Regional Management Board 4 October 2007

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Regional Management Board 4 October 2007

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Yorkshire and Humberside Regional Fire Authorities’ Regional Management Board

Meeting held on Thursday 4 October 2007 at West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service Headquarters, Birkenshaw

Present:

Humberside Fire and Rescue Authority
Councillor D Engall

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Authority
Councillor J Morley
Councillor C Seymour

South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Authority

Councillor J Andrews
Councillor P Lakin (as substitute for Councillor

J Bird)

West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Authority
Councillor D Atkinson
Councillor G Beever
Councillor M Coulson (RMB Chair)
Councillor R Light (agenda items 1 – 8 only, Min nos. 20 – 28 refer)

Secretariat:

Mr M G Barnes

Mrs N Houseman

Treasurer :

Mr M Price

In attendance :

Mr F Duffield Humberside
Mr M Khuri Humberside
Mr R Hannigan Humberside
Mr N Hutchinson North Yorkshire
Mr C Anderson North Yorkshire
Mr A Trowsdale North Yorkshire
Mr J Hoey South Yorkshire
Mr P Toase West Yorkshire
Mr S Pilling West Yorkshire
Mr A Hughes West Yorkshire
Ms U Harrison West Yorkshire

20 Apologies for Absence

Councillor D Barkworth – Humberside Fire and Rescue Authority (RMB Vice chair)
Councillor J Bird – South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Authority
Councillor M Cuthbert – South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Authority
Councillor E Broadbent – North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Authority

Apologies were also presented on behalf of Mr M Smitherman (Chief Fire Officer, South Yorkshire).

21 Chair's Announcements

Membership of the Regional Management Board

It was reported that Councillor P Scriven (Liberal Democrat, South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Authority) had been replaced as a member of
the Regional Management Board by Councillor Monty Cuthbert (Liberal Democrat, South Yorkshire FRA).

Regional Control Centre – seminar and visit

Members were reminded of the arrangements for the seminar and site visit which would follow this meeting of the Board.

22 Minutes of the Board at a Meeting held on 26 July 2007

Resolved

That the Minutes be signed by the Chair as a correct record.

23 Urgent Items

None.

24 Admission of the Public

There were no items which required the exclusion of the public and press.

25 Declarations of Interest

Councillor Light declared a prejudicial interest in agenda item 9 (Procurement) due to his appointment as Director of Firebuy. Councillor Light withdrew from the room and took no part in the decision thereon.

Strategic Functions – Update

26 Resilience

This report was withdrawn from consideration at the meeting.

Resolved

That a revised version of the Resilience report be circulated to Members of the Regional Management Board at the earliest opportunity on the basis
that it required no formal decision or ratification by the RMB.

27 Common Services

The Assistant Chief Officer / Director of Community Protection (Humberside Fire and Rescue Service) submitted a report which advised of the progress

made with the work in the Common Services strategic functional theme and specifically in the following areas;

• Fire safety and sprinklers – much of this work was now complete

• Community safety – on target for completion

• Technical support / fire investigation – Memorandum of understanding for arson control was being developed

• Operational convergence

• Peer review – business case to be considered at the next meeting

Members commented about the RMB website and particularly issues concerning its maintenance as some of the details were out of date.

Resolved

(i) That the report be noted; and

(ii) That the constituent fire authorities be advised that they may wish to give some priority to arson control.

28 Regional Control Rooms

Consideration was given to a report of the Deputy Chief Fire Officer (West Yorkshire) which updated Members on the status of the Yorkshire and
Humberside FireControl Regional Control Centre project.

Members were advised of the current position with regard to;

• Establishment of the local authority controlled company (meeting of constituent authority chairs had been deferred from 18 September to 17 December 2007)

• Transition arrangements

• Human resources issues – the delay in setting up the company may impact upon the timescale for the appointment of the Regional Control Centre Director, TUPE arrangements

• Financing of the RCC – remained a confused picture

• Project planning and deadlines from Communities and Local Government (CLG) – change of CLG contact officer (Helen Dowse)

• Firelink – phased implementation

Resolved

(i) That the report be noted;

(ii) That the arrangements for the regional checkpoint sign-off be agreed as detailed in paragraph 9.2 of the report now submitted; and

(iii) That proposed arrangements and options for the selection of the Regional Control Centre director be submitted to the January 2008 meeting of the Board for decision.

29 Procurement

Consideration was given to a report of the Assistant Chief Officer (South Yorkshire) which provided Members with an update on progress within the
procurement workstream.

Resolved

(i) That the report be noted; and

(ii) That the issue of the appointment of a regional procurement officer and possible alternative options be submitted to the January meeting of the Board.

30 Training

The Assistant Chief Fire Officer / Director of Human Resources (North Yorkshire) submitted a report which updated members on the Training
function and specifically on the following issues;

• Regional leadership project

• Training review

• Strategic manager Assessment Development Centre (ADC)

Resolved

That the report be noted.

31 Personnel and HR Management

Consideration was given to a report of the Director of Human Resources (West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service) which advised of progress with regional collaboration on human resource issues.

Resolved

That the report be noted.

32 Communications

Members considered a report of the Secretary to

the Board which advised on options for improved communications with Members of Parliament across Yorkshire and the Humber.

Resolved

(i) That the report be noted;

(ii) That the newsletter “Connections” be re-instated with effect from the date of the January 2008 meeting to be circulated by the constituent authority Public Relations Officers to Members of Parliament and other key stakeholders;

(iii) That WYFRA generate a production brief and design / layout template of “Connections” for circulation to the constituent authorities in advance of the January 2008 meeting;

(iv) That the responsibility for the production of “Connections” be rotated through the constituent authorities to accord with the hosting of the RMB meeting;

(v) That “Connections” be posted on the website; and

(vi) That the costs associated with the production of “Connections” be absorbed by each constituent authority.

33 Programme Management – Update

Consideration was given to a report of the Deputy Chief Fire Officer, North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service which provided a summary of work being conducted within the Region and which advised of the progress made in each strategic functional area on specific projects.

Resolved

(i) That the report be noted; and

(ii) That the progress figure (0%) quoted for the development of a common approach towards Incident Command Systems (OC4) be investigated further and reported to the next meeting of the Board.

34 Date of Next Meeting

Resolved

That the next meeting of the Yorkshire and Humberside Fire Authorities’ Regional Management Board be held on Thursday, 10 January 2008 at the

offices of the South Yorkshire Joint Secretariat, Barnsley.

Chair