Committees

 

A meeting of the  Highland and Islands Fire Board will take place in the Council Chamber, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness on Wednesday, 22 November 2006 at 2.00p.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.           Minutes of Meeting held on 25 August 2006

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

 

3.           Audit Working Group – Minutes

There are circulated for confirmation Minutes  of Meeting of the Audit Working Group held on 10 November 2006.

 

4.           Review of Emergency Preparedness

In June 2006, the Fire and Civil Contingencies Division of the Scottish Executive Justice Department instigated a review of Scotland’s preparedness to deal with major emergency situations.  As part of the consultation exercise Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Fire Services, Mr Jeff Ord, and other members of his team will address the Board on the Emergency Preparedness Consultation Exercise. 

 

There is circulated Report No. FIRE-44-06 dated 10 November 2006 by the Chief Fire Officer comprising a draft response to the Scottish Executive Justice Department’s Consultative Review of Scotland’s preparedness, for consideration by Members following the presentation.

 

The Board is asked to agree a response for submission to the Scottish Executive on the subject of emergency preparedness.

 

Appointment of Officers

 

5.           Appointment of Interim Monitoring Officer

 

In view of the long term sickness absence of the Board’s Monitoring Officer, the Board is asked to agree that the Director of Corporate Services, the Highland Council, be appointed as Interim Monitoring Officer until further notice.

 

Policy and Finance

 

6.           Revenue Expenditure 2006/07 – Monitoring Statement

There is circulated for noting Report No. FIRE-45-06  dated 2 November 2006 by the Chief Fire Officer setting out the current revenue monitoring statement for the period to 30 September 2006 and the predicted year end position.

 

The Board is asked to:

 

i.             agree to transfer, at year end, any remaining pension underspend back to the Constituent Authorities

ii.           authorise £250,000 transfer from revenue to capital and bring forward planned expenditure in 2007/08 on vehicles to 2006/07, allowing a reduction in 2007/08 vehicle spend which will be reallocated to assist the building programme; and

iii.         agree to the transfer of any remaining efficiency savings to the Revenue Reserve (up to the maximum permitted), in order to address the future challenges as identified in the report.

 

7.           Requisitions from Constituent Authorities

There is circulated Report No. FIRE-46-06  dated 2 November 2006 by the Treasurer advising that the Scottish Executive has agreed to apply new percentages for the distribution of Grant Aided Expenditure (GAE) between the constituent authorities to reflect the changing expenditure profile caused by the upgrading of fire fighters in the Board area from volunteer to retained status.  The revised GAE distributions will take effect from 2007/08.

 

The requisitions from constituent authorities agreed in January were on the basis that the new percentages would apply from 2006/07.  This is not now the case and this report recommends an approach for dealing with the disparity between GAE and requisitions in the current financial year.

 

The Board is asked to request a one-off payment from Highland Council of £1,025,958 to the other constituent authorities of the Board, to be distributed as follows:

 

Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar                  £289,257

Orkney Islands Council                      £277,180

Shetland Islands Council                    £459,521

 

 

8.           Revenue Reserve Strategy

 

There is circulated Report No. FIRE-47-06  dated 2 November 2006 by the Chief Fire Officer setting out the relevant guidelines pertaining to the permitted and recommended revenue reserves for local authorities and identifying forthcoming projects and specific requirements for 2007/08.  The report recommends that a sum of 3% of the Board’s revenue budget (approximately £650,000) be retained for contingency purposes, with any sums in excess of this figure being earmarked to meet identified future projects or specific requirements.

 

The Board is asked to approve the strategy for revenue reserves as set out in the report.

 

9.           Capital Programme – Monitoring Statement 2006/07

There is circulated for noting Report No. FIRE-48-06 dated 2 November 2006 by the Chief Fire Officer on Capital Expenditure summarising income and expenditure relating to the Board’s capital programme for the period to 30 September 2006.

 

10.       IT Partnership Project Update

 

There is circulated for noting Report No. FIRE-49-06 dated 2 November 2006 by the Chief Fire Officer providing an update on progress with the Fujitsu IT partnership.  The partnership will provide an IT capability to every Retained station and is progressing in accordance with the agreed project plan and within the agreed financial framework.

 

11.       Staff Cars – Principal Officers

 

There is circulated Report No. FIRE-50-06 dated 2 November 2006 by the Chief Fire Officer advising the Board on the existing arrangements for the replacement of Principal Officers’ cars and recommending an amended process based on a best value approach.

 

The Board is asked to approve the amended process for replacement of Principal Officers’ cars, such that the criteria, type and frequency of replacement of the Service’s Principal Officers’ cars in based on the advice of the Service’s Head of Engineering and Supplies, who will monitor market trends, costs, suitability and availability.

 

12.       New Pension Scheme Update

 

There is circulated Report No. FIRE-51-06  dated 19 October 2006 by the Treasurer updating the Board on progress in respect of implementation of the New Firefighters’ Pension Scheme (NFPS) and clarifying issues outstanding from the consultation exercise. 

 

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

 

13.       Corporate Governance

 

i.             Financial Regulations and Standing Orders Relating to Contracts

 

At its meeting held on 25 August 2005, Members noted that the Board’s and Brigade’s Financial Regulations and Standing Orders relating to Contracts were being kept under review and that any recommendations for amendment would be brought to a future meeting of the Board for approval.

 

Following consultation between the Chief Fire Officer, the Treasurer and the Highland Council’s Procurement Manager, there are now circulated for approval revised Financial Regulations (pp.66-91) and Standing Orders  Relating to Contracts (pp.92-111).

 

The Board is asked to approve (i) the amended Financial Regulations and (ii) the amended Standing Orders relating to Contracts.

 

ii.           Scheme of Delegation

 

In light of legislative changes, particularly those introduced by the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005, and also recent Board decisions on aspects of the remits of some of its Working Groups, there is circulated (pp.112-121) for approval revised and updated Scheme of Reference and Delegation to Sub-Committees/Working Groups and Officers, the principal changes being shown in italics.

 

14.       Disability Equality Duty

 

There is circulated Report No. FIRE-52-06 dated 7 November 2006 by the Chief Fire Officer advising that the Disability Discrimination Act 2005 requires that, from 5 December 2006, all public bodies will have a duty to promote disability equality (similar to the duty to promote race equality under the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000).  This will require the Highland and Islands Fire Board and the Highlands and Islands Fire and Rescue Service to have developed a Disability Equality Scheme by this date.

 

The Board is asked to note the content of the report and to agree to adopt the first Disability Equality Scheme to be developed by the Highland and Islands Fire Board and Highlands and Islands Fire and Rescue Service.

 

Stations and Houses

   

15.       Capital Programme Monitoring Report

There is circulated for noting Report No. FIRE-53-06 dated 8 November 2006 by the Director of Property and Architectural Services of the Highland Council summarising the progress and expenditure on all capital projects currently being carried out for the Board.

 

16.       Site Acquisitions Progress Report

There is circulated for noting Report No. FIRE-54-06 dated 8 November 2006 by the Director of Property and Architectural Services of the Highland Council summarising the current status of site acquisitions for the Highland and Island 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 of 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 the Convener prior to the meeting.

 

17.       Planned and Capitalised Maintenance – Monitoring Report

There is circulated for noting Report No. FIRE-55-06 dated 7 November 2006 by the Director of Property and Architectural Services of the Highland Council inviting the Board to note the Planned Maintenance Programmes and the progress being made.

 

18.       Disposal of Surplus Property - Dunvegan Fire Station

 

Following completion of the new build Fire Station at Dunvegan, and in consultation with the Convener and Vice-Convener, the Chief Fire Officer has declared that the former fire station at Dunvegan is now surplus to requirements and that arrangements can be made for its disposal.

 

The Board is invited to approve the disposal of this property.

 

General

 

19.       Chief Fire Officer’s Activity/Progress Report – October 2006

 

There is circulated for noting Report No. FIRE-56-06  dated 9 November 2006 by the Chief Fire Officer providing an overview of the Service’s activity for July, August and September 2006 and covering the following areas:

 

i.             Community Risk Management

ii.           Performance Management

iii.         Intervention

 

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 1 of Schedule 7A of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973.

 

20.       Schedule of Meetings

 

At its meeting on 25 August 2006, the Board agreed that its first scheduled meeting in 2007 be held on Friday, 19 January 2007, to meet the Constituent Authorities’ budget schedule.  Members are asked to note that, as in previous years, a meeting of the Budget Working Group will be held on Tuesday, 9 January 2007, to give preliminary consideration to the 2007/08 budget proposals.  A meeting of the Audit Working Group will also be held on 9 January 2007.

 

Members are asked to agree that the Board’s final meeting prior to the local government elections in May be held on Friday, 30 March 2006.

 

 

21.       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 for items 22 and 23 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. 

 

Staffing (Continued)

 

22.       Principal Officer’s Pay Review

 

Paragraph 1

 

There is circulated to Members only Report No. FIRE57/06 dated 1 November 2006 by the Clerk inviting Members to consider an independent review by an external consultant of the Chief Fire Officer’s salary.

           

General (Continued)

 

23.       Firelink - Update

 

Paragraph 8

 

There is circulated to Members only for noting Report No. FIRE58/06 dated 2 November 2006 by the Chief Fire Officer (i) providing the Board with a brief on the Firelink project, which will replace all United Kingdom Fire and Rescue Service radio systems with a single modern digital system, and (ii) informing Members of the potential impact of the Firelink project to Highlands and Islands Fire and Rescue Service (HIFRS).

Staffing (Continued)

 

24.   Strategic Review of the Service

 

There is circulated Report No. FIRE-59-06 dated 16 November 2006 by the Chief Fire Officer advising Members that he has carried out a fundamental review of the service structure and setting out a proposed revised strategic management structure.

 

The report asks the Board:

 

i.   to approve the proposed revised functional structure of the service; and

ii.  to agree that further consideration of the relevant proposals of the fundamental review and their implications, including detailed financial projections, be referred to the Integrated Risk Management Planning Working Group for recommendation to and approval by the Fire Board.