Minutes of Meeting of the Highland and Islands Fire Board held in Council Headquarters, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness on Friday, 18 January 2008 at 1.30 p.m.
Present
Representing the Highland Council: Mr R Durham; Mr D Mackay; Mr D Bremner; Mr Flear; Mrs Paterson; Mr David Henderson; Mr J Gray; Mr R Balfour; Mr J Ford; Dr A Sinclair (Substitute); Mr H Wood (Substitute); Miss J Campbell (Substitute)
Representing Comhairle nan Eilean Siar: Mr N M Macleod; Mr C Nicolson; Mr P Carlin; Mr I Mackenzie
Representing Orkney Islands Council: Mr A Drever; Mr B Leslie
Representing Shetland Islands Council: Mr A Duncan; Mr A Cooper
Officials in attendance:
Mr T Wood, Acting Chief Fire Officer, Mr H Henny, Acting Deputy Chief Fire Officer, Mr J Donaldson, Acting Assistant Chief Fire Officer, Mr T Johnston, Area Manager, Community Risk Management, Highland and Islands Fire and Rescue Service (HIFRS), Mr A MacAllister, Head of Corporate Services, HIFRS, Mrs M Fisk, Head of Human Resources HIFRS, Mr D Robertson, Treasurer’s Office, Mrs M Grigor, Treasurer’s Office, Ms R Pieroni, Clerk, Mrs R Moir, Assistant Clerk, Mrs L Lee, Clerk’s Office
Mr R Durham in the Chair
1. Preliminaries
Prior to the commencement of the meeting, the Convener read out a letter dated 17 January 2008 from the Highlands and Islands Fire and Rescue Service Station Manager (Control) referring to the Scottish Government’s recent decision not to centralise Fire Service Control rooms and thanking the Board for its support throughout the campaign to retain local Control Rooms.
The Board NOTED the terms of the letter.
2. Apologies for Absence
Apologies for absence were intimated on behalf of Mr W Fernie, Mrs I Campbell, Mr E Hunter, Mrs H Carmichael, Mr A Graham and Mrs L MacDonald (OCB) of the Highland Council.
3. New Year Honours List 2008
The Board congratulated Mr A Wood, Acting Chief Fire Officer, on his being awarded The Queen’s Fire Service Medal for Distinguished Service in the New Year Honours List.
4. Presentation of Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
In recognition of 20 years’ service with the Fire and Rescue Service and former Fire Brigade, the Convener presented Mr T Johnston, Area Manager, Community Risk Management, with the Fire Service Long Service and Good Conduct medal.
5. Minutes of Meeting of 22 November 2007
The minutes of meeting held on 22 November 2007, copies of which had been circulated, were found correct and APPROVED.
6. Revenue Expenditure 2007/08 – Monitoring Statement
There had been circulated Report No. Fire 1-08 dated 18 December 2007 by the Chief Fire Officer setting out the current position of the Revenue Monitoring Statement for the period to 30 November 2007, together with a statement by the Treasurer.
The report indicated that it was anticipated that the year-end position would be an under-spend of £215,000 representing just over 1% of the budget. Members were reminded that £195,000 of the revenue budget had been funded from reserves and the under-spend would be required to ensure that reserves were maintained at the necessary level for 2008/09 and beyond.
An explanation having been given that the over-spend on Support Services was due to additional building maintenance works having been required, the Board NOTED the position.
7. Policy and Finance Working Group – 8 January 2008
There had been circulated Minutes of meeting of the Policy and Finance Working Group held on 8 January 2008.
The Board APPROVED the minutes and AGREED the Working Group’s recommendations as set out therein, subject to additional points raised by Members in discussion and as minuted below.
i. Revenue Estimates 2008/09
There had been circulated Report No. PFWG3-08 dated 18 December 2007 by the Highlands and Islands Fire and Rescue Service (HIFRS) Head of Corporate Services summarising the Revenue Budget 2008/09 and the budget implications for the years 2008-2010, previously circulated to the Policy and Finance Working Group (item 4 of the Minutes refers) and recommended by that Group for approval. There was also tabled copy letter dated 10 January 2008, sent to the Scottish Executive on behalf of the Board, which took account of the Working Group’s further recommendations that the Board’s representations to the Scottish Government with regard to pensions be extended to refer also to issues relating to Transitional Funding, as set out in the Minutes.
The Acting Chief Fire Officer reminded Members that (i) excluding unavoidable pressures, the budget increase on the current year was 2.1% and (ii) efficiency savings of 2% had been made and were being reinvested. However, due to the Pensions and Firelink position, the actual budget increase in total amounted to 6.5%. If this budget were agreed by the Board, it would also allow for Continuous Professional Development payments to be made at the nationally recommended level, as previously supported by the Board.
Concerns were raised regarding the removal of ring-fencing from Local Authority funding, in particular the issues which might arise from the Board’s requirement to meet the expected continuing high level of pensions payments for 2009/10 and 2010/11. Whilst it was understood that the Scottish Government had stated that sufficient funding to meet these requirements had been built into the block grant provided to the Local Authorities, there was nothing in writing to identify this budget line, despite requests from the Treasurer for this information. There were concerns that it would therefore become increasingly difficult for Local Authorities to identify the sums to meet the Board’s pension requirements from within the block grant. The importance of early discussions with the Treasurers of the four Constituent Authorities was recognised and supported by all Members, so that all parties could gain a full understanding of the respective positions. Members also advocated obtaining clarification from the Scottish Government as to the amount of money which was being included in the Local authorities’ block grant to meet the Board’s pension costs.
After discussion, the Board NOTED that the Northern Combined Fire Services Area Administration Scheme Order 1995, the legal framework under which the Board was established, required the Constituent Authorities to take payment through requisitions of the relevant proportion of the expenditure incurred by the Board; HOMOLOGATED the terms of the tabled letter to the Scottish Government; and AGREED:
a) that copies of the said tabled letter be sent to the Director of Finance at
each of the four constituent authorities;
b) to seek clarification from the Scottish Government as to the amount to be
included in the Constituent authorities’ block grants for the Board’s pension
requirements for 2009/10 and 2010/11, whilst noting that its budget
requirements for 2009/09 would be met; and
c) the budget for 2008/09, as set out in the circulated report.
ii. Bid for additional Capital Grant 2008/09
There had been circulated Report No PFWG4-08 (revised) dated 7 January 2008 by the HIFRS Head of Corporate Services summarising a proposed Capital Top-Slice bid, together with a letter dated 19 December 2007 from the Scottish Government, both previously considered by the Policy and Finance Working Group (item 5 of the minutes) and recommended by that Group for approval. Members also considered the Working Group’s further recommendations with regard to the establishment of a short-life Estate Condition Working Group.
In relation to the top-slice bid, the Board AGREED the submission of a top-slice capital bid to the Scottish Government, in the priority rankings as set out in the report and as recorded below:
2008/09
a) New Retained Fire Station – Tongue (£450,000)
b) Vehicles (£500,000)
c) New Retained Fire Station – Rousay (£450,000)
d) Vector Incident Command System Simulator (2 systems – 1 for the island
groups, one for the mainland) (£120,000)
2009/10
a) New Retained Fire Station – priority to be determined by the Integrated
Risk Management Plan process (£500,000)
b) Vehicles (£450,000)
c) Fortek Mobilising System for Incident command and Control (£100,000) and
Hydra Minerva Incident Command Training System (in partnership with
Grampian Fire and Rescue Service) (£300,000)
2010/11
a) New Retained Fire Station – priority to be determined by IRMP process
(£500,000)
b) Vehicles (£1m)
In relation to the Working Group’s further recommendations, the Board also AGREED to establish a short-life Estate Condition Working Group, whose remit would be to review the state of the Board’s building stock and estate management and report back to the Policy and Finance Working Group, and in so doing to include the following:
- review the existing information and data contained in the asset registers
- review the existing approach to building procurement
- review the existing approach to building maintenance
- review the existing approach to estate management services
- consider alternative methods of increasing the capital funding available to the Board.
Membership: Convener; Mrs M Paterson; Vice Convener; Mr I Mackenzie; Mr D Flear; Mr A Cooper.
iii. Draft Service Plan for 2008/09
There had been circulated and was APPROVED Report No. PFWG5-08 dated 18 December 2007 by the HIFRS Head of Corporate Services, comprising the Highlands and Islands Fire and Rescue Service’s Draft Service Plan for the three year period commencing 2008/09, together with a summary thereof, as previously considered by the Policy and Finance Working Group (item 6 of the minutes) and recommended by that Group for approval.
8. Capital Expenditure Monitoring Report 2007/08
There had been circulated Report No. Fire 2-08 dated 18 December 2007 by the Chief Fire Officer showing the expenditure and income relating to the Board capital programme for the period to 30 November 2007, together with statement by the Treasurer indicating that the projected year-end position was in line with available resources.
An explanation was given that the apparent over-spend figure on the Joint Project at Uig, Isle of Lewis, was due to an accounting convention allocating expenditure to particular financial years.
The Convener emphasised the importance of top-slice funding to the Board’s capital programme and clarified that this provision would continue for the following three years, notwithstanding the new arrangements for Local Authority funding, although there was no guarantee that the Board’s bids would be successful. Members again expressed concern at the difficult budgetary position being faced by the Constituent Authorities and stressed the importance of dialogue between the Board and the Authorities. In this regard, the Convener requested that the Treasurer compile a briefing paper for circulation to the Constituent Authorities setting out the capital issues facing the Board.
The Board NOTED the report, together with the statement by the Treasurer, and AGREED that:
a) a briefing paper on capital issues be sent to the four Constituent
Authorities;
b) meetings be sought in the late summer/early autumn 2008 between the
Policy and Finance Working Group and the Directors of Finance of the
Constituent Authorities to discuss their and the Board’s respective
budgetary positions for forthcoming years.
9. Disability Equality Scheme – Annual Report 2006/07
At its meeting held on 22 November 2006, the Board had adopted the Highland and Islands Fire Board/Highlands and Islands Fire and Rescue Service Disability Equality Scheme, as required by the Disability Discrimination Act 2005.
There had been circulated Report No. Fire 3-08 comprising the Highland and Islands Fire Board/Highlands and Islands Fire and Rescue Service Disability Equality Scheme Annual Report 2006/07, of which a copy had been submitted, at its request, to the Equality and Human Rights Commission. The Annual Report would also be published on the Fire Service’s website. The Acting Deputy Chief Fire Officer summarised the content of the report.
In response to questions regarding (i) the Board’s progress with developing an access compliance audit through relevant access panels, and (ii) progress and timescales generally across the spectrum of Equalities legislation, members were advised that the Fire and Rescue Service had recently appointed a Human Resources and Equalities Adviser and it was anticipated that, where targets had slipped, implementation would now be progressed without delay. The Service’s progress with disability access improvement works was monitored by the Equality and Diversity Forum at its quarterly meetings – the Board’s representatives on the Forum were Mr J Ford and Mrs L MacDonald. Whilst the different strands of equalities legislation required the submission of annual reports at different times of the year, a summary of progress against all equalities targets would be contained in the Chief Fire Officer’s Annual Performance Report.
The Board NOTED the report and the information given and AGREED to formally adopt the Highland and Islands Fire Board/Highlands and Islands Fire and Rescue Service Disability Equality Scheme Annual Report 2006/07.
10. Capital Programme Monitoring Report
There had been circulated Report No. Fire4-08 dated 8 January 2008 by the Interim Director of Housing and Property of the Highland Council summarising the status of all current key projects carried out for the Board.
The Project Manager, Housing and Property Service, the Highland Council, reported that good progress was being made with the Capital Programme. The new Fort William Fire Station and Training Fire House were complete and had been handed over. The improvement works at the Invergordon training School had also been completed. The New Fire Stations at Scourie, Aultbea and Helmsdale were progressing on schedule and within budget.
However, work on the Carrbridge Community Response Unit (CRU), programmed to begin in November 2007, had not yet commenced as a building warrant had not yet been issued. This delay would have financial implications for the Board, as the works would not be completed within the projected timescale. The Project Manager gave an explanation of the factors causing the delay. Whilst understanding the underlying reasons, Members commented that the continuing delay was nonetheless unacceptable.
The Board NOTED the report and the information given and AGREED that the Convener contact the Highland Council’s Acting Director of Planning and Development to press for issue of the Building Warrant for the Board’s CRU at Carrbridge as soon as possible.
In response to a suggestion from Members, the Board also AGREED that the former Fire Board Member, Mrs R Finlayson, be invited to open the new Fire Station at Helmsdale, on its completion.
11. Site Acquisitions Progress Report
There had been circulated Report No .Fire5-08 dated 8 January 2008 by the Interim Director of Housing and Property of the Highland Council summarising the status of the acquisition of sites for future development.
Mr A Drever reported that the Joint Project at North Ronaldsay was progressing, with the land having been valued at £6,000 by the District Valuer as opposed to the estimated £10,000. The costs would be shared equally by the Board and Orkney Islands Council.
In answer to questions raised, Members were advised that (i) talks were ongoing between respective solicitors with regard to the purchase of land at Scalloway, and (ii) whilst the land at Lochboisdale had now been purchased, no firm date had been set for commencement of building.
The Board NOTED the report and the information given.
12. Planned and Capitalised Maintenance – Monitoring Report
There had been circulated Report No. Fire6-08 dated 7 January 2008 by the Interim Director of Housing and Property of the Highland Council inviting Members to note the Planned Maintenance Programme and progress being made.
The Project Manager, Housing and Property Service, the Highland Council, advised that the bulk of the maintenance programme had been completed, with only a few minor projects still to complete. A number of projects had come in under budget, giving a balance of £22,000, but these savings had been redeployed to fund other projects.
An assurance having been given that, should the condition survey of Stornoway Fire Station highlight works required under Health and Safety, these would be taken into account when drawing up the buildings programme for 2009/10, the Board NOTED the report and the information given.
13. Operational Update
The Acting Assistant Chief Fire Officer updated Members on recent operational activities, and drew attention to the worryingly high number of serious Road Traffic Incidents - there had been 67 serious incidents in the previous 57 days, including 3 fatalities (whereas on average there were only 3-5 fatalities over a full year resulting from fires). 17 of the incidents had required the use of cutting gear. With approximately 1/3 of the incidents occurring on the A9 and A82 combined, the decision to place CRU units at Spean Bridge, Newtonmore and Carrbridge had proved to be sound judgement. Contact had been made with the Northern Constabulary’s Head of Operations to pass on Fire Officers’ concerns at the high number of incidents, and it was understood the Force was soon to meet with Transport Scotland to discuss the A82 in particular.
Whilst enforcement of traffic regulations was a matter for the Police, and roads engineering issues fell under the remit of the various Roads authorities, the Fire and Rescue Service had a role in educating and informing the public to try to improve road safety. In this regard the HIFRS was working with young people, promoting Pass Plus schemes and taking part in a demonstration at the Eastgate Centre, Inverness, to highlight road safety. The Vice Convener drew attention to material produced by Orkney Islands Council regarding road safety for school children during the winter months, which was being made available to all Local Authorities in Scotland.
In answer to questions raised, the Area Manager, Community Risk Management, informed Members that the programme of Fire Safety checks (more than 10,000 had now been carried out) and the installation of smoke detectors appeared to be bearing results, as there had been a 10% decrease in house fires over the previous two years, prior to which the number of fires had been rising steeply.
With regard to the outcomes of the major fires reported to the Board at the previous meeting, Members were advised that it was understood that 3 people had been charged in relation to the fire at Craig Dunain. Investigations into the fires at Viewhill House, Inverness and Uppat House, Brora, were ongoing.
The Board NOTED the information given.
14. Presentation
This being the Clerk’s final Board meeting prior to her forthcoming retirement, the Convener presented Ms Pieroni with a bouquet of flowers. The Board echoed the Convener’s thanks for the Clerk’s support since her commencement in post in December 2001, and joined him in wishing the Clerk well for the future.
The meeting ended at 3.15p.m.