Meeting documents

To approve, and the Chairman to sign as a correct record, the Minutes of the meeting of the Executive Committee held on 18 November 2015

RESOLVED –

That the Minutes of the meeting of the Executive Committee held on Wednesday 18 November 2015, be approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

To consider Item 5

The Committee considered the Prudential Code, Prudential Indicators and Minimum Revenue Provision policy statement which was required to be approved by the Fire Authority and to support the Medium Term Financial Plan.

RESOLVED –

That the Authority be recommended to approve:

1.         the Prudential Indicators; and

2.         the Minimum Revenue Provision policy statement

To consider Item 6

The Committee considered the proposed revenue and capital Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP) for the financial years 2016/17 to 2019/20.

The Director of Finance and Assets advised Members that the information required from the District Councils that had been due to be given to the Authority by the end of January, had not been received until Monday 1 February. This meant the report was circulated to Members before that information was available and had affected some of the figures slightly. An updated Appendix 1 was circulated.

The Vice Chairman advised Members that the Authority was looking at a £6.7M shortfall over the next four years. If Members looked at the two options proposed a 1.98% increase or a freeze, even with the 1.98% increase, the Authority was still looking at a shortfall, but the Vice Chairman was confident that within the public safety plan more savings could be made.

The Vice Chairman advised Members that the income from Government was clearly reducing and the Authority would need the 1.98% increase coming through from council tax payers as there were some risks on the horizon, one of which was the potential loss of income from different Government grants.

A Member asked how the business rates transfer from central Government to Local Authorities would affect the Fire Authority and was advised it was not known at this time.

The Chief Fire Officer advised Members that the Authority had planned well for the future and if the Authority continued to deliver on the savings and efficiencies that had been put forward in the Public Safety Plan, it would be in a good position compared to other fire authorities. There was a decrease of 57% in the revenue support grant between now and 2020 and the Government had factored in that authorities should be raising council tax.

The Director of Finance and Assets advised Members that the Authority had a good, well put together, capital programme and this year projects would be funded for the life of the project, rather than year on year funding.

RESOLVED –

That the Authority be recommended to:

1.           note and have due regard to the report and Statement of the Chief Finance Officer (Section 8 of Annex A).

2.           approve a Council Tax precept of £59.70 for a band D equivalent property (a 1.98% increase from 2015/16 – equal to 2.2p per week) and the revenue budget as set out in Appendix 1.

3.           approve the capital programme as set out in Appendix 2.

To consider Item 7

The Head of Service Development advised Members that the Authority had received a briefing on the Emergency Service Mobile Communications Programme back in June 2015 and this report updates Members on the current position in relation to the national project. Since the last update the delivery partner, devices provider and network provider contracts had been awarded and the details were contained within the report.

The Head of Service Development advised Members that the central government project team had released a sign off pack for all authorities to consider the business case and the documentation to formally agree to participate in the project. The business case indicated potential savings for the Authority based on current expenditure for the Airwave system.

The Head of Service Development advised Members that the business case reiterates that funding of the transition to the new system would be centrally funded within certain parameters, based on current capabilities.

The Head of Service Development advised Members that the current Airwave arrangement was due to end for all services towards the end of 2020. The next phase of the project was to establish the national Emergency Services Network. This was due to be established and tested before each individual starts their transition to the new system. The Authority was due to start its transition to the system in December 2017 and be completed by December 2018.

The Head of Service Development advised Members that the TVFCS ‘buddy control’ North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, were scheduled to transition six months later than Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service, and the Authority would seek assurances that North Yorkshire would be able to undertake their back up duties before completing the transition.

Members from Milton Keynes were concerned that the current EE network coverage in Milton Keynes was very poor and asked that this be noted.

RESOLVED –

That the contents of the report be noted.

To consider Item 8

The Lead Member for Human Resources and Equality and Diversity introduced the report advising Members that the People Strategy sets out how the Authority would create an environment to optimise the engagement, commitment and professionalism of its people to achieve the Authority’s Vision, Aim, Priorities and Objectives documented in the Public Safety and Corporate Plans.

The Lead Member for Human Resources and Equality and Diversity also advised Members that the strategic framework highlighted four key areas, Resourcing, Well-being, Talent Management and Employee Relations and with each area there were a number of strategic outcomes which aligned to the future direction of the Service over the next three to five years. It was very outcome driven and progress was very closely monitored and would be reported back to Members on a regular basis.

The Head of Human Resources advised Members that people were a really important asset and resource to the Authority. The People Strategy was a sensible part of people and business planning, having the right people with the right skills, would help the Authority continue to deliver the success of recent years.

The POD Project Manager gave Members a presentation on the People Strategy.

The Chairman moved the following recommendation which was seconded by Councillor Reed:

"That a progress report on the People Strategy be brought to the Executive Committee annually"

On being put to the vote the motion was agreed.

RESOLVED –

1.                 That the Authority’s People Strategy 2016 to 2020 be approved.

2.                 That a progress report on the People Strategy be brought to the Executive Committee annually

To consider excluding the public and press representatives from the meeting by virtue of Paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, as an annex to the report contains information relating to an individual; and  Paragraph 2 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 as an annex to the report contains information which is likely to reveal the identity of an individual; and Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 as an annex to the report contains information relating to the financial or business affairs of a person; and on all these grounds it is considered the need to keep information exempt outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information:

RESOLVED –

By virtue of Paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, as an appendix to the report contains information relating to an individual; and Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 as an appendix to the report contains information relating to the financial or business affairs of a person; and on these grounds it was considered the need to keep information exempt outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information, so that the meeting may consider the following matter:

Senior Management Board Remuneration and Performance Review 2015 and Annual Report on the Employee Bonus Scheme

J Thelwell (Chief Fire Officer), G Britten (Director of Legal and Governance), G Britten (Director of Legal and Governance), L Swift (Director of People and Organisational Development), D Sutherland (Director of Finance and Assets), M Hemming (Head of Finance [Deputy Director]), J Parsons (Head of Service Development), P Holland (Head of Projects and Transformation), A McCallum (Executive Assistant to the Chief Fire Officer) and F Pearson (Communication and Consultation Manager) left the meeting.

To consider Item 10

The Committee considered the report and appendices, details of which are noted in the confidential/exempt minutes.

RESOLVED:

It was recommended that:

1.                     a financial recognition of achievements to the Chief Fire Officer/Chief Executive through a bonus payment be approved.

2.                     the level of bonus payment to the Chief Fire Officer be agreed.

3.                     an amount of funds to be allocated to other members of the SMB by the Chief Fire Officer based on individual performance reviews be agreed.

4.                     the report summarising awards made in 2014/15 under the Authority’s Employee Bonus Scheme be noted.

To consider excluding the public and press representatives from the meeting by virtue of Paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, as the minutes contains information relating to an individual; and Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 as the minutes contains information relating to the financial or business affairs of a person; and on these grounds it is considered the need to keep information exempt outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information:

RESOLVED:

By virtue of Paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, as the minutes contain information relating to an individual; and on these grounds it was considered the need to keep information exempt outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information, so that the meeting may consider the following matter:

To approve and the Chairman to sign as a correct record the Exempt Minutes of the meeting of the Executive Committee held on 18 November 2015

RESOLVED:

That the Exempt Minutes of the meeting of the Executive Committee held on Wednesday 18 November 2015, be approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

To note that the next meeting of the Committee will be held on Wednesday 16 March 2016 at 10.00am.

The Committee noted that the date of the next Executive Committee would be held on Wednesday 16 March 2016 at 10.00am.

THE CHAIRMAN CLOSED THE MEETING AT 11.50AM.