Fire Commission and FSMC Priorities 2019-2020

Purpose of report

For discussion.

Summary

This paper provides an overview of the potential priorities and activities for Fire Services Management Committee for the coming LGA meeting cycle. The proposals are based on both corporate LGA priorities and options for broader work based on a combination of areas of interest previously indicated by Committee members, ongoing work and recent policy announcements by Government.

Recommendations Members are asked to comment on the draft FSMC priorities for 2019-20 to inform discussions at the Committee. Actions Officers to use Fire Commission’s comments on the draft priorities to inform the paper taken to Fire Services Management Committee for its consideration.

Contact officer:	Lucy Ellender

Position:	Senior Adviser

Phone no:	020 7664 3321

Email:	lucy.ellender@local.gov.uk

Fire Commission and FSMC Priorities 2019-2020

Background

At its first meeting in the new LGA cycle Fire Services Management Committee (FSMC) will consider its priorities for 2019/20. Ahead of that meeting in October Fire Commission is invited to provide feedback on the draft priorities outlined in this paper.

In order to facilitate that there will be a discussion at Fire Commission about the findings from Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) inspections as many of the themes identified by the Inspectorate are mirrored in the draft priorities.

The final priorities agreed by FSMC will not only reflect the specific policy priorities based on the remit of FSMC, but also the work that the LGA Leadership Board has asked LGA Boards to undertake based on the overall policy priorities of the LGA.

Fire Services Management Committee discussion

Members of the FSMC discussed the potential priorities and work programme at the June meeting of FSMC. In that meeting members highlighted two key publications expected in the autumn of 2019 as the primary focus for the LGA’s work due to their potential impact on the fire and rescue service. These were:

The State of the Nation report from HMICFRS.

The Phase One report from the Grenfell inquiry.

It was also expected that it light of these reports the LGA’s Fire Vision 2024 would need to be revisited.

HMICFRS

HMICFRS’s inspection has focused on the pillars of effectiveness, efficiency and people, identifying a number of areas of concern for the sector in each of these pillars. It is likely that the State of the Nation report the inspectorate is due to publish in December will continue to identify these issues, making further recommendations for the sector.

The areas of concern highlighted in tranches 1 and 2 included:

risk information not always being up to date when fire crews go out

under-resourcing of protection teams

disparities in funding across the sector with some services well-resourced and others struggling to carry out core functions

prevention activities were not always targeted at those most at risk

not exploiting the benefits of technology and working in isolation on technological solutions

operational learning was not always gathered

common culture and values not being seen throughout the organisation, this was especially seen in the first tranche

lack of diversity of the workforce

lack of talent management

HMICFRS identified two recommendations in tranche 2; one on creating greater consistency across the sector and a second on the need for the service to be supported to reform.

It is expected that HMICFRS’s State of the Nation report will highlight a wide number of areas for further work and the LGA will need to respond to those issues. To support our members the LGA will:

engage with the NFCC’s Community Risk Programme which will be producing tools for FRAs on the Integrated Risk Management Plan (IRMP) process looking at producing greater consistency across the sector in IRMPs.

continue to lobby for sustainable funding for the sector primarily based on risk as a part of the Senior Sector Group.

run two further diversity masterclasses for members in January.

continue to hold the LGA’s Leadership Essentials Programme for Chairs and leading members on FRAs.

create a new network for FRAs’ diversity champions.

organise a further summit on the Memorandum of Understanding on equality, diversity, behaviours and organisational culture in the Fire Service.

engage in further discussions with partners on what could be standardised to increase consistency across the sector whilst highlighting the importance of a local approach .

highlight the benefits of collaboration with other partners including health and other blue light services.

continue to support the NFCC’s work on procurement and value for money: NFCC lead this work with the LGA playing a supportive role.

leadership needs to be assessed in its own right; undertake a gap analysis of leadership in the sector.

Building Safety

The Phase One report of the Grenfell Inquiry is due to be published later this year, most likely in October. It is anticipated the report will set out in detail what happened on the night of the fire on 14 June 2017, including a detailed account and analysis of what was happening in the incident control room and on the ground, and the response of the emergency services. It is also anticipated the Inquiry’s Chairman, Sir Martin Moore-Bick, will make recommendations based on the evidence gathered as part of Phase One.

Work also continues on wider building safety issues including the implementation of the recommendations from Dame Judith Hackitt’s review of fire safety and the building regulations, and the work by MHCLG to develop a new regulatory framework.

The LGA will:

respond to the Phase One Report of the Grenfell Inquiry and any findings relevant for fire and rescue authorities

respond to the Government’s consultation on lowering the height threshold at which sprinklers are a required in new blocks of flats from 30 metres to 18 metres, including our wider asks around considering the vulnerability of residents when requiring sprinklers

engage with the newly formed Fire Protection Board set up by the Home Office to ensure that the new assurance scheme will be proportionate

shape the development of the new regulatory framework for fire safety through the Joint Regulators Group, and support fire and rescue authorities implement the new framework which is due to come into force by 2021

continue to lobby for sustainable funding for any new burdens for the fire and rescue service as a result of the Grenfell Inquiry and Hackitt Review.

Other issues

In addition FSMC members agreed that there were a range of other issues that would need to be ongoing areas of interest to the FSMC and for the sector more widely including:

Transparency and standards; continue to work with HMICFRS on the inspection regime as a part of the External Reference Group and the Fire Standards Board; supporting FRAs on the improvement journey through the provision of peer challenges and sector support which complements the inspection regime

Spending Review: work with the Home Office and NFCC to ensure that the sector’s funding needs are understood and that the sector receives sustainable funding

Governance: continue to work with areas on their governance, undertaking two masterclasses on governance and scrutiny to support members.

Workforce: Including pay and broadening the role. Though this work comes under the National Joint Council the issues have a wider impact, policy and workforce officers will therefore continue to work together on these issues.

Fire Vision

The revision of the LGA’s Fire Vision 2024 will bring together a number of the issues highlighted in this paper. The Vision was first published in 2018, and since then the sector has seen a number of national developments, that will need to be reflected in an updated version of the vision document, alongside the issues outlined in this paper.

Work commissioned from the LGA policy boards by the LGA Leadership Board

The LGA’s business plan is currently being refreshed, and proposes a series of corporate priorities, including responding to the Grenfell Tower fire. Following the July 2019 motion of the LGA General Assembly calling upon the government to explore the domestic implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through funded partnership roles with local authority areas, [and] encouraging councils to continue to link local priorities with the overall ambitions of the SDGs and declaring a climate emergency, the business plan is being developed in the context of the SDGs.

As in previous years, LGA policy Boards are being asked to incorporate cross-cutting LGA priorities within their work programmes. The priorities identified in the new LGA Business Plan are as follows:

Funding for local government

Adult social care, health and wellbeing

Children, education and schools

Housing and sustainable communities

Economic growth and employment

Climate action

Britain’s exit from the EU

Strong local democracy

Supporting councils

The way we work

The work of the Fire Commission and FSMC makes a contribution particularly to the work on housing and sustainable communities.

Implications for Wales

Fire and rescue related policy is a devolved matter and much of the Committee’s work will focus on changes for FRAs in England, with the Welsh Local Government Association leading on lobbying for Welsh Fire and Rescue Authorities in Cardiff.

Financial Implications

This programme of work will be delivered within existing budgets. Additional supporting projects maybe commissioned subject to funds being available from a small team budget.

Next steps

Following on from the Commission’s discussion, officer will prepare a further paper for discussion at the Fire Services Management Committee, taking account of comments received at the meeting.