Agenda item

The Deputy Chief Fire Officer introduced Area Manager Norman who presented the draft IRMP document in detail.

At the Combined Fire Authority meeting on 21 November 2016, Members endorsed the publication of the draft Integrated Risk Management Plan (IRMP) 2017-22 for consultation over a six-week period from 28 November 2016 to 8 January 2017.

During this time a consultation exercise was undertaken with staff, partners and service users, full details of which were contained in the body of the report. In addition, the report detailed the consultation process requirements and any resulting amendments that had been included in the proposed final version of the IRMP.

INFORMATION AND BACKGROUND

Integrated Risk Management Planning (IRMP) brought with it a consultation requirement. The Fire and Rescue National Framework for England highlighted the government’s expectations that each Fire and Rescue Authority’s IRMP must ‘reflect effective consultation throughout its development and at all review stages with the community, its workforce, representative bodies and partners.

The guiding principle in deciding the extent of consultation was that any person or organisation that might have a legitimate interest in the proposals under consideration, or who might be affected by those proposals, should have the opportunity to express their views.  Government also recommended that the scale and scope of the consultation should be proportionate to the nature and extent of any changes whilst consultation from a public perspective was typically dependent on changes to Service provision and possible perceived changes to public safety.

Taking into consideration these principles the approach in using countywide forums for in-depth public consultation, which had been undertaken with previous IRMP documents, had not been adopted.  Nor was there a detailed staff consultation approach in the form of working groups / presentations this was because this IRMP was not linked to an Emergency Cover Review and there were no specific items as such for consultation.

In addition the Authority’s consultation strategy had been in place since the new IRMP arrangements were introduced in 2003.  The strategy, which was reviewed on an annual basis, is in place to ensure consultation activities met statutory requirements; incorporated good practice and provided the public and stakeholders with timely opportunity to influence development of LFRS documents. The consultation exercise for the draft IRMP 2017-22 was duly conducted in accordance with this strategy. 

THE CONSULTATION PROCESS

The timetable of activity is shown below: -

Consultation commenced on 28 November 2016 and ran for a six-week period ending on 8 January 2017.  Opinion on the content and format of the draft IRMP 2017-22 was sought from a wide range of stakeholders. The following were consulted: -

On behalf of the CFA in excess of 2000 stakeholders were contacted explaining the draft IRMP 2017-22 and how to access it electronically.  All recipients were invited to comment on the content.  The majority of communication was done via email with a hyperlink provided to facilitate ease of access to the document.  Links to the document were placed on the Service’s Intranet site and the Service’s external web site (www.lancsfirerescue.org.uk) and participation in the consultation was encouraged through the Services’ social media platforms, Facebook and Twitter.   Further communication was undertaken via letter with communication going out to appropriate parties when no email address was available.  Hard copies of the document were also provided upon request (with only one request received).

STAFF CONSULTATION

Publication of the draft IRMP 2017-22 was brought to the attention of all LFRS staff through various channels.  All users email; this provided a link to the document and guidance stating the consultation period and the processes to use for the submission of feedback, views or observations.  Further invitations were issued via the routine Bulletin each week during the consultation period and through the Service’s internal intranet site.  Staff representative bodies were advised of the consultation exercise via email and were provided with a link to the document and the process to use for the submission of feedback, views or observations.

PUBLIC CONSULTATION

The draft IRMP, LFRS’s primary enabling document, was under-pinned by various other strategic Service publications and does not contain any detailed proposals for change.  This draft IRMP enabled the Service to remain in a progressive position as documents such as the Annual Service Plan and Strategic Assessment of Risk would be hyperlinked from the document, with annually amended and updated versions made available in a real-time manner. The public remain a valued stakeholder and any proposals that require future consultation during the lifespan of the IRMP i.e. the Emergency Cover Review, would be developed in line with policy, so views could be actively sought and considered.

Formal Responses

A total of 11 responses were received from the following:

• 5 from LFRS Staff;
• 2 from the Fire Brigades Union (FBU);
• 4 from members of the public, elected representatives and/or other organisations.

A further two responses were received after the official consultation period had closed.  To ensure the broadest possible range of opinion was captured, these responses had been included as part of this outcome report.  Members considered all responses.

SUMMARY OF RESPONSES

The majority of responses required only a standard acknowledgement as they contained general comments and no specific questions were asked.  Many respondents queried the length and timing of the consultation and expressed concern due to constraints with the Christmas and New Year holiday period falling during the consultation period.  Nevertheless, no extensions were sought, as it was recognised that no specific proposals that would require a comprehensive evaluation were included in the document.  Many respondents felt that the draft IRMP 2017-22 provided a clear summary and overview of the organisation and were supportive of ambitions detailed with the document. The Chief Constable of Lancashire Constabulary highlighted that the document complemented his organisation’s mission and communicated their commitment to future partnership opportunities. Some of those who responded made suggestions to improve or add to the content and where appropriate these had been encompassed with the document.

Minor changes were requested to strengthen the link to climate change and the environment so the IRMP 2017-22 and the Safety, Health and Environment Policy were integrated.  These changes would evidence the Service’s ongoing commitment to adapt to and mitigate the changing climate and minimise the impact on the environment. The Climate Change and Environment Strategy was agreed by Members in 2009 to ensure that Climate Change and Environmental responsibilities were fully embedded across the Service and integrated at all levels. The improvement objectives outlined in the strategy had been completed and Climate Change and Environmental considerations were now embedded into Service planning, policies and procedures.  It was proposed that the Climate Change and Environment Strategy were embedded within the IRMP.

The Community Safety Strategy was agreed by Members in 2014, this formed an integral part of the IRMP 2013-17. The draft IRMP 2017-22 fully integrated the Community Safety Strategy and embedded its message.  The need to have a separate strategy document would be negated once the IRMP 2017-22 was in place.

A response was received expressing concerns that fracking was not prevalent within the document.  This industry and any potential associated risks would be thoroughly monitored and reviewed by LFRS by our Response and Emergency Planning team and Site Specific risk information would be collated as required.  All of the Service’s risks were documented and assessed with the Strategic Assessment of Risk document which was updated on an annual basis to evidence risk requirements and going forward this would include risks identified surrounding fracking.  The Service would also continue to work closely with our multi agency partners through Lancashire Resilience Forum (LRF) and create a coordinated multi agency response plan for strategic risks as identified.  This would ensure that detailed risk plans were developed through appropriate channels in line with any potential risks that fracking may present.  We would write to those who raised concerns to give a full response to the specific area of concern and provide an overview of how LFRS would manage any emergent strategic risk in line with our existing arrangements.

Representative Bodies

The FBU’s response welcomed the opportunity to comment on the draft IRMP.  The main points raised were: -

• Supportive of the format and presentation of the draft IRMP.
• Felt it was premature to state, “Delivery of integrated public services would see us continue to build on our co-responding partnerships”.
• Highlighted that nationally the FBU remains opposed to Police and Crime Commissioners taking on responsibility for the delivery of Fire and Rescue Service’s.
• Welcome the commitment to transform workforce diversity.
• Supportive of  the four themes of helping people to start safe, live safe, age safe and be safe on our roads.
• Welcome the commitment to “identify key lessons through effective debriefing to ensure future operational response continues to evolve”.
• Reserve comment for the separate consultation currently taking place on the capital and revenue budgets.

All submissions were reproduced in full, but as the originators and their respective contact details were clearly evident, circulation in this format was restricted to Authority and LFRS Executive Board members only. A redacted version was included in electronic format with the agenda paper on the LFRS website.

NEXT STEPS

Subject to Planning Committee approval, a final version of the IRMP 2017-22 would be presented to the full CFA at its meeting on the 20 February 2017 for Member approval.  With CFA approval the IRMP would be published in early April 2017 and communicated to all consultees via letter or email.  An electronic version for access/download would be available on LFRS website along with more detailed information.  To ensure currency of content, the IRMP 2017-22 would be subject to an annual review/refresh to ensure that all links within the document were up to date and relevant.

In response to a question raised by CC D O’Toole, it was agreed that future consultation responses would be displayed with the query before the answer to make it easier to read.

In response to Member concern that of the thousands of people who were contacted for their comments there were only eleven respondents, the Deputy Chief Fire Officer confirmed that the Authority’s Consultation Strategy enabled consultation to the proportionate to the nature and extent of any proposal being considered. This consultation was over a 6 week period and in a much more electronic format.  In addition, this consultation did not involve using externally facilitated user groups.

RESOLVED: - That the Planning Committee: -

1.    Endorse the consultation process surrounding the draft Integrated Risk Management Plan (IRMP) 2017-22 as adequate in scale and scope.

2.    Agree the Climate Change and Environment Strategy and Community Safety Strategy are embedded within the IRMP 2017-22.

3.      Refer final recommendations to the full Combined Fire Authority meeting of the 20th February 2017 for approval to publish.