Agenda item

This report proposes the projects to be included within the Fire Authority’s Integrated Risk Management (IRMP) Action Plan for the fiscal year 2010-11.  The proposals summarise those areas where the Service’s Strategic Leadership Team believe service improvements should be made.  To meet the requirements of the IRMP process, each proposal is supported by robust evidence, validating both their inclusion and their contribution to improved community safety and/or firefighter safety.  Similarly, each proposal is cognisant of the prevailing economic constraints.

The proposals for the 2010-11 Action Plan are as follows:-

Project 1:      Day crewing review at Abingdon and Didcot Fire Stations.

Project 2:      Special appliance review, including a review of aerial rescue appliances and specialist rescue capability.

Project 3:      Use of operational staff to deliver our obligations under the Fire Safety Order.

Project 4:       Review of our co-responder arrangements with South Central Ambulance Service.

Project 5:      Review prevention and risk reduction.

Project 6:      Operational resilience review.

Project 7:      Further development of the Services approach to the Equality framework for  Local Government.

The above proposals have been subject to a 12 week public consultation period during which stakeholders (internal and external) have had the opportunity to comment and pass observations either through e-mail, OCC Consultation Portal or directly by letter.  In addition to the electronic availability of the proposals, the Cabinet Member for Safer and Stronger Communities and Fire and Rescue Service (FRS) managers held four public meetings; two meetings at Service Headquarters Kidlington and two further meetings, one in Abingdon and one in Didcot.  Overall some 3,000 replies have been received primarily objecting to Project 1 – Day crewing review at Abingdon and Didcot Fire Stations.

The above proposals, if approved by Cabinet, will be included in the final version of the IRMP Action Plan 2010-11.  Each project will be subject to close monitoring and reviewed every quarter through the Project Implementation Team (PIT).  Progress will be reported to the Cabinet Member for Safer and Stronger Communities (SSC) and copied to the chairman of the Safer & Stronger Communities Scrutiny Committee every quarter.

Cabinet considered a report (CA13) that proposed the projects to be included within the Fire Authority’s Integrated Risk Management (IRMP) Action Plan for the fiscal year 2010-11. 

Mr Steve Allen, Chairman of Oxfordshire FBU and a resident of Wantage stated that he was aware of the bigger picture but was speaking to protest about the threat to public safety posed by the proposals. In particular he felt that project 1 put people at risk in Didcot and Abingdon. He also referred to the reduction in Oxford City centre and weekend working.

Councillor John Goddard, Cabinet Member for Safer & Stronger Communities, noted that Oxfordshire enjoyed an efficient and effective Fire Rescue Service. He felt that project 1 would increase the risk for some people in Didcot and Abingdon at some times of the week. He referred to a number of areas, including Harwell, which no longer provided their own cover. He referred to the underlying problem of the difficulty in recruiting and retaining retained fire fighters and queried how this would be tackled in the long term.

Councillor Judith Heathcoat introduced the contents of the report setting out the context for the seven projects, the commitment to continuing the direction of travel of the service and the level of public and service consultation undertaken.

The Deputy Chief Fire Officer added that the projects identified would challenge the way that services were provided. He referred to various reviews all of which had identified a need to put more support into the retained system. He referred in particular to the details of project 1. He gave an assurance that the outcome of the review would be at least the same number of fire engines and fire fighters for the area. The outcome would be a more sustainable retained fire service. It would unlock capacity to deliver fire safety education.

Responding to questions from Cabinet Members the Deputy Chief Fire Officer stated that they had been very open about the project with the intention of evoking debate. They had been open with their workforce and would work to address concerns as best they could.

There was some discussion of the modelling software used that had information for all stations over a number of years. Historical data was captured and used in the model. Date would continue to be captured and would enable the changes to be checked to see they had the desired effect. The Deputy Chief Fire Officer paid tribute to Martin Crapper, who would be retiring shortly and who had done a great deal of the modelling work.

Councillor Louise Chapman in referring to the fantastic job done by fire fighters proposed that Cabinet receive a report back on the changes to see that they were working as expected.

Councillor Heathcoat concluded that they had consulted extensively. The paper set out the concerns. She noted that project 1 had received some positive comments. She acknowledged the response of South Oxfordshire District Council. Finally she paid tribute to the Fire Service that provided consistently the highest performance at the lowest cost through the efforts of an excellent leadership team and work force.

On a show of hands it was unanimously

RESOLVED:                       

(a)                   to approve all seven of the proposed projects for inclusion in the IRMP action plan 2010/11; namely:

Project 1:     Day crewing review at Abingdon and Didcot Fire Stations.

Project 2:     Special appliance review, including a review of aerial rescue appliances and specialist rescue capability.

Project 3:     Use of operational staff to deliver our obligations under the Fire Safety Order.

Project 4:     Review of our co-responder arrangements with South Central Ambulance Service.

Project 5:     Review prevention and risk reduction.

Project 6:     Operational resilience review.

Project 7:     Further development of the Services approach to the Equality framework for  Local Government.

(b)                   in light of the concerns expressed through the extensive internal and external consultation, to instruct the Chief Fire Officer to mitigate as far as practicable concerns raised when considering any future duty system;

(c)                   in recognising the public concern around the potential impact of project one on attendance times to incidents during specific short periods, to instruct the Chief Fire Officer to report to the Cabinet Member for Safer & Stronger Communities, Cabinet and the related Scrutiny Committee on a four monthly basis in the first twelve months after implementation.  This report to also include details of the beneficial elements to RDS stations from the staff redeployment of the four Watch Managers; and

(d)                   to instruct the Chief Fire Officer to provide performance data relating to the implementation of project one to the South and Vale of White Horse District Councils and Abingdon and Didcot Town Councils.