Committees
A meeting of The Highland and Islands Fire Board will take place in the Council Chamber, Highland Council Headquarters, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness on Friday, 24 April 2009 at 1.30 p.m.
You are invited to attend the meeting and a note of the business to be considered is attached.
Yours faithfully,
M Morris
Clerk
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.
Business
1. Apologies for Absence
2. Minutes of Meeting of 23 January 2009
There are submitted for confirmation as a correct record the Minutes of Meeting of 23 January 2009.
3. Minutes of Meetings of the Appointments Sub Committee 6 and 25
February 2009
There are circulated for confirmation as a correct record Minutes of Meetings of the Appointments Sub Committee held on 6 February 2009 and 25 February 2009.
4. Minutes of Integrated Risk Management Plan Working Group 20
March 2009
There are circulated Minutes of Meeting of the Integrated Risk Management Plan Working Group held on 20 March 2009.
There is also circulated in a separate Booklet A report by the Chief Fire Officer entitled “IRMP Risk Review - Future Capital Build Programme Proposals”, previously circulated to the Working Group and now updated in light of the comments made at the Group’s March meeting.
The Board is asked to approve the recommendations of the Working Group.
5. Revenue Expenditure 2008/09 – Monitoring Statement
There is circulated for noting Report No. fire-11-09 dated 9 April 2009 by the Chief Fire Officer setting out the current position of the Revenue Monitoring Statement for the period to 31 March 2009.
6. Capital Expenditure Monitoring Report 2008/09
There is circulated for noting Report No fire-12-09 dated 9 April 2009 by the Chief Fire Officer showing the expenditure and income relating to the Board’s capital programme for the period to 31 March 2009, together with statement by the Treasurer.
7. Capital Budget 2009/10 & Outline Capital Plan 2010 to 2012
There is circulated Report No. fire-13-09 dated 9 April 2009 by the Chief Fire Officer setting out the sources of capital funding available to the Board for 2009/10, and also the proposals and recommendations for allocating the Board’s capital programme for 2009/10, taking account of the Service’s strategic aims, in particular the commitment to improve building stock and vehicle fleet. The outline capital plan for 2010/11–2011/12 is appended to the report.
The Board is invited to:
i. approve the proposed capital programme for 2009/10, as outlined in
Appendix 1 to the report, and the Outline Plan for 2010/11 and
2011/2012; and
ii. continue to engage with the Government, COSLA and the Constituent
Authorities to secure the necessary funding for 2010/11 and beyond.
8. Increase in Special Service Charges
There is circulated Report No. fire-14-09 dated 9 April 2009 by the Chief Fire Officer advising that, in accordance with usual practice, Special Service Charges have been increased in line with inflation with effect from 1 April 2009.
The Board is asked to approve the changes to Special Service Charges.
9. Incident Recording System
There is circulated Report No. fire-15-09 dated 9 April 2009 by the Chief Fire Officer on Government requirements for the introduction of a new Incident Recording System from 1 April 2009.
10. Working Time Directive
There is circulated Report No fire-16-09 dated 9 April 2009 by the Chief Fire Officer updating Members on the Conciliation Process between the European Parliament and the EU Council in relation to the implementation of the Working Time Directive.
11. Fire Conveners’ Forum Update
A verbal update will be given on the meeting of the Scottish Fire Conveners Forum held on 22 April 2009.
12. Gender Equality Scheme Annual Report
At its meeting held on 23 January 2009, the Board noted that the Board’s revised Race Equality Scheme and its annual report in relation to the Disability Equality Duty had both been published by their respective due dates under delegated powers granted by the Board at its meeting on 14 November 2008.
Members are advised that the Board is required to publish its annual report on its Gender Equality Scheme by 29 June 2009. As the Board does not meet again until 10 September 2009, Members are again asked to delegate powers to the Clerk to prepare and publish a report by that date, in consultation with the Convener, Vice Convener and the Board’s Equality and Diversity Champions, Mr J Ford and Mrs H Carmichael.
13. Freedom of Information – Publication Scheme
Members are reminded that the Board is required, in terms of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 and the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004, to adopt and maintain a Publication Scheme approved by the Scottish Information Commissioner.
There is circulated Report No. fire-17-09 dated 7 April 2009 by the Chief Fire Officer inviting the Board to homologate the submission to the Scottish Information Commissioner of the adoption by the Board of the revised Scottish Fire Services Model Publication Scheme.
14. Capital Programme Monitoring Report
There is circulated for noting Report No. fire-18-09 dated 8 April 2009 by the Director of Housing and Property of the Highland Council summarising the status of all current key projects carried out for the Board.
15. Site Acquisitions Progress Report
There is circulated for noting Report No. fire-19-09 dated 8 April 2009 by the Director of Housing and Property of the Highland Council summarising the status of the acquisition of sites for future development.
16. Operational Update
The Chief Fire Officer will provide an update on recent operational activities.
17. Fire Service Conference 3-4 February 2009
A verbal report will be given on the Fire Service Conference attended by the Convener and Mr I Mackenzie in early February 2009.
18. Disposal of Surplus Property
Following completion of the new build at Dunvegan, Isle of Skye, the Board is asked to agree that the former Fire Station at Dunvegan be declared surplus to requirements and that arrangements be made for its disposal.
19. Execution of Deeds
Members are asked to note the following deeds recently executed on behalf of the Board:
• Disposition by Highland and Islands Fire Board in favour of Lochaber Housing Association Limited of former Fire Station, Claggan, Fort William