Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from County Councillor Alyson Barnes.

Members are asked to consider any pecuniary and 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 the 18 July 2016 be confirmed and signed by the Chairman.

Report attached.

The Deputy Chief Fire Officer explained that since the concept of the Integrated Risk Management Plan (IRMP) in 2004 there had been other requirements that had been placed on Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service (LFRS) which had resulted in the move to an annual planning cycle.  The IRMP was now a more strategic planning document which connected other necessary documents that required updating more frequently.  He advised that there was nothing in the draft IRMP 2017-2022 now presented which significantly changed the risk profile and therefore it was proposed to go out for a 6-week consultation, in line with the Authority’s Consultation Strategy.  The IRMP would be offered in an electronic format with links to key documents for more detail. 

The Deputy Chief Fire Officer then introduced Group Manager, Jon Charters to present the IRMP document.

The draft IRMP 2017 - 2022 was considered by Members.  The IRMP provided details of what LFRS intended to do over the forthcoming five year period to identify and assess the full range of fire and rescue related risks within Lancashire.  The IRMP processes provided the opportunity to demonstrate how we intend to fulfil our responsibilities in a clear, cohesive way, to both our communities and other interested parties.  In writing an IRMP each Fire Authority must pay due regard to the National Framework guidance issued by central government. 

Maintaining a clear and current understanding of the risks that affect Lancashire’s communities underpins everything we do – driving both our governance and planning arrangements.

In preparing the IRMP for this period the widespread staff consultation approach on content which had been undertaken previously, had not been adopted as this IRMP was not linked to an Emergency Cover Review and there were no specific items for consultation.  The approach to this IRMP had been through the engagement of a working group who had shared their views, ideas and suggestions and thereby helped to inform and shape this key document.

The IRMP 2017-2022:

·        Highlighted Lancashire’s risks;

·        Explained how LFRS would manage and reduce fire and rescue related risk in Lancashire;

·        Set out our priorities and values;

·        Set out our ambitions against each priority and stated how we aim to deliver these;

·        Illustrated how we will measure and assure performance.

Members noted key changes which had been made to the new plan:

·        The document covered a 5-year period; this extended period took account of the fact that the IRMP was an overarching and enabling document that was under-pinned by various other strategic Service publications; examples being the Strategic Assessment of Risk (SAOR), Annual Service Plan and Annual Progress Report. These would be hyperlinked from the IRMP with amended and updated versions made available each year thus aiming to evolve the IRMP into a real-time, working document.

·        Strategic risks previously included were now referenced within the SAOR.  This new publication provided a thorough assessment of fire and rescue related risk and would be refreshed annually, thus providing an improved picture of risk for the IRMP.

·        Given the simultaneous  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11/16

Oral Report.

The Authority’s business continuity policy required that the business continuity plan was periodically tested, in a simulated environment, to ensure that staff understood how it was to be executed, and that it could be successfully implemented in emergency situations.

The Planning Committee was required to monitor the effectiveness of the Service’s business continuity arrangements on an annual basis, and to ensure the plan was regularly reviewed and updated, to take account of changing circumstances.  Typically, this was achieved as result of the business continuity plan being subject to an annual test / update; either through a planned ‘simulated’ event, or through an unplanned ‘real life’ event with outcomes reported to the Authority as appropriate.

The Deputy Chief Fire Officer introduced Station Manager, Tom Cookson who presented Members with details of the plans, policies and strategies adopted by the Service including how these had been tested this year. 

SM Cookson advised that the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 placed a duty on all Category 1 responders to:

·        Maintain plans for the purpose of ensuring that if an emergency occurs or is likely to occur, the person or body is able to continue to perform his or its functions; and

·        Consider whether a risk assessment makes it necessary or expedient for the person or body to add to or modify emergency plans.

He reassured Members that the Business Continuity Policy was reviewed and tested each year and audited every 2 years.  The policy was aligned to good practice guidelines set out by the Business Continuity Institute (who are an independent body of knowledge for good Business Continuity practice worldwide).  The Business Impact Assessment was a process to identify the critical activities within the Service which quantified the effects of disruption.  Analysis had been carried out within each department and significant findings had included a reliance on ICT, the Service Headquarters Building and on North West Fire Control.

The Business Continuity Test scenario this year involved an exercise involving wide-area flooding that included the flooding of 3 stations and Service Headquarters (which resulted in the failure at Service Headquarters of the server room), and which occurred during a period of increased demand.  The scenario was tested without notice and focussed on testing Station, Departmental, Tactical and ICT business continuity plans.

The exercise increased the understanding of business continuity and improved resilience. 

In response to a comment from CC O’Toole regarding the wording of the colour-coded green, amber and red categories detailed under 5.1.1 of the Service’s Strategic Business Continuity Plan, particularly he questioned why both the amber and red categories referred to a ‘severe’ warning, SM Cookson confirmed that these had been aligned to those used by resilience partners (Category 1 and 2 emergency responders) who share information across organisational and geographic boundaries.

In response to a question by CC J Shedwick the Assistant Chief Fire Officer advised that a future business continuity plan exercise could be used to examine any overlap with Lancashire County Council’s Emergency Planning while testing the Service’s performance.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 12/16

The next scheduled meeting of the Committee has been agreed for 10:00am on 30 January 2017 in the Main Conference Room, at Lancashire Fire & Rescue Service Headquarters, Fulwood.

Further meetings are scheduled for 20 March 2017, 17 July 2017 and 27 November 2017.

The next scheduled meeting of the Committee was agreed for Monday  30 January 2017 in the Main Conference Room, Service Headquarters, Fulwood, commencing at 1000 hours.

Further meeting dates were agreed for 20 March 2017, 17 July 2017 and 27 November 2017.