Committees
A meeting of The Highland and Islands Fire Board will take place in the Shetland Islands Council Chamber, Town Hall, Lerwick on Thursday, 10 September 2009 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,
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. Board Membership Update
The Board is asked to note formally the following changes in Highland Council appointments to the Board:
Substantive Members:
• Mrs L Munro (replacing Mr G Rimmel)
• Mrs P Munro (replacing Mrs L MacDonald)
Substitute Member:
• Mr J Crawford (replacing Mrs L Munro)
3. Queen’s Birthday Honours List
The Board is asked to note that Mr William (Billy) Muir, a Retained Fire Fighter on the Island of North Ronaldsay, Orkney, was awarded the MBE in the Queen’s Birthday honours list on 13 June 2009, for services to the community.
4. Minutes of Meeting of 24 April 2009
There are submitted for confirmation as a correct record the Minutes of Meeting 24 April 2009 .
5. Minutes of Audit Working Group – 21 August 2009
There are circulated Minutes of Meeting of the Audit Working Group held on 21 August 2009. The Board is asked to approve the recommendations of the Working Group.
6. Minutes of Integrated Risk Management Plan Working Group 21 August 2009
There are circulated Minutes of Meeting of the Integrated Risk Management Plan (IRMP) Working Group held on 21 August 2009. There are also re-circulated in Booklet A Reports Nos. IRMP4-09 and IRMP5-09, previously circulated to that meeting of the Working Group. A presentation will be given updating Members on progress with the IRMP.
The Board is asked to approve the following recommendations of the Working Group:
i. Item 2 – that the Board accept the recommendations of the Risktec
Solutions report on validation of the Capital Build Programme methodology
ii. Item 3 – that the Board approve the detailed recommendations contained
in the IRMP Risk Review Phase II Sustainability Report appertaining to the
15 named stations; and
iii. Item 3 – that a Phase 2a report be submitted on those stations whose
performance impacted upon future analysis of the full network, with a view
to promoting performance improvements and involvement in the Risk
Review process.
7. Revenue Expenditure 2009/10 – Monitoring Statement
There is circulated for noting Report No. Fire-20-09 dated 31 August 2009 by the Chief Fire Officer setting out the current position of the Revenue Monitoring Statement for the period to 31 July 2009.
8. Capital Out-turn Report 2008/09
There is circulated for noting Report No. Fire-21-09 dated 31 August 2009 by the Treasurer summarising the final capital position relating to the Highland and Islands Fire Board capital programme recorded in the ledger as at 31 March 2009.
9. Capital Expenditure Monitoring Report 2009/10
There is circulated for noting Report No Fire-22-09 dated 31 August 2009 by the Chief Fire Officer showing the expenditure and income relating to the Board’s capital programme for the period to 31 July 2009, together with statement by the Treasurer.
10. Pensions Funding
There is circulated Report No. Fire-23-09 dated 18 August 2009 by the Treasurer advising a redetermination of Revenue Support Grant in 2008/09 had increased funding to Constituent Authorities for Fire Pensions commutations by £0.235m. Agreement is needed to request that this funding be paid over to the Highlands and Islands Fire and Rescue Service.
The Board is asked to agree to a request being made by the Treasurer, to Constituent Authorities, to pay £0.235, received by them in Revenue Support Grant in support of increased costs of Fire Pension Commutations, to the Highlands and Islands Fire and Rescue Service.
11. Community Planning Partnership Engagement and Single Outcome Agreements
There is circulated Report No. Fire-24-09 dated 31 August 2009 by the Chief Fire Officer advising Members of the approach that the Service is adopting to ensure the appropriate level of engagement and support for the Community Planning Partnerships which develop Single Outcome Agreements and lead joint work within each of the Constituent Authorities.
The Board is asked to note the Service’s plans for engagement with the Community Planning Partnerships operating within each of the Constituent Authorities.
12. Fire and Rescue Framework for Scotland 2009 – Consultation
Under the provisions of the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005, Scottish Ministers are required to review the Fire and Rescue Framework for Scotland from time to time, to ensure that the document reflects the priorities, objectives and guidance required by Fire and Rescue Authorities in connection with carrying out their statutory responsibilities.
There is circulated Report No. Fire-25-09 dated 31 August 2009 by the Chief Fire Officer advising Members of the publication of the Draft Fire and Rescue Framework for Scotland 2009 and setting out a draft response from the Service on behalf of the Board.
The Board is asked to consider and approve the draft response appended to the report.
13. Scottish Fire Conveners’ Forum Update
There is circulated Report No. Fire-26-09 Fire 26/09 dated 1 September 2009 by the Clerk introducing a briefing note on recent discussions at the Scottish Fire Conveners Forum, on which the Convener will comment.
14. Corporate Governance
i. Scheme of Delegation
The Board has an obligation to review its Scheme of Delegation on a regular basis.
There is circulated for approval Report No. Fire-27-09 dated 1 September 2009 by the Clerk recommending updates to the Scheme of Delegation, with the revised wording highlighted in italics.
ii. Standing Orders for the Conduct of Meetings
The Board has an obligation to review its Standing Orders for the Conduct of Meetings on a regular basis.
There is circulated for approval Report No. Fire-28-09 dated 1 September 2009 by the Clerk recommending a number of amendments to Standing Orders, with the revised wording highlighted in italics.
iii. Contract Standing Orders
There is circulated for approval Report No. Fire-29-09 by the Chief Fire Officer dated 31 August 2009 recommending updates to the Board’s Contract Standing Orders.
15. Role Descriptions for Members
There is circulated for approval Report No. Fire-30-09 dated 1 September 2009 by the Clerk recommending the introduction of Role Descriptions for the Convener, Vice Convener and Board Members.
16. Post of Chief Fire Officer
As Members are aware, the Chief Fire Officer, Mr Brian Murray, has intimated his intention to resign as from January 2010.
There is circulated Report No Fire-31-09 dated 27 August September 2009 by the Clerk briefing Members on the appointment process for a new Chief Fire Officer.
The Board is asked to:
i. homologate the action of the Clerk in confirming the Board’s acceptance of
the Chief Fire Officer’s notice of retirement, following consultation with
Board Members;
ii. approve the proposed timetable and process for the appointment;
iii. agree to establish a Chief Officers Appointments Sub-Committee comprising
those Members who previously sat on the Appointments Sub-Committee for
the post of Deputy Chief Fire Officer, with delegated powers to fill any chief
officer vacancies arising during the term of this Board; and
iv. agree that the Deputy Chief Fire Officer cover the role and responsibilities of
the Chief Fire Officer during the period between the retirement of the
current postholder and the arrival of his successor.
17. Gender Equality Scheme
As agreed at the Board’s meeting held on 22 April 2008, the Clerk, in consultation with the Convener, Vice Convener and the Board’s Equality and Diversity Champions, Mr J Ford and Mrs H Carmichael, prepared and published the Board’s annual report on its Gender Equality Scheme (GES) by the deadline date of 30 June 2008. The Action Plan attached to that Report indicated that the Board, as part of its review/scrutiny function, would receive a copy of the Chief Fire Officer’s GES annual report for information.
In this context, there is circulated for noting copy of the Highlands and Islands Fire and Rescue Service’s Gender Equality Scheme Annual Report 2008-09 , as published on the Service’s website.
18. Capital Programme Monitoring Report
There is circulated for noting Report No. Fire-32-09 dated 28 August 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.
19. Site Acquisitions Progress Report
There is circulated for noting Report No. Fire-33-09 dated 28 August 2009 by the Director of Housing and Property of the Highland Council summarising the status of the acquisition of sites for future development.
20. Operational Update
There is circulated for noting Report No. Fire-34-09 dated 31 August 2009 by the Chief Fire Officer setting out performance information for the Service for the year 2009/10 to date.
The Chief Fire Officer will also provide a verbal report on recent operational activities.
21. Schedule of Meetings
As Members are aware, setting a full schedule for Board meetings in 2010 will require information on the schedules to be set by the individual Constituent Authorities. On this basis, a report recommending a full schedule will be brought to the November meeting of the Board. However, as Members are also aware, it is necessary for the Board to meet in January 2010 to set its budget for 2010/11 and late November approval gives relatively short notice for this.
Accordingly, the Board is asked to agree that:
i. the Board’s first meeting of 2010 be held on Friday, 29 January 2009
(p.m.), in Inverness; and
ii. should there be a need for a prior meeting of the Policy and Finance
Working Group to consider the budget, this be held on Friday, 15 January
2009 (p.m.), to be preceded, if necessary, by a meeting of the Police Board
Finance and Policy Working Group. A meeting of the IRMP Working Group
will also be held on this day.
22. 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 the following items on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in of Part 1 of Schedule 7A of the Act, the relevant paragraphs being shown.
23. Scottish Resilience
Paragraph 14
There is circulated to Members only Report No. Fire 35/09 dated 31 August 2009 by the Chief Fire Officer inviting Members to note and endorse the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service Resilience Delivery Plan.
24. Estate Management
Paragraphs 6, 8 and 9
There is circulated to Members only Report No. Fire 36/09 dated 2 September 2009 by the Chief Fire Officer on a number of Estate Management issues.
25. Acquisition of Land at St Margaret’s Hope, Orkney
Paragraphs 6, 8 and 9
There is circulated to Members only copy report from the District Valuer on terms agreed for the disposition of an area of land at St Margaret’s Hope, Orkney.
The Board is invited to homologate the acquisition following consultations with the Convener and Vice Convener.
26. Principal Officers’ Pay
Paragraph 1
There is circulated to Members only Report No. Fire 37/09 dated 27 August 2009 by the Clerk on the annual review of Principal Officers’ pay.