The Chair introduced the report
and also introduced Neil O’Connor, Director for Fire
Resilience and Emergencies at DCLG. The
Director highlighted that Mark Francois, Minister of State for
Communities and Resilience, was keen to engage with the fire and
rescue sector on the new government’s priorities but
unfortunately had been unable to attend the meeting
himself.
The Director thanked members
for the many welcoming letters that the Minister had received since
his appointment, as well as the invitations to visit individual
fire and rescue authorities. He had already had discussions with
members from all parties, as well as representatives of the three
fire unions, including visiting the headquarters of the FBU.
Meetings with the unions had been very positive. The Minister would
be attending the LGA Annual Conference the following
week.
The priorities for the new
government were to deliver all aspects of the Conservative
manifesto, which included a commitment to enable the fire and
rescue service and the police to work more closer together, as well
as steps on strike action. Currently no specific proposals had been
put forward, but detailed consultation on any proposals would take
place in due course.
The Cities and Local Government
Devolution Bill was currently progressing through both Houses of
Parliament, and localism was very important in the context of fire
service reform. The Emergency Services Mobile Communications
Programme was progressing and would roll out in 2017, which would
enable the service to be more flexible and was an important factor
in reform of the service. Members noted that although specific
savings had not been identified there would realistically be
further reductions in funding, and services would be asked to look
for further efficiencies. The Director commented that he was
pleased to have seen a very positive interest and enthusiasm for
continued reform at the LGA Fire Conference in March. DCLG would be
producing a survey for fire and rescue authorities to gauge the
level of collaboration which was currently going on across the
country, particularly on programmes of work such as improving
health outcomes and road safety. The survey would be important in
assessing the value that the service provided in these areas and in
evaluating what further change might be possible. Further details
would be released in due course.
LGA publications such as
‘Future Funding’ and ‘First 100 Days’ would
continue to feed into discussions over the coming months, and the
government was committed to explore what could be achieved. The
Director highlighted that DCLG wanted to work collaboratively and
collectively with the fire service, and had always had a good
relationship with the Fire Commission and the LGA.
In the discussion which
followed the Director’s presentation the following topics
were raised:
- The Adrian Thomas
report was currently with the Minister for consideration. The
previous fire minister had said that the report would be published
after the General Election and a timescale for this would be
agreed. Members asked that the report be published in full, and
that it would be appropriate to publish before Parliament’s
summer recess.
- The Fire Commission
unanimously agreed that there should not be a top down directive
for Police and Crime Commissioners to be given oversight of the
fire and rescue service. Many members highlighted that a great deal
of collaboration with the police and other fire and rescue
authorities was already taking place, but that reform of the
service should be undertaken through a ‘bottom up’
approach rather than a ‘top down’ approach. The
Director explained that the ‘bottom up’ approach was
consistent with the government’s approach to devolution, and
the priority was developing the manifesto commitment, with any
plans developed from this work then being subject to detailed
consultation.
- It was confirmed that
there were no plans for further mergers, regional fire services or
a national fire service. Early policy development would be to
enable blue light services to work more collaboratively. One issue
for the forthcoming spending review
would be demonstrating the value of the wider role the fire and
rescue service could play, and whether this was something that
developed locally or just in the context of police and
fire. DCLG would welcome Fire
Commission views on this.
- Regarding financial
support, the Fire Transformation Fund was available for fire
services who wished to bring forward transformation plans, but
members noted that funding for future years would be subject to the
spending review which would run from July to autumn
2015.
- Members asked whether
the proposals for greater collaboration between the police and fire
and the changes on strikes legislation applied in Wales. It was
pointed out that as the fire and rescue service was a devolved
matter the proposals for greater collaboration would be a matter
for Wales.
- Some members raised
the issue of unfair funding settlement between rural and urban fire
and rescue services.
- The Director
confirmed that if the Minister agreed that the national survey of
best practice should be conducted, the results would be shared
nationally. Members also pointed out that collaboration programmes
needed funding and the transformation funding had assisted
this.
- The fire and rescue
service had a trusted brand image which could be damaged if
services were joined with the police. It was easier for a
firefighter to engage with residents in their own homes than a
police officer, which enabled the service to expand the role of
improving health outcomes and public safety.
- Regarding national
resilience, the Director confirmed that a review of capabilities
was being undertaken by the Strategic Resilience Board. The issue
would also be considered as part of the spending review, but there
would be no fundamental review of national resilience at this
stage.
- It was reported that
firefighters were having difficulty understanding the impact of
pension reform. A request was therefore
made for DCLG to improve communication on this
programme.
The Chair thanked the Director
for attending the meeting, and looked forward to the Minister for
Communities and Resilience attending a future meeting of the Fire
Commission.
Decision
- Members noted the
report and the comments of the Director for Fire Resilience and
Emergencies.
- Members agreed that,
while supporting closer cooperation between the emergency services,
the fire and rescue service should not directed from above to come
under the responsibility of Police and Crime
Commissioners.
Actions
Officers to update the
Commission on matters raised during the discussion at a future
meeting.