Committees

 

A meeting of the Highland and Islands Fire Board will take place in the Council Chamber, Council Headquarters, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness  on Friday, 25 August 2006 at 2.00 p.m.

 

You are invited to attend the meeting and a note of the business to be considered is attached.

 

Yours faithfully

 

Roslyn Pieroni

Clerk to the Board

 

Declarations of Interest – Members are asked to consider whether they have an interest to declare in relation to any item on the agenda for this meeting. Any Member making a declaration of interest should indicate whether it is a financial or non-financial interest and include some information on the nature of the interest. Advice may be sought from Officers prior to the meeting taking place.    

 

Preliminaries

 

1.  Apologies for Absence

 

2.  Obituary – Mrs Margaret MacLennan

The Convener will pay tribute to Mrs Margaret MacLennan who had been a Substantive Member of the Board since 1995.

 

3.   Appointments to the Board

 

Members are advised that the Highland Council has appointed Mrs Helen Carmichael, previously a Substitute Member of the Board, as a Substantive Member, to fill the vacancy created by the death of Mrs MacLennan.  That Council has also appointed Mr Ron Lyon to fill the Substitute Member position previously held by Mrs Carmichael.

 

4.   Appointments to Working Groups and Sub Committees Etc.

 

i.   Audit Working Group 

 

Following the death of Mrs MacLennan, membership of the Audit Working Group has been reduced to five only: Mr R C Sclater, Mrs M E Paterson, Mr R A C Balfour, Mr D MacLean and Mr W Tait.  It would be helpful if the membership could be maintained at six, to make it easier to achieve a quorum for any given meeting.  The Board is accordingly invited to appoint another Member to the Audit Working Group.

 

ii.  Grievance Appeals Sub-Committee

 

Following the death of Mrs MacLennan, membership of the Grievance Appeals Sub-Committee has been reduced to four only: Mr A R McFarlane Slack, Mr R C Sclater, Mrs R Finlayson and Mr D MacLean.  It would be helpful if the membership could be raised to six, to make it easier to achieve a quorum for any given meeting.  The Board is accordingly invited to appoint two other Members to the Grievance Appeals Sub-Committee.

 

In this context, Members are also asked to note that the enactment of the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 means the introduction of a number of changes in relation to Discipline and Grievance procedures which impact on the role of the Board.  It is intended that a briefing/training session will be provided in due course to all Board Members in relation to these changes, particularly with a view to assisting the understanding of Members appointed to the Board following the May 2007 local government elections.

 

5.  Queens’ Birthday Honours

 

The Board is asked to note that the following Highlands and Islands Fire and Rescue Service (HIFRS) staff have been recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list announced on 17 June 2006:

 

i.   Mr Hugh Henny, Assistant Chief Fire Officer, was awarded the Queen’s Fire Service Medal; and

 

ii.   Mrs Alice Arthur, Sub Officer, Retained Fire Unit , Out Skerries, Shetland, was awarded an MBE for services to the community.

 

6.  Minutes of Meeting held on 25 April 2006

 

There are circulated for confirmation Minutes of Meeting of 25 April 2006.

 

7.  Audit Working Group - Minutes

 

There are circulated for approval Minutes of Meeting of the Audit Working Group held on 11 August 2006.  In particular the Board is asked to agree that the remit of the Audit Working Group be extended to include early scrutiny of the Chief Fire Officer’s Public Performance Report and Service Plan.

 

8.   Chief Fire Officer’s Public Performance Report 2005/06

 

There is circulated Report No. FIRE-27-06 dated 10 August 2006 by the Chief Fire Officer, together with his Public Performance Report for 2005/06, which is circulated separately.  An executive summary will follow.

 

The Chief Fire Officer’s Public Performance Report (PPR) is published annually and is the mechanism by which performance is reported for the previous financial year.  It also provides stakeholders with an understanding and insight into the vital work of the Highlands and Islands Fire and Rescue Service.

 

The Board is asked to approve the Chief Fire Officer’s Public Performance Report for publication.

 

Policy and Finance

 

9.  Statement of Unaudited Accounts 2005/06

There is circulated for noting Report No. FIRE-28-06 comprising the Statement of Unaudited Accounts for 2004/05, on which the Treasurer will comment.

 

10.  Revenue Expenditure 2006/07 – Monitoring Statement

 

There is circulated Report No. FIRE-29-06 dated 31 July 2006 by the Chief Fire Officer on Revenue Expenditure for the period to 30 June 2006, together with statement by the Treasurer.

 

11.  Capital Expenditure

 

a)  Out-turn 2005/06

 

There is circulated for noting Report No. FIRE-30-06 dated 7 August 2006 by the Chief Fire Officer on the financial out-turn for 2005/06.

 

b)  Monitoring Statement 2006/07

 

There is circulated for noting Report No. FIRE-31-06 dated 31 July 2006 by the Chief Fire Officer on Capital Expenditure for the period to 30 June 2006, together with statement by the Treasurer.

 

12.   Capital Plan Developments - Budget Working Group – Minutes

There are circulated for approval Minutes of Meeting of the Budget Working Group held on 11 August 2006.  Item 19 below also refers.

13.  IT Partnership Progress Report

There is circulated Report No. FIRE-32-06 dated 23 July 2006 by the Chief Fire Officer providing an update on progress with the IT Partnership with Fujitsu and detailing the project plan.  Fujitsu will provide an IT network for the Service’s 95 Retained stations, providing improved communications with Service managers as well as enhanced access to learning and development material.  As part of the project, development of a new Corporate Intranet is also being undertaken.

 

The Board is invited to note the content of the report.

 

14.  Increase in Special Charges

 

There is circulated Report No. FIRE-33-06 dated 10 August 2006 by the Chief Fire Officer advising that Special Service Charges have been increased in line with inflation with effect from 1 April 2006.

 

The Board is asked to approve the changes to Special Service Charges.

 

15.  Community Fire Risk Reduction Analysis Project

 

There is circulated Report No. FIRE-34-06 dated 11 August 2006 by the Chief Fire Officer on the Community Fire Safety (CFS) Risk Reduction Analysis project.  The project will involve the Service embarking on a ground breaking approach to develop a method to measure and evaluate the effectiveness of CFS initiatives.  The project is the first of its kind in the UK and will inform the Integrated Risk Management Planning (IRMP) Process and strategic planning in making communities safer.  It will also enable the development of a more targeted and effective use of the Service’s resources.

 

The Board is asked to note the progress of this initiative and that further reports will be submitted to the IRMP Working Group as the project develops.

16.  Highlands and Islands Fire and Rescue Service (HIFRS) and Community Engagement

There is circulated Report No. FIRE-35-06 dated 10 August 2006 by the Chief Fire Officer advising that, although the Service has done much in recent times to engage the community in its decisions, and is committed to people having a greater say in how local services are planned and delivered, a recent Audit Scotland report found that “community engagement is progressing but it needs to be more sustained and systematic”.  

 

There is circulated separately as Booklet A an HIFRS document entitled “The National Standards for Community Engagement – A Review”, presenting the outcome of the review of the National Standards Community Engagement and recommending that the Highland and Islands Fire Board:

 

i.             develop, publish and circulate a Statement of Intent

ii.           place responsibilities for managing Community Engagement within a Specific Function

iii.         produce a Community Engagement Strategy; and

iv.         appoint the Convener as Community Engagement Champion for the Board.

 

The Board is invited to note the content of the report and agree the above recommendations.

 

17.  Board Members - Support and Development

 

Following the circulation of a learning needs questionnaire at the Fire Board meeting on 27 April 2006, there is circulated Report No. FIRE-36-06 dated 11 August 2006 by the Chief Fire Officer providing an overview of the 17 responses received and recommending that development opportunities are planned for current and future Fire Board Members.  The report also outlines the role of Champions and recommends that plans are made to initiate a strategy to fully meet the training and development needs of members.

 

The Board is asked to agree that:

 

i.   a seminar be arranged for Members in November 2006;

ii.  a two day induction programme be organised and held within the first six months of the new Fire Board being formed;

iii.  ongoing refresher training be planned throughout the life of the next Board; and

iv.  development plans be agreed for Champions, with ongoing support, training and development provided by the Service.

 

Staffing

18.  Rank to Role

There is circulated Report No. FIRE-37-06 dated 2 August 2006 by the Chief Fire Officer advising that, in line with the modernisation agenda and following National Guidance, the HIFRS has undertaken the process of the move from Rank to Role.  The report sets out the processes involved in this transition and the outcomes and draws attention to the possibility that a number of appeals may arise following the changes.

 

The Board is asked to comment on the content of the report.

 

Stations and Houses

 

19. Capital Programme Monitoring Report

 

There is circulated for noting Report No. FIRE-38-06 dated 27 July 2006 by the Director of Property and Architectural Services of the Highland Council on progress with projects carried out by the Board.  A more detailed update on the drainage issues at Stornoway Fire Station (section 3) will follow.

 

20. Site Acquisitions Progress Report

 

There is circulated Report No. FIRE-39-06 dated 27 July 2006 by the Director of Property and Architectural Services of the Highland Council summarising the current status of acquisitions for the Highland and Islands Fire Board projects and contracts as at that date.

 

Any Member who requires more detailed information on any project is invited to contact the Head of Contracts, Property and Architectural Services, The Highland Council, in advance of the meeting to make it possible for a full report to be prepared and sent to the Member and Convener prior to the meeting.

 

21. Planned and Capitalised Maintenance Report – Monitoring

 

There is circulated for noting Report No. FIRE-40-06 dated 20 July 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.

 

General

22.  Chief Fire Officer's Activity/Progress Report - July 2006

There is circulated for noting Report No. FIRE-41-06 dated11 August 2006 by the Chief Fire Officer providing an overview of the Service’s activity for April, May and June 2006 and covering the following areas:

 

i.  Community Risk Management

ii.   Performance Management

iii.   Intervention

iv.    Letters of Appreciation and Complaint

 

It is recommended that individual letters of appreciation and complaint, which will be 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.

23.  Execution of Deeds

a) Recently Executed Deeds

Members asked to note the following deed executed on behalf of the Board:

·     Minute of Lease between the Scottish Ministers and Highland and Islands Fire Board – site for temporary Auxiliary Fire Unit at Gorthleck, Inverness-shire

 

b) Authorised Signatories

Currently the Clerk and the Head of Legal Services, the Highland Council, are authorised to sign deeds on behalf of the Board.  This can be restrictive, particularly during periods of annual and/or sick leave.  The Board is invited to agree that the Assistant Clerk and the Highland Council’s two Legal Managers (Conveyancing and Commercial) also be authorised to sign deeds in the absence of both the current authorised signatories.  The Board is also asked to homologate the signing by the Assistant Clerk in such circumstances of a number of deeds since the last Board meeting, in the absence of both the current authorised signatories.

 

24.   Exclusion Of The Public

 

The Board is asked to resolve that, under Section 50A(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, the public be excluded from the meeting during discussion of the following items on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part 1 of Schedule 7A of the Act, the relevant paragraphs being shown below.

 

Stations and Housing (Continued)

 

25.  Fort William Fire Station – Acceptance of Tender – Homologation

 

Paragraphs 8 and 9

 

There is circulated to Members only Report No. FIRE42/06 dated 31 May 2006 by the Director of Property and Architectural Services of the Highland Council on the award of contract for Fort William Fire Station in favour of the most economically advantageous tender received.  As the contract sum, however, exceeded the budget allocation for this project, the Board is invited to homologate the action of the Clerk, in awarding this contract, following consultation with the Convener.

 

Staffing (Continued)

26.  Staffing Issues

Paragraph 11

 

There will follow to Members only report by the Clerk.