs M E Paterson, Mrs J Urquhart (Substitute), Mr J Laing, Mr J Ford, Mr R Balfour, Mr A Milne, Mrs M A MacLennan, Mrs L MacDonald, Mr A Gordon, Mr N M Clark.
Representing Comhairle nan Eilean Siar
Mr N M Macleod, Mr M Macleod, Mr R Morrison.
Representing Orkney Islands Council
Mr A Drever, Mr R Sclater.
Representing Shetland Islands Council
Mr W Tait, Mr J P Nicolson.
Officials in attendance:
Mr B Murray, Chief Fire Officer
Mr H Henny, Temporary Deputy Chief Fire Officer
DO T Johnson, Temporary Assistant Chief Fire Officer
Mr A MacAllister, Fire and Rescue Service Head of Corporate Services
Mr D Robertson, Treasurer’s Office
Mrs S Barrie, Principal Project Manager, Property & Architectural Services, The Highland Council
Ms R Pieroni, Clerk
Mrs R Moir, Assistant Clerk
Mr A R McFarlane Slack in the Chair
1. Apologies for Absence
Apologies for absence were intimated on behalf of Mr W A Mowat, Mr A Mackay and Dr D Alston of the Highland Council and Mr D MacLean of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar.
2. Minutes of Meeting held on 20 January 2006
The Minutes of the Meeting held on Friday, 20 January 2006, copies of which had been circulated, on the motion of the Convener were found correct and APPROVED.
3. Matters Arising
With reference to item 6 of the Minutes, the Board NOTED that requisitions were being levied on the Constituent Authorities on the basis of Scottish Executive agreement to adjust the Constituent Authorities’ GAE levels as from February 2007 and that the requisition payments for the Islands authorities would be end-loaded to take account of this, so ensuring the availability of sufficient funds.
With reference to item 15 of the Minutes, the Board NOTED that the Selection Panel had met on 21 April 2006 and had appointed Mr Tony Wood, currently with Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service, to the post of Deputy Chief Fire Officer. Mr Wood was expected to take up his post in early Summer 2006.
With reference to item 17 of the Minutes, the Board NOTED that the solicitor representing the Board was in correspondence with solicitors representing the reinstated firefighters and that a report would be brought to the Board with a recommendation in due course.
4. Revenue Expenditure 2005/06 – Monitoring Statement
There had been circulated Report No. FIRE13/06 dated 4 April 2006 by the Chief Fire Officer on Revenue Expenditure for the period to 28 February 2006, together with statement by the Treasurer.
Actual gross revenue expenditure to 28 February 2006 (excluding capital charges) amounted to £14,934,000, compared with £17,027,000 as estimated in the period budget to date. The year-end projection as per the statement showed total estimated expenditure of £22,961,000, compared with the approved budget of £23,053,000.
The Board NOTED the position.
5. Capital Expenditure 2005/06 – Monitoring Statement
There had been circulated Report No. FIRE14/06 dated 4 April 2006 by the Chief Fire Officer on capital expenditure for the period to 28 February 2006, together with statement by the Treasurer.
With reference to the projected underspend of some £257,000, the Chief Fire Officer advised that discussions were being held with the Scottish Executive concerning the permitted carry forward into 2006/07.
The Board NOTED the position.
6. Capital Plan 2006/07 And Future Years
There had been circulated Report No. FIRE15/06 dated 4 April 2006 by the Chief Fire Officer setting out the Capital Programme for 2006/2007 and proposing an outline Capital Plan for 2006/07 to 2008/09. The report addressed a number of funding issues: the building/new premises programme, in particular the £1.7m top-sliced funding awarded for the new station at Fort William; motor vehicles and equipment; communications and information technology; major repairs; personal protective equipment; and site acquisitions. It reminded Members that top-sliced funding, on which this Board had relied heavily in recent years, might no longer be available in future years. Until alternative strategies were identified, the outline plans for 2007/8 and 2008/09 would be based solely on basic capital grant funding. The funding arrangements for the Firelink communications project had still to be confirmed and discussions with the Scottish Executive were ongoing at a national level.
During discussion, while the funding for Fort William was welcomed, concerns were raised about various matters including: future capital constraints and the need to identify alternative funding strategies; the need to continue to lobby the Scottish Executive; Member input to prioritisation within the future capital programme; failures to involve local Board Members in new station openings; and delays in concluding site acquisitions, with particular reference to the risk of these causing willing sellers to withdraw. The suggestion was made that, in the interests of Best Value, the Board should involve local agents, within the Islands areas in particular, to provide local knowledge and expertise to assist in expediting complex acquisitions and developments. The suggestion was also made that all options for partnership working with communities be investigated with a view to identifying innovative ways of delivering the Service’s function and, potentially, opportunities to access alternative funding sources open to communities.
The Chief Fire Officer assured Members that all means of reducing costs were being investigated, including a possible review of the current basic station design. A report on a Value Engineering Exercise would be brought to the Board. All options for sourcing capital funds were also being investigated and the information gathered would be important in future negotiations with the Scottish Executive. A further meeting with the Executive on these issues was scheduled to take place on 16 May 2006.
After discussion, the Board APPROVED the outline Capital Plan for 2006/07 to 2008/09 and AGREED that (a) a meeting of the Budget Working Group be held to consider the Capital Programme and (b) a report on a station refurbishment programme be brought to a future meeting of the Board.
7. Highlands And Islands Capital And Asset Management Strategy
There had been circulated and was APPROVED Report No. FIRE16/06 dated 4 April 2006 by the Chief Fire Officer outlining a Capital and Asset Management Strategy designed to enable the Board to deliver its desired capital outcomes.
8. Human Resources Strategy
There had been circulated and was APPROVED Report No. FIRE17/06 dated 10 April 2006 by the Chief Fire Officer setting out the Human Resources Strategy for the Highlands and Islands Fire and Rescue Service covering the period 2006-2008, whose content was welcomed by Members, in particular the provisions relating to Equality and Diversity.
9. Corporate Governance – Risk Management Strategy and
Corporate Risk Register
There had been circulated Report No. FIRE18/06 dated April 2006 by the Chief Fire Officer outlining how the Highlands and Islands Fire and Rescue Service proposed to deal with risk management using a structured and focussed approach in accordance with Corporate Governance principles. The draft Strategy set out its philosophy and implementation process and identified the roles and responsibilities of Board Members, the Chief Fire Officer and of the members of his Service Management Team.
During discussion, attention was drawn to the recent training session held by Audit Scotland and the Highland Council’s Head of Internal Audit and Risk Management for the Members of the Audit Working Group, together with Members of the Northern Joint Police Board’s Audit Working Group and Members of the Highland and Western Isles Valuation Joint Board.
The Board NOTED an offer by the Highland Council’s Head of Internal Audit and Risk Management to make a presentation to Members on risk management issues and APPROVED the adoption of the Risk Management Strategy and Corporate Risk Register.
10. Performance Audit of Scottish Fire and Rescue Services
There had been circulated Report No. FIRE19/06 dated 12 April 2006 by the Chief Fire Officer updating Members on the process being used for the performance audit study and the preparatory arrangements that had been undertaken. The audit study had commenced in March 2006 with the production of a self-assessment pro-forma and would conclude in December 2006 with the production of a local and national report, together with an improvement plan.
Members were reminded that, at their meeting held on 20 January 2006, attention had been drawn to the appointment of consultants to assist with preparations for the audit, for which a number of Fire Board Members had received some informal training. An invitation had been extended to Members from across the Board area to volunteer to participate in the audit, as Member activity was an essential part of the assessment. As a result, Mr D C M Flear, Mrs L MacDonald, Mr D MacLean and Mr A Drever had participated in the consultant-led exercise, in addition to the Convener and Vice-Convener.
During discussion, attention was drawn to some of the statistics highlighted in the Project Brief and the importance of rolling out an effective Community Fire Safety programme was emphasised.
The Board AGREED that the Convener, Vice-Convener, Mr D C M Flear, Mrs L MacDonald, Mr D MacLean, Mr A Drever and Mr W Tait be interviewed by Audit Scotland as part of the performance audit process scheduled to take place during the period 12-23 June 2006 and otherwise NOTED the position.
11. Scottish Fire And Rescue Circular 1/2006 – Leadership and
Development In The Fire And Rescue Service – Consultation
There had been circulated Report No. FIRE20/06 dated 7 April 2006 by the Chief Fire Officer on a Scottish Executive consultation on Leadership and Development in the Fire and Rescue Service, on which comments had been sought by 21 April 2006.
The Board AGREED to homologate the terms of the response to the consultation submitted on behalf of the Board following consultation with the Convener and Vice-Convener.
12. Integrated Risk Management Planning (IRMP)
There had been circulated (a) Minutes of the Integrated Risk Management Planning Group meeting held on 13 April 2006 and (b) the following reports previously circulated to the IRMP Working Group at its meeting held on 13 April 2006:
i. IRMP1/06: IRMP Action Plan 2006/07 – Stakeholder Consultation;
ii. IRMP2/06: Sustainability Review – Way Forward (draft); and
iii. IRMP3/06: Community Response Unit Implementation Plan Update.
The Board APPROVED the draft IRMP Action Plan 2006/07 for publication in line with the identified process and otherwise NOTED the position.
13. Capital Programme Monitoring Report
There had been circulated Report No. FIRE21/06 dated 5 April 2006 by the Director of Property and Architectural Services of the Highland Council on progress with projects carried out for the Board.
Attention was drawn to difficulties experienced with Scottish Water, in particular in relation to the water supply for the new Retained Fire Station proposed at Dunvegan; to the obligation to carry out a contaminated land study at Beauly, although no contamination had been found; and to delays in progressing some temporary prefabricated units, due in particular to problems with site acquisitions.
Members representing Comhairle nan Eilean Siar drew attention to flooding problems being experienced in the vicinity of Stornoway Fire Station and to neighbour perception that the fault originated from there, with responsibility therefore lying with the Board. However, the clear advice from the Board’s legal advisers was that the Board was not liable for the situation giving rise to complaint. While some Members expressed a desire to view the site, an undertaking was accepted that a full report on the issues involved would be brought to the next meeting of the Board, to ensure that Members were fully briefed.
The Board AGREED that a report on the flooding problems being experienced in the vicinity of Stornoway Fire Station be brought to the next meeting of the Board and otherwise NOTED the position.
14. Site Acquisitions Progress Report
There had been circulated and NOTED Report No. FIRE22/06 dated 5 April 2006 by the Director of Property and Architectural Services of the Highland Council outlining the status of site acquisitions for the Highland and Islands Fire Board projects and contracts as at that date.
15. Planned And Capitalised Maintenance – Monitoring Report
There had been circulated and NOTED Report No. FIRE23/06 dated 5 April 2006 by the Director of Property and Architectural Services of the Highland Council inviting the Board to note the Planned Maintenance Programmes and progress being made.
16. Helmsdale Fire Unit
Arising from Item 10 of the Minutes of meeting of 20 January 2006, there had been circulated Report No. FIRE24/06 dated 5 April 2006 by the Director of Property and Architectural Services regarding the possible development of the unit at Helmsdale.
The Board AGREED to refer this matter to the forthcoming meeting of the Budget Working Group (item 6 above refers).
17. Disposal Of Properties
The Board NOTED that, following completion of new builds at the relevant locations, and in consultation with the Convener and Vice-Convener, the Chief Fire Officer had declared that the former Board garages at Durness, Lochcarron, Lochmaddy and Mid Yell were now surplus to requirements; and AGREED that arrangements be made for their disposal.
18. Chief Fire Officer’s Activity/Progress Report – April 2006
There had been circulated Report No FIRE25/06 dated 4 April 2006 by the Firemaster comprising his Operations Report and covering the following issues:-
i. Summaries of incidents for January, February and March 2006;
ii. Community Fire Safety initiatives;
iii. Performance Management; and
iv. Letters of appreciation and complaints against the Brigade.
In speaking to his report, the Chief Fire Officer highlighted the National Fire Safety Award recently presented to a 12-year old Inverness boy who had alerted the emergency services to a house fire and so been instrumental in saving the occupant.
Attention was drawn to the successful roll-out of the Community Fire Safety Programme, which would in future be the lead item in the Chief Fire Officer’s report. During discussion, the importance of liaison with the Housing and Social Work Service and with Housing Associations was emphasised, in particular where incidents were reported or problems identified during Fire Safety checks.
The Board NOTED the terms of the report and RESOLVED that individual letters of appreciation and complaint, which had been available for inspection by Members prior to the meeting, be declared exempt information by virtue of Paragraph 1 of Part I of Schedule 7A of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973.
19. Exclusion Of The Public
The Board RESOLVED that, under Section 50A(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following item on the grounds that it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part 1 of Schedule 7A of the Act, under paragraphs 6, 8 and 9.
20. Acquisition Of Site At Beauly For New Retained Fire Station
Paragraph 9
There had been circulated copy reports from (i) the District Valuer and (ii) the Head of Property for the Highland Council, on terms agreed for the acquisition of a site at Beauly for a new Fire Station.
The Board AGREED to homologate this acquisition following consultation with the Convener and Vice-Convener.