Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from County Councillors Keith Iddon and Stuart Morris.

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 29 September 2021 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

The Director of Corporate Services presented the report which set out the current budget position in respect of the 2021/22 revenue and capital budgets and performance against savings targets.

The overall position at the end of September was an underspend of £0.2m, with a forecast outturn position of an underspend of £0.4m. Both were a combination of the level of staffing vacancies, the slow return to business-as-usual spending activities, less the funding gap identified at budget setting and the unbudgeted pay awards.

The year to date and forecast positions within individual departments were set out in the report with major variances relating to non-pay spends and variances on the pay budget being shown separately in the table below: -

In accordance with the CIPFA Treasury Management Code of Practice and to strengthen Members’ oversight of the Authority’s treasury management activities, the Resources Committee received a treasury management mid-year report and a final outturn report. Reports on treasury activity were discussed on a quarterly basis with Lancashire County Council Treasury Management Team and the Authority’s Director of Corporate Services and were used as a basis for this report to the Committee.

Economic Overview

The economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic continued to dominate the first half of the financial year both in the UK and many other parts of the world. However, in its September 2021 policy announcement, the Bank of England (BoE) noted it now expected the UK economy to grow at a slower pace than was predicted in August, as the pace of the global recovery had shown signs of slowing and there were concerns inflationary pressures may be more persistent. Bank expectations for GDP growth for the third (calendar) quarter were revised down to 2.1% (from 2.9%), in part reflecting tighter supply conditions.

The BoE held Bank Rate at 0.1% and maintained its Quantitative Easing programme at £895 billion throughout the first half of the year. However, there were some concerns around inflation with the CPI inflation now expected to rise slightly above 4% in the last three months of 2021, due to higher energy prices and core goods inflation. Therefore, although policy rates had remained unchanged there was a greater expectation that rates may increase in late 2021 or early 2022.

An increase in gas prices in the UK and EU, supply shortages and a dearth of HGV and lorry drivers with companies willing to pay more to secure their services, had caused problems for a range of industries and, in some instance, will likely lead to higher prices.

Treasury Management position and Policy

The underlying need to borrow for capital purposes was measured by the Capital Financing Requirement (CFR), while usable reserves and working capital were the underlying resources available for investment. The treasury management activity was influenced both by the position at the beginning of the year and the plans in year. The position at the start of the financial year was summarised in the report indicating that the level of loans was above the borrowing requirement. This was the result of the Authority adopting a policy of setting aside additional Minimum Revenue Provision (MRP) in order to generate the cash to repay loans either on maturity or as an early repayment. This had resulted in the CFR being reduced but due to early repayment charges it had not been financially beneficial to repay the existing loans.

It was not anticipated that the new capital expenditure would be funded from borrowing in the year while it was anticipated that there may be some reduction in the level of reserves held.

Borrowing

There had been no new borrowing in the first six months of the financial year. This was consistent with the position that the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 33-20/21

The Director of People and Development presented the People Strategy 2021 – 2024 which set out the strategic direction over the next 3 years, setting out the areas of priority that were required to ensure the development of a Service that was capable of continuous improvement and which responded positively to change.  It sought to recruit and deliver a workforce that was resilient, highly skilled, flexible, diverse and which could deliver the aim of keeping the people of Lancashire safer.

The report set out the current position, its values and ethics and aspirations.  The delivery of the strategy would be achieved through the delivery of the plans for: Organisational Development, Training, Equality Action, Workforce and Health, Safety and Wellbeing.

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

The Director of People and Development introduced Bekki Ford, Safety, Health and Environment Advisor who presented Members with the various opportunities that the Service had enabled to address the wellbeing and wellness agenda.  The support resources included: -

·         Employee Assistance Programme – short-term solution focussed counselling and advise;

·         Engine House – Library of information;

·         Mental Health First Aiders – courses on an ad hoc basis predominantly for Community Fire Safety;

·         Occupational Health – in-house provision available on a referral basis for all staff;

·         Pre-retirement course – information from a financial, psychological and physical point of view;

·         Personal Training Instructors and Service Fitness Advisor – to support operational staff to maintain levels of required fitness;

·         Signposting Peer Support Pocketbook – to help individuals signpost colleagues or choose the most appropriate support for themselves;

·         Social Events – to foster positive relationships

·         Sports Events – to encourage all members of staff to be more active therefore improving and maintaining both physical and mental health and wellbeing;

·         Trauma Risk Management – intervention to support staff to be able to reflect on a traumatic event without emotion and be able to ‘file’ the experience away as a memory to refer back to if needed;

·         Wellbeing Support Dogs – to improve wellbeing, build self-esteem / confidence and help someone open up about their feelings and provide signposting;

·         Workplace Wellbeing Toolbox Talks – initiative started in July 2019, in the first instance delivered to all stations and groups of staff across the whole of the Service to support crews with a range of wellbeing related topics during face-to-face sessions.

In addition, as a responsible and considerate employer the Service also provided day-to-day support via:

·         Ageing Workforce Task & Finish Group

·         Apprenticeship Health and Wellbeing Session

·         CFA Member Health and Wellbeing Champion

·         Coaching and Mentoring/Pastoral Care

·         Distress Management and Self Care course

·         Flexible Working Arrangements

·         Healthy Eating Choices (at STC)

·         Leadership Visits

·         Leave Entitlement

·         Oscar Kilo Blue Light Wellbeing Framework

·         Personal Training Instructors/Service Fitness Advisor

·         Routine Bulletins

·         Service Orders/Standard Operating Procedures

·         Time to Change Employer

·         Top Management ‘buy-in’

·         Wellness Events Calendar

·         Workplace Wellbeing Toolbox Talks

In response to a question raised by County Councillor O’Toole regarding the arrangements in place to deal with any allegations of harassment, bullying or racism the Director of People and Development advised that all allegations were taken very seriously, were recorded and investigated.  Individuals could raise their concerns with their line manager, senior manager, HR or use the whistleblowing policy.

In response to a further question raised by County Councillor O’Toole, regarding how involved the Service was with the Firefighters Charity, the Safety, Health & Environment Advisor confirmed that the Service remained heavily involved and undertook a lot of fundraising either in groups or individual firefighters set their own challenges.  The Service had also collaborated with the Firefighters Charity during the pandemic which was hoped would be developed further.

In response to a further question raised by County Councillor O’Toole regarding how well attended were the social and sports events the Director of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 35-20/21

The next scheduled meeting of the Committee has been agreed for 10:00 hours on 30 March 2022 in Washington Hall, Service Training Centre, Euxton.

Further meetings are:          scheduled for 6 July 2022 and 28 September 2022

                                                proposed for 30 November 2022

The next meeting of the Committee would be held on Wednesday 30 March 2022 at 1000 hours Washington Hall, Service Headquarters, Euxton.

Further meeting dates were noted for 6 July 2022 and 28 September 2022 and agreed for 30 November 2022.

The Committee 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.

(Paragraphs 4 and 5)

(Paragraphs 4 and 5)

Members considered a report that provided an update on the various issues which had arisen in respect of the changes to the pension schemes applying to the uniformed members of the Fire Sector.

RESOLVED: - That the report be noted.

(Paragraph 3)

(Paragraph 3)

Members considered a report concerning the refinancing of the senior debt within the PFI Contract.

RESOLVED: - That the recommendations outlined in the report be agreed including that the agreeing and signing and sealing of any re-financing deal and associated documentation be delegated to the Treasurer, following consultation with the Chief Fire Officer and Chairman of the Authority.

(Paragraph 3)

(Paragraph 3)

Members considered a report that provided an update on all contracts for one-off purchases valued in excess of £100,000 and high value procurement projects in excess of £100,000 including: new contract awards, progress of ongoing projects and details of new projects.

RESOLVED:  That the Committee noted and endorsed the report.