Agenda item

To consider item 15

The Head of Technology, Transformation and PMO advised Members that on 17 October, the Service received its 2023-2025 Round 3 HMICFRS Inspection report. The report was presented at the Extraordinary Fire Authority meeting on 24 October with input from HMI Wilsher. One of the recommendations at this meeting was that the Interim Chief Fire Officer, be delegated to prepare and publish an Action Plan on behalf of the Authority, in consultation with the Chairman and Vice-Chairman.

The approach being taken with the round 3 Action Plan was the plan being prioritised on the actions needed to meet the recommendations. That the actions were clear, measurable and achievable. The plan was being built with feedback from the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, the NFCC and other partners. The Action Plan had been signed off by the Chairman and Interim Chief Fire Officer and submitted to HMICFRS on 15 November 2023.

In a letter received on 21 November 2023, HMICFRS informed the Service that it would now be entering the supportive engage progress process. The focus of the engage process was to assist officers in finding ways to improve and resolve identified causes of concern and provide a better service to the public. All services in the engage process were discussed at the Fire Performance Oversight Board, which would take place in February 2024.

To ensure focus on the HMICFRS Action Plan, and the engage process, the Service was setting up an HMI Improvement Board. Ongoing updates would be shared with the Overview and Audit Committee and the Fire Authority to ensure ongoing scrutiny. The Service was already working hard to address the issues raised in the recent inspection and welcomed the support of HMICFRS, NFCC and other partner organisations assisting the Service with its improvement journey.

The Chief Fire Officer advised Members that she had already had a meeting with HMI Wilsher, advising him of the intention to stand up an Improvement Board immediately. The Chief Fire Officer would chair the Improvement Board which would track and monitor progress against the Action Plan. There was a lot of good work going on, which would be reported to Members regularly. The Chief Fire Officer was confident the Service was on track and had the support it needed to achieve it.

A Member asked if the FBU were being consulted.

The Chief Fire Officer advised that a meeting was already in the diary with the FBU Brigade Secretary. This was a very important piece of work and would not be done in isolation.

A Member said in the action plan workplace facilities was green, should this be reconsidered. There was only £25k put away for improvements station by station, what work was needed and what budget was needed.

The Director of Finance and Assets advised it was green because it was on track. This was a long term project until March 2025, to get a standard across all stations. The £25k a year was for immediate work, but when any work was done on station, ways to improve equality, diversion and inclusion was included as part of it. There was a five year programme approved as part of the property strategy. There was also a transformation reserve, as some of these issues were identified.

The Chairman felt it would be helpful for Members to have a station by station assessment of what the actions were.

The Chairman also asked that the HMICFRS Action Plan be brought to every Fire Authority meeting.

The Chairman advised Members that due to the Fire Performance Oversight Group taking place on Wednesday 7 February 2024, the Executive Committee meeting would need  to be moved from its scheduled date of Wednesday 7 February 2024.

RESOLVED –

That the Authority note the BFRS HMICFRS 2023 Action Plan (Appendix 1)