24 April 2013

Members are reminded that they must not participate in the discussion or, voting on any matter, in which they have a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest, and should leave the room prior to the commencement of the debate.

Members are asked to receive any questions, statements or petitions, of which notice has been received, from members of the public.

Members are asked to receive the minutes of the Audit and Performance Management Committee meeting, held on 7 March 2013, attached marked 5, and consider the recommendation at item 9, to re-affirm the Fire Authority's Anti-Fraud, Bribery and Corruption Strategy without amendment.

A copy of the Strategy can be accessed via the following link:

Attachment	Size
05a - Anti-Fraud, Bribery & Corruption Strategy 201314.doc	2.75 MB
05a - A&PMC Minutes 7 March 2013.doc	169 KB

Members are asked to receive and note the minutes of the Standards Committee meeting, held on 8 March 2013, attached marked 6, and consider the recommendations at items 7, 8, 10, 11 and 12, set out below. Where amendments to documents are recommended, additions are shown in bold italics and deletions struck through.

Item 7 – Committee Constitution
Members are asked to agree the recommended amendments to the Standards Committee constitution, a copy of which is attached, marked 6a.

Item 8 – Review of Role Descriptions and Skills and Competencies
Members are asked to:
• Agree the recommended amendments to the Role Descriptions of the Standards Committee Chair and Vice-Chair, attached marked 6bi and 6bii respectively;
• Delete the existing Role Description and Person Specification for Independent, Non-Elected Member of the Standards Committee; and
• Agree the recommended Role Description and Skills and Competencies for the Fire Authority’s Independent Person, attached marked 6ci and 6cii respectively.

Item 10 – Update on Implementation of the New Standards Regime
The Fire Authority is asked to agree the recommendation of its Standards Committee that on 1 July 2013 Mr Christopher Humphries be appointed as the sole Independent Person (as set out in section 28 of the Localism Act 2011) and that Mr Michael Tebbutt be removed from his Independent Person responsibilities in accordance with statutory requirements.

Item 11 – Review of Protocol on Gifts and Hospitality
Members are asked to agree the recommended amendments to the Fire Authority’s Protocol on Gifts and Hospitality, attached marked 6d.

Item 12 – Review of Protocol on Member / Officer Relations
Members are asked to agree the recommended amendments to the Fire Authority’s Protocol on Member / officer Relations, attached marked 6e.

Attachment	Size
06e-protocol-on-member-officer-relations.pdf	44.99 KB
06d-protocol-on-gifts-and-hospitality.pdf	50.92 KB
06cii-indep-person-skills-and-competencies.pdf	28.27 KB
06ci-rd-indep-person.pdf	31.47 KB
06bii-rd-vice-chair-standards.pdf	32.3 KB
06bi-rd-chair-of-standards.pdf	33.38 KB
06-standards-minutes-8-mar-2013.pdf	33.75 KB
06a-standards-committee-tors.pdf	46.9 KB

Members are asked to receive and note the minutes of the Strategy and Resources Committee meeting, held on 14 March 2013, attached marked 7a.

Attachment	Size
07a-sandr-minutes-14-mar-2013.pdf	30.88 KB

Members are asked to receive and note the minutes of the Human Resources Committee meeting, held on 21 March 2013, attached marked 8.

Attachment	Size
08-hr-minutes-21-mar-2013.pdf	53.53 KB

Following the Grant and Budget announcements of late 2012 and March 2013 the Fire Authority asked its Strategy and Resources Committee to find a further £1.2 to £1.6 million per year budget reductions to be implemented to enable a balanced budget by 2020. This short report, attached marked 10, updates Members on the work thus far.

Attachment	Size
10-strap-update.pdf	23.13 KB

This report, attached marked 12, provides a summary update regarding progress with the Fire Control project from both a national and local perspective.

Attachment	Size
12-fire-control-project-update.pdf	21.34 KB

The capital programme approved by the Fire Authority in February contained a scheme in 2014/15 for the procurement of three new appliances at a total cost of £660,000. Officers have been informed that, due to new European emission regulations, the purchase price and running costs of appliances will increase for all new LGV vehicles bought after April 2014. It is estimated that each appliance will cost an additional £10,000 and running costs over the 15 year life will exceed an additional £10,000 per vehicle. In order to mitigate these additional costs, orders for the new appliances had to be placed by Monday 22 April 2013.

As a result of this development, the Chief Fire Officer secured the approval of the Chair and the Vice Chair to bring forward the scheme for appliances from 2014/15 to 2013/14, to take advantage of these developments for the Fire Authority. This approval was sought in conjunction with the Treasurer and the Monitoring Officer.

The Fire Authority’s financial regulations state that approval of the Authority should be obtained for this variation to its capital programme, and members are now asked to retrospectively approve the transfer of the 2014/15 appliance replacement scheme to 2013/14. No other changes are necessary to the 2013/14 programme in light of this change, and there are no revenue consequences of the movement of this scheme in 2013/14, as the scheme is to be funded from existing balances.

Members are asked to consider the business case and outline business plan, attached marked 15, which is the exempt Appendix to report 13.