Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillors Jean Rigby and Jane Hugo and County Councillor Nikki Hennessy.

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 CFA held on 27 June 2022 be confirmed and signed by the Chair.

RESOLVED: - That the proceedings of the Performance Committee held on 29 June 2022 be noted and endorsed.

RESOLVED: - That the proceedings of the Audit Committee held on 5 July 2022 be noted and endorsed.

RESOLVED: - That the proceedings of the Resources Committee held on 6 July 2022 be noted and endorsed.

RESOLVED: - That the proceedings of the Strategy Group held on 11 July 2022 be noted and endorsed.

RESOLVED: - That the proceedings of the Planning Committee held on 18 July 2022 be noted and endorsed.

RESOLVED: - That the proceedings of the Performance Committee held on 14 September 2022 be noted and endorsed.

The Clerk to the Authority presented a report for Members to consider revised terms of reference for the Resources Committee which would enable appointments to the Executive Board posts to be via a politically balanced panel of 3 Resources Committee Members (appointed by the Resources Committee) together with the Chief Fire Officer (as direct line manager for the post) and for the appointment of the Clerk to be via a politically balanced panel of 3 Resources Committee Members (appointed by the Resources Committee).  This would enable the Authority to expedite any recruitment practices and improve resilience.

RESOLVED: - That the Authority approved the amendment to the terms of reference.

Standing item.

The Clerk presented a report received on behalf of County Councillor Hennessy which detailed key points raised at Local Government Association (LGA) meetings of the Fire Service Management Committee attended on behalf of the Authority and of meetings of the Fire Commission.

RESOLVED: - That the report be noted.

The report detailed the inspection of the Service which concluded on 24 January 2022 by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (formerly Her Late Majesty’s Inspectorate). 

It was noted that while some Fire and Rescue Services had improved in some areas, most services had lost gradings due to the inspection being more detailed.  Furthermore, where gradings had remained the same this demonstrated that an improvement had been made.

The Chairman drew Members’ attention to a statement from Matt Parr, His Majesty’s Inspector of Fire and Rescue Services who said:

“I congratulate Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service on its excellent performance across all three areas of our assessment.  Since its last inspection in 2018, it has improved in almost all areas.”

The Chairman acknowledged the Service as a top performer if not the best in England which he felt was down to the leadership of Senior Officers, the loyalty and dedication of firefighters and other staff and to Members themselves who worked together for the benefit of Lancashire communities.

RESOLVED: - That the report be noted.

The Authority had had a Members' Allowance Scheme in place since 2003 in line with the Local Authorities (Members Allowances) (England) Regulations 2003.  The Scheme had been amended in line with the Regulations in June 2006, April 2008, April 2012 and June 2016 with the indices reviewed in September 2014, June 2016 and September 2018.

Annual adjustment changes were made in line with the Authority's approved indices as follows:-

·         Basic, Special Responsibility and Co-optees' Allowances were index linked on an annual basis in line with the annual Local Government National Pay Award for green book staff at point 43 (formerly point 49);

·         Subsistence Allowances were reviewed annually (with effect from 1 April in every year) in line with the Consumer Price Index (all items) published in November of the preceding year;

·         Travel Allowances mirrored the County Council's rates which were revised annually with effect from 1 April in every year in accordance with the maximum allowance for Income Tax purposes, as determined by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

To ensure the Authority complied with the regulations to have regard to the recommendations made by the independent remuneration panels of its home authorities s19 (2), the current indices used by home authorities were considered by Members as now presented.  Members considered the indices used remained appropriate, reasonable and transparent.   

RESOLVED:- that the Authority continued to use the existing indices for a further four?year period.

The concept of Member Champions was introduced in December 2007.  A review of the areas of focus for Member Champions was considered at the Authority meeting held in June 2017 where new areas of responsibility were agreed.  The current Member Champions and their areas of responsibility were:

·         Community Safety – Councillor Jean Rigby;

·         Equality, Diversity and Inclusion – Councillor Zamir Khan;

·         Health and Wellbeing – County Councillor Andrea Kay;

·         Road Safety – County Councillor Ron Woollam.

Reports relating to the activity of the Member Champions were provided on a regular basis to the Authority.  This report related to activity for the period up to 31 August 2022.  During this period all had undertaken their respective role in accordance with the defined terms of reference.

County Councillor Kay asked that the outstanding work of Bekki Ford, Health and Safety Advisor be noted by the Authority as she did an outstanding job providing excellent support to staff.

RESOLVED: - That the Authority noted the report and acknowledged the work of the respective Champions.

The report summarised Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service prosecutions pertaining to fire safety offences and set out convictions resulting from 8 arson incidents which had progressed via the criminal justice process. 

Fire Protection and Business Support information was also included in the report to provide Members with an update on the continually evolving regulatory position and how the Service was developing and adapting both its services and workforce to ensure it kept pace with the changes to keep public and firefighters safe in the built environment. 

RESOLVED: - That the Authority noted and endorsed the report.

County Councillor Sean Serridge arrived at this point.

The report provided Members with information relating to operational incidents of note over the period 1 June 2022 – 31 August 2022.

As part of the report members received a presentation by Group Manager Malcolm Dewhurst on the Service’s response to Clayton Hall Landfill Fire which occurred on 13 July 2022.  In response to Member questions, Group Manager Dewhurst advised that the cause of the fire was currently under investigation.  He confirmed that waste piles were spaced apart and waste was capped to isolate contaminants.

Councillor Zamir Khan paid tribute to staff who attended the building fire (detailed on page 151 of the agenda pack) for their thorough and quick actions on behalf of local residents and businesses.

County Councillor Shedwick thanked staff for their actions at the house fire in Fleetwood (detailed on page 150 of the agenda pack) and for their assurance work in the community after the incident.

The Chairman was saddened by the tragic death of a teenager underwater at Dawber Delph, Appley Bridge (as detailed on page 149 of the agenda pack).  In response to a question from the Chairman regarding the use of an underwater drone, the Chief Fire Officer advised that the Service had been using the drone for a year.  It had helped with sub-surface location and could bring about a resolution more swiftly.  He advised that the Service was currently trialling a larger version that had rescue capability.

RESOLVED: -  That the Authority noted and endorsed the report.

Standing item.

The Monitoring Officer confirmed that there had been no complaints since the last meeting.

RESOLVED: - That the current position be noted.

The next meeting of the Authority will be held on Monday 19 December 2022 at 10:00 hours at Washington Hall Training Centre, Euxton.

The next meeting of the Authority would be held on Monday 19 December 2022 at 10:00am at the Training Centre, Euxton.

The Authority is asked to consider whether, under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, they consider that the public should be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items of business on the grounds that there would be a likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the appropriate paragraph of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972, indicated under the heading to the item.

RESOLVED: - That the press and members of the public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items of business on the grounds that there would be a likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the appropriate paragraph of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972, indicated under the heading to the item.

(Paragraph 2)

(Paragraph 2)

RESOLVED: - That the report be noted and endorsed.

(Paragraphs 3 and 4)

(Paragraphs 3 and 4)

The Chief Fire Officer provided Members with a brief summary of the responsibilities of the Combined Fire Authority with regards to business continuity and gave a broad overview of the background and current approach to business continuity in times of industrial action.

RESOLVED:-  That the report be noted and action outlined endorsed.

(Paragraphs 1 and 2)

Verbal report.

County Councillor Jennifer Mein arrived at this point

(Paragraphs 1 and 2)

The Clerk to the Authority withdrew from the meeting for this item.

RESOLVED:- That the Authority approved the re-appointment of Mr Mark Nolan as Clerk and Monitoring Officer to the Lancashire Combined Fire Authority for a period of twelve months, to the September meeting of the Authority in 2023.