Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from: County Councillors J Shedwick and A Barnes.

Members are asked to consider any pecuniary/non-pecuniary interests they may have to disclose to the meeting in relation to matters under consideration on the agenda.

None received.

RESOLVED: - That the Minutes of the last meeting held on 21 March 2016 be confirmed and signed by the Chairman.

The first Annual Service Plan was introduced in 2015, following a review of the Service corporate planning process in 2014.

The Annual Progress Report for 2015 provided an overview of Service performance across the various incident types measured by Key Performance Indicators, alongside progress against the areas of work detailed in the Annual Service Plan 2015.

This year’s Annual Progress Report, as per last year, was presented to Members by way of a short film which highlighted important developments, celebrated achievements, updated major projects and summarised financial and operational end-of-year performance statistics (as reported in the Measuring Progress summary provided to Performance Committee) and in the end of year accounts which were available through the Service website.

In order to encourage wide engagement, it was intended for the film to be shown to all members of staff and be available to the public on the Service website, via YouTube and Vimeo channels.  It was noted that it had been produced with in-house expertise and at no cost.  The film can be viewed by following the link: https://vimeo.com/172540630.

RESOLVED: - That the Planning Committee endorse the production of the Annual Progress Report 2015 and authorise distribution to staff and public.

The Operational Assessment (OpA) process began in 2009 and was developed by the Chief Fire Officers Association in partnership with the Local Government Association and the Chief Fire and Rescue Advisor. Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service (LFRS) undertook an Operational Assessment and Fire Peer Challenge 1 – 4 April 2014.  At the Authority meeting on 28 April 2014 Members requested that oversight and scrutiny of LFRS OpA Improvement Action Plan (IAP) was performed by the Planning Committee and Members have received regular reports on progress.

At its meeting held 20 July 2015, the Planning Committee signed off as complete the Improvement Action Plan (IAP) with the agreement that action No.11 ‘Development of a Business Support Strategy’ be brought back to the Planning Committee following the implementation of the prevention and protection (P&P) review (resolution 03/15 refers).

As part of the outcomes of the prevention and protection review more resources were allocated for business support: a Protection Support Officer was now in place at Service HQ and four Crew Manager Business Safety Advisors whose role was to support businesses, follow-up on unwanted fire signals and follow-up on post fire inspections were also now in place. These roles along with the rest of the now Functional Protection department would develop and deliver on the Business Support Strategy, assisting business by:

•   Following the principles of better regulation set out in the Statutory Code of Compliance for Regulators, and the Enforcement Concordat. Also introduce the short audit form.

•   Setting out our commitment to priorities and planned interventions through our inspection programme.

•   Establishing Primary Authority Schemes to both support strategic businesses and learn how to improve our support.

•   Operating systems to train, appoint, authorise, monitor, and maintain a competent inspection programme, including operational personnel.

•   Using interventions, including enforcement action, in accordance with our enforcement policy and within the principles of proportionality, accountability, consistency, transparency and targeting.

•   Our enforcement action.  This would be achieved through the use of an Enforcement Management Model. Fundamental to this is the principle that enforcement action should be consistent and proportional to the fire safety risks and the seriousness of the breach.

•   Enforcing strongly against businesses that are unprepared to do their best to comply.

•   Taking account of previous attitude to Fire Safety when planning inspection programmes.

•   Providing fire safety advice to businesses where necessary or requested.

•   Supporting and recognising business partnerships; aiming to work with them to improve standards and understanding.

•   Developing our website to assist business to comply, and to promote fire safety to the business environment.

This strategy was integral to how Protection services were delivered by LFRS.

RESOLVED: - That action no.11 ‘Development of a Business Support Strategy’ be signed off as complete.

The Authority has a Public Consultation Strategy which provides a framework through which it can seek public opinion on major change issues.

Each year the Planning Committee reviews the Public Consultation Strategy as now considered by Members to assure continued compliance with guidance or legislation and to incorporate learning from any public consultation exercises undertaken.

The review of the Public Consultation Strategy last year and for 2016 had found that the existing strategy continued to reflect industry good practice and guidance and was compliant with legal duties.  However, work within the Service had been undertaken to strengthen and improve the equality impact assessment process and the Consultation Strategy had been amended to more clearly make the links between equality impact assessment and consultation.

RESOLVED: - That the Committee note and endorse the Public Consultation Strategy.

The next scheduled meeting of the Committee has been agreed for Monday 21 November 2016, in the Conference Room, at LFRS HQ, Fulwood commencing at 1000 hours.

Further meetings are proposed for 30 January 2017, 20 March 2017, 17 July 2017 and 27 November 2017.

The next scheduled meeting of the Committee had been agreed for 1000 hours on Monday 21 November 2016 in the Main Conference Room at LFRS Service Headquarters, Fulwood and further meetings were scheduled for: 30 January 2017, 20 March 2017, 17 July 2017 and 27 November 2017.