West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Authority
Meeting of the Finance and Resources Committee held on 1 February 2008 at Fire Service Headquarters, Birkenshaw
Present: Councillors P Harrand (in the Chair), J Cole, M Coulson, M Harkin,D Hollingsworth,
M Jamil, M Khan, R Light (for agenda items 1 – E16, Min nos 43 – 57 refer), A Ogilvie, B Smith and R Taylor
Apologies: Councillor Godward
In attendance: Councillor P Booth
43 Minutes of the Last Meeting
Resolved
That the Minutes of the Committee at a meeting held on 19 October 2007 be signed by the Chair as a correct record.
44 Urgent Items
None.
45 Exclusion of the Public - Section 100A, Local Government Act 1972
Resolved
That the public and press be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the items of business specified below as it was likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings, that if members of the public and press were present during these items, there would be disclosure to them of exempt information of the descriptions specified.
Agenda Item No - E16
Title of Report - Virement - Equipment Lift
Minute No - 57
Description of exempt information by reference to the paragraph number in Schedule 12 A of the Local Government Act 1972 - Paragraph 3
financial or business affairs
Agenda Item No - E17
Title of Report - Nelson Street, Bradford (former Fire Station)
Minute No 58
Description of exempt information by reference to the paragraph number in Schedule 12 A of the Local Government Act 1972 - Paragraph 3
financial or business affairs
46 Disclosures of Interest
There were no disclosures of interest in any matter under discussion at the meeting.
47 Quarterly Financial Review
Consideration was given to a report of the Chief Finance Officer which presented a quarterly overview of the financial position of the Authority.
The overview incorporated the following information:
• Underspend projected of £600,000 which would increase revenue balance to
£5m
• Completion of 35% of capital plan
• New loans taken out of £1m since October 2007
Members were further advised that Treasury Management had operated within the established guidelines.
Resolved
That the report be noted.
48 Revenue Budget and Capital Plan 2008 - 2001
The Chief Fire officer, Director of Corporate Resources and the Chief Finance Officer submitted a joint report which summarised the Authority’s budgetary options for three years 2008 – 2011.
Resolved
That the report be noted as a basis for consideration of final budget proposals.
49 Member Attendance at Conferences
Members considered a report of the Director of Corporate Resources which invited consideration of Member attendance at a number of events as follows;
Centre for Leadership Workshop Fire Service Colllege 28 – 30 March 2008
Regional Procurement Seminar South Yorkshire 13 March 2008
Member familiarisation visit Fire Service College
Date to be agreed
Regional Standards Training South Yorkshire
April 2008
Resolved
(i) That approval be given to the attendance of two members from each political group at the Centre for Leadership workshop “Practical Challenges facing Fire Authorities” to be held on 28 – 30 March 2008 at the Fire Service College;
(ii) That attendance be approved for one Member from each political group to attend the Regional Procurement seminar to be held in South Yorkshire on 13 March 2008;
(iii) That consideration of a Member familiarisation visit to the Fire Service College be adjourned to a future meeting of this Committee; and
(iv) That attendance be approved for Members to attend the regional Standards
training to be held in South Yorkshire on a date to be confirmed in April 2008; and
(v) That relevant allowances be payable to attending Members as appropriate.
50 Consultation Documents - Draft Responses
The Chief Fire Officer and Chief Executive submitted a report which advised Members of proposed draft responses to the following consultation documents;
• A Centre of Excellence for the Fire and Rescue Service in England
• Fire and Rescue Service National Framework 2008 – 2011
• Fire and Rescue Service Equality and Diversity Strategy (2018)
Members raised some concerns about the differentiation between a possible Centre of Excellence as compared with the existing role and function of the Fire Service College.
It was reported that, since the publication of the Fire and Rescue Service review White Paper, the Audit Commission had taken on the role previously performed by the Inspectorate but this had left a void where the development of national policy was concerned. It was hoped that the Centre of Excellence would perform this role in future.
Resolved
That approval be given to the draft responses to the Consultation papers as detailed at Annexes A – C of the report now submitted.
51 Pathway Group - Funding
Members considered a report of the Chief Fire Officer and Chief Executive which
advised of the findings of the Pathway Group and a requirement for funding in
20008/09.
It was reported that joint support would be required by Fire and Rescue Authorities for certain key projects that underpinned the modernisation process. These projects (Centre for Leadership, IPDS and National Assessment Unit) had been funded by Communities and Local Government (CLG) and would continue to be funded in this way until the end of the current financial year. There would then follow a funding gap prior to the establishment, if agreed, of a Centre of Excellence for the Fire and Rescue Service (Min no. 50 refers).
Members were advised that the Pathway Group had researched the issue and
concluded that FRA’s would need to be invited to contribute a total of £774,000 which equated to an average of £17,200 per Authority in 2008/9. Any such contribution could be funded from within the approved revenue budget.
Resolved
That approval be given to the contribution of £17,200 in 2008/9 for the joint provision of the functions as detailed in the report now submitted.
52 Use of Resources Protocol
The Director of Corporate Resources and the Chief Finance Officer submitted a joint report which recommended the adoption of a protocol governing the use of resources by Members of the Authority in accordance with best practice as recommended by the Standards Board for England.
Resolved
That the Authority be recommended to approve the adoption and incorporation into the Constitution document of a Use of Resources protocol for Members as attached to the report now submitted.
53 Fire Safer Cigarettes
Consideration was given to a report of the Director of Fire Safety and Community Relations which advised of the content of the Fire and Rescue Service circular 57/2007 “Update on work in relation to Fire Safer Cigarettes”.
Members were advised that an average of 32% of fire deaths in the UK were related to smoking materials (40% in West Yorkshire) and it was hoped that a European standard would be created whereby all future cigarette manufacture would incorporate something which would have the effect of making them burn safer and more slowly.
Resolved
That the report be noted.
54 Publication Scheme 2007
Members considered a report of the Director of Corporate Resources which advised of the updated Publication Scheme 2007 which set out the following;
• classes of information the Authority will publish
• manner of publication
• charging rates (as appropriate)
Resolved
That the report be noted.
55 Radio Batteries - Purchase
The Director of Operations submitted a report which sought approval for the urgent purchase of fireground radio batteries.
It was reported that a capital bid had been submitted for 2008 / 9 but there was an urgent requirement for a number of the batteries which could be funded from £8,000 savings in the scheme for the purchase of lifting equipment.
Resolved
That approval be given to the purchase of replacement fireground radio batteries to be funded by virement as identified in the report now submitted.
56 Affordable Warmth
Consideration was given to a report of the Director of Fire Safety and Community Relations which advised of the Brigade’s involvement and progress in affordable warmth projects across the county.
Members were advised that the original involvement had been a result of the
identification of a clear link between fuel poverty and the risk of accidental dwelling fires.
The Service was currently a key partner in two projects – Warm Zones and Hot Spots, and had the potential for involvement in other similar schemes.
Resolved
(i) That the report be welcomed and noted;
(ii) That a further report be submitted to the March 2009 meeting of this Committee to ensure that the approach is continuing to deliver against organisational goals; and
(iii) That a letter and detail of the West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service’s
involvement in the schemes be forwarded to the Chief Executives of the five
West Yorkshire district councils.
57 Virement - Equipment Lift
(This item was considered as exempt information under Schedule 12 A (3) of the Local Government Act 1972 – business or financial affairs)
The Director of Corporate Resources submitted a report which advised Members of revised capital expenditure requirements to vire monies from the Environmental inspections programme to fund a new lift access scheme for the safe transportation of computing equipment.
Resolved
(i) That approval be given to the virement of capital expenditure as detailed in
the report now submitted to fund a new lift access scheme in the MACC
building at Headquarters; and
(ii) That the possible requirement for building regulations approval for the
proposed scheme be noted.
58 Nelson Street - Former Fire Station - Sale
(This item was considered as exempt information under Schedule 12 A (3) of the Local Government Act 1972 – business or financial affairs)
Consideration was given to a report of the Director of Corporate Resources which advised of a delay in obtaining alternative planning approvals for the sale process of the former Nelson Street Fire Station site, Bradford.
Members debated the merits of disposing of the site at the earliest opportunity without alternative planning approvals compared with the option to seek alternative use approvals which would delay but impact upon the sale price.
Resolved
(i) That consideration of the issue be deferred to the July meeting of this
Committee pending the outcome of further discussions with the Assistant
Director (Planning) at Bradford MBC and the Bradford Trident organisation;
and
(ii) That officers actively engage in discussions with other landowners adjacent to the site with a view to the possible submission of a joint alternative use
planning application.
Chair
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