MINUTES of a MEETING of the FIRE AND RESCUE COMMUNITY SAFETY TOPIC GROUP held on 30 APRIL2007

Members of the Topic Group:

P T J Channell, M Downing (Chairman), R Roberts, A S M Witherick

Officers present:

S Brown, F & R Education Team Leader, Community Safety

E Lund, Democratic Services Officer

D Moses, Head of Scrutiny

C Strickland, Fire & Rescue Service Planning, Performance and Policy Manager

ACTION
1. / MINUTES
1.1
1.2 / The minutes of meetings of 15 and 22 March were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.
The minutes of the meeting held on 28 March 2007 will be tabled for confirmation at the next meeting.
2. / PROGRESS WITH FINAL REPORT
2.1 / Prior to the meeting Members had received a further draft of the final report, together with a schedule of proposed findings and recommendations. Members considered these and the following arose in discussion:
2.1.1 / Members were satisfied with the layout of the report. It was agreed that further detail should be included within the introduction section to explain how the issue had arisen for scrutiny, the reason for the focus on Community Safety, the current CPA performance of the service and the process by which CPA assessments have been undertaken. / David Moses/
Simon Brown
2.1.2 / It was agreed that the report should contain clarification that although the principal focus of the scrutiny has been the Fire & Rescue Service, there are also issues around the relationships with other departments within HCC and the way in which co-ordination and sharing of information takes place.
2.1.3 / It was highlighted that the findings and recommendations should be linked to both the remit of the topic group and the evidence received. It was suggested that the findings and recommendations could be mapped on a matrix against the following headings across four themes: resources, replication (i.e. ensuring good practice is rolled out across the County), targeting (i.e. ensuring those at risk are correctly identified to receive advice), and co-ordination and communication (i.e. ensuring that departments within HCC share information on those at risk). The Head of Scrutiny undertook to produce a matrix in order that Members can decide whether this is a more useful way of presenting the information. / David Moses
2.1.4 / Some further points for clarification were identified in the draft, and Simon Brown undertook to check and correct or expand upon these prior to the production of the final version of the report. In particular it was noted that the graph on page 13 should refer to Fatal Dwelling Deaths (not ‘fires’), and the figures on the graph require checking, having been produced prior to the year end. There is also a discrepancy under the section ‘Fire Reduction’ on page 13 in that some figures are per year and others per week. / Simon Brown/
David Moses
2.1.5 / Members agreed that it would be more appropriate to use the term ‘resources’ rather than ‘funding’ throughout the report, as the latter relates solely to finance where the former can include alternatives such as re-deployment of staff. It was suggested that the report should include a timeline to show when funding streams (LPSA and LAA) will cease. Members also agreed that the term ‘cold calling’ should be replaced with a phrase which has a less negative connotation and which provides a more accurate description (for example, ‘pre-advertised calling’, or ‘home calling’). / David Moses
2.1.6 / It was agreed that MIDAS, MOSAIC and Hazard Alley should be included within the glossary of terms and should be referenced in the report. / David Moses
2.1.7 / Members agreed that the findings and recommendations reflect the conclusions reached by the Group. It was further agreed that whilst community safety is moving in the right direction there is more work to be done in ensuring that vulnerable groups are correctly identified and assisted, in ensuring protocols are in place to train staff across all services to recognise issues and in ensuring that checks in Hertfordshire compare favourably with other fire and rescue services: these points are to be reflected in the report.
3. / DATE OF NEXT MEETING
3.1
3.2 / Wednesday 9 May 2007 at 10 a.m. at Fire & Rescue Headquarters, Old London Road, Hertford.
The Head of Scrutiny undertook to prepare a further draft of the report for consideration at the next meeting. It was agreed that, in light of the short timescale, an interim report would be taken to the June meeting of the Adult Care and Community Safety Scrutiny Committee, with the final report being received by the Overview & Scrutiny Committee at the end of June. / All to note
David Moses

Andrew Laycock

CountySecretary

For further information about this meeting please contact Elaine Gibson, telephone

01992 555469.

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070430 Minutes