As a public authority SFRS has a legal obligation to provide information through an approved publication scheme and in response to requests.
A publication scheme is a guide to the information the SFRS routinely makes available to the public and wherever possible provides an easy method of accessing this information.
Under the Freedom of Information Act every public authority has a legal duty to adopt and maintain a publication scheme and explain within it what information they publish, how the information is made available, and whether it is available free of charge or upon payment.
The publication scheme is organised into the major areas of work the Service is involved in. Some areas contain links to the websites of other organisations. SFRS is not responsible for the content of external websites.
Who we are and what we do
Our organisational information, locations and contacts, constitutional and legal governance.
Fire Authority
The Fire Authority consists of 15 Members from both constituent authorities of Shropshire; Shropshire Council and Telford & Wrekin Council. It also has non-elected, independent members, who sit on its Standards Committee.
Senior Management Team
Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service has three Executive Officers; responsibilities for each officer are outlined in the section Organisation and Management.
Location and contact details
Our vision
Shropshire and Wrekin Fire and Rescue Authority has defined its vision as Making Shropshire Safer
Our mission
Save and protect life, property and the environment from fire and other emergencies
Our aims
- To be able to respond to emergencies in an appropriate time with a professional, competent and equipped team
- To reduce the number of fire related deaths and serious injuries
- To work with partners to reduce other relevant risks
- To mitigate against harmful impacts on the environment
- To develop our culture to be more purposefully diverse and inclusive, deliberately developmental and intentionally innovative.
Our Core Values
Our core values underpin all of our activities. They not only set out the expectations we have of our staff but also how the Service does its business.
The Service fully supports the national fire and rescue core values of:
- Service to the community
- Valuing people
- Valuing diversity
- Valuing improvement at all levels
We value all our employees by practising and promoting:
- Fairness and respect
- Recognition of merit
- Honesty, integrity and mutual trust
- Personal development
- Co-operative and inclusive working
We value diversity in the Service and the community by:
- Treating everyone fairly and with respect
- Providing varying solutions for different needs and expectations
- Promoting equal opportunities in employment and progression within the Service Challenging prejudice and discrimination
We value improvement at all levels of the Service by:
- Accepting responsibility for our performance
- Being open-minded
- Considering criticism thoughtfully
- Learning from our experience
- Consulting others
How we are governed
Shropshire and Wrekin Fire and Rescue Authority is the statutory authority responsible for the fire and rescue functions of protection, prevention and response within Shropshire. Seventeen Members (local councillors) are elected and their role is to represent the interests of Shropshire Council and Telford & Wrekin Council.
Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) is accountable to the people of Shropshire and Members have a responsibility to ensure that the Service is well governed. They are also involved in all consultations with local communities and staff.
The Authority is responsible for the overall corporate governance of the organisation, its strategic direction, setting its budget and establishing and monitoring management goals and performance against those goals. Business must also be conducted in accordance with legislation, regulation and government guidance to ensure that proper standards of conduct, probity and professional competence are set and adhered to.
Several committees support the Fire Authority in carrying out its functions. Their meeting dates and reports are available on our website.
National legislation places the statutory responsibility for provision of fire and rescue services upon the Fire Authority. The key responsibilities are set out within:
- Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004
- Civil Contingencies Act 2004
- The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
In addition to legal requirements, the Fire Authority must deliver the Government’s priorities for fire and rescue services. These priorities are set out in the Fire and Rescue National Framework (July 2012 and subsequent addendum of 15 December 2014):
- identify and assess the full range of foreseeable fire and rescue related risks their areas face, make provision for prevention and protection activities and respond to incidents appropriately
- work in partnership with their communities and a wide range of partners locally and nationally to deliver their service
- be accountable to communities for the service they provide.
What we spend and how we spend it
Our financial information relating to projected and actual income and expenditure, tendering, procurement and contracts.
Where our money comes from
SFRS receives around 30% of its budget from government grant and the rest from of its income is raised through the Council Tax. By the end of 2013/14, the Fire Authority will have suffered cuts to its grant of over 28%. At the same time Government has limited the rise in Council Tax to not more than 2% without the Fire Authority having to hold a public referendum at a cost of approximately £400,000.
Finance documents
A number of finance and budget documents support the Authority's strategic and corporate plans.
Pay Policy Statement
Shropshire and Wrekin Fire Authority publishes the pay details of all senior officers with a pro rata salary of more than £50,000 in its annual Statement of Accounts. The Pay Policy document brings the information on remuneration into a single document for public information and to meet the obligations of The Localism Act 2011. Links to other more detailed documents are provided. Rather than be limited to legal requirements this document seeks to bring additional clarity to local people on what the senior officers do and the level of reward for their work.
Transparency
In line with the Communities and Local Government code of recommended practice for local authorities on Data Transparency and in the spirit of openness and transparency advocated by HM government Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service has created this page to give easy access to the public data that should be released as a minimum. This information is provided under the Open Government Licence. Requests for specific information will be dealt with under the Freedom of Information Act and can be submitted using the contact form.
Procurement
The Fire Authority has, in support of an agreed procurement strategy, adopted the following as its procurement policy. Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service will operate a procurement process that:
- Challenges the provision of the service and the need for expenditure;
- Ensures a methodology for competition and for quality, yet...
- Encourages an open and flexible approach with users, suppliers and partners;
- Develops appropriate use of collaboration and partnership arrangements with other brigades, public authorities or the private or voluntary sector;
- Makes use of modern processes and techniques;
- Measures the life costs, improvements and success of the procurement, the process and sets performance specifications.
In support of the Authority’s policy and strategy the Service has developed a suite of procurement and asset management Brigade Orders to provide a framework to ensure that all items purchased meet the Authority's and Service's needs.
Contracts
Large scale contracts (over £140,000 for goods and services or £3m for construction) are advertised in accordance with EU requirements. Other contracts will be shown on the Blue Light procurement portal. Lower value purchases are made from a range of known suppliers or following a market assessment (including internet searches).
If you provide goods or services which you believe may be of interest to us please send details to:
Resources Department
Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service
St Michael's Street
Shropshire
SY1 2HJ
Financial Standing Orders
Please follow the links to the Standing Orders relating to contracts and the financial regulation standing orders which set out the financial and accounting arrangements for the Fire Authority.
What our priorities are and how we are doing
Our strategies and plans, performance indicators, audits, inspections and reviews.
Strategic Plan, Aims and Objectives
Please follow the link to Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service’s Community Risk Management Plan 2021-2025 which sets out the Service’s strategic plan, aims and objectives
Performance
The Performance Measures detailed in the Community Risk Management Plan enable the Authority to assess progress against its aims in order to deliver its vision of making Shropshire safer. Performance against these measures is monitored by the Service and the Fire Authority’s Standards, Audit and Performance Committee on a quarterly basis, and an annual performance report goes to the Shropshire & Wrekin Fire Authority at the end of each financial year.
Reports by external inspectors
Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service is assessed by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) – reports are published here: Shropshire - HMICFRS (justiceinspectorates.gov.uk)
How we make decisions
Policy proposals and decisions. Decision making processes, internal criteria and procedures, consultations.
Shropshire and Wrekin Fire Authority
Shropshire and Wrekin Fire Authority is a statutory fire authority constituted under the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004 and The Shropshire Fire Services (Combination Scheme) Order 1997 (‘the combination scheme’).
Fire authorities derive their operational powers from the Act and other fire safety regulations, whilst the Combination Scheme establishes the Fire Authority and the fire brigade for the combined area of Shropshire. The Fire Authority’s principal decision-making powers affecting members of the public are contained within the Act and the Combination Scheme, and they should be referred to when detailed information is sought.
The composition of the Fire Authority is determined in accordance with the provisions of the Combination Scheme, which allows for up to twenty-five Members to be appointed to the Fire Authority by Shropshire County Council and Telford & Wrekin Council, the ‘constituent authorities’. The number of representative members from each authority (fifteen in total) is proportionate to the number of local government electors in the area of each constituent authority.
The Fire Authority is responsible for the overall Corporate Governance of the organisation, including its strategic direction, setting its budget, establishing goals for management and monitoring the achievement of those goals. To help carry out these responsibilities the Fire Authority has set up various committees and panels with specific remits.
Detailed information regarding Fire Authority Members, meetings and committees.
Our policies and procedures
Current written protocols for delivering our functions and responsibilities.
Conduct of Fire Authority Business
The Fire Authority’s standing orders, delegated powers, financial provisions are set out in the Members’ Handbook.
Service Procedures
Brigade Orders are the policies and procedures which determine how Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service operates.
Customer Service
Our complaints procedure is available here: Complaints procedure | Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service and to access other information please visit our accessing information page here Accessing Information | Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service.
Lists and registers
Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service utilises the National Enforcement Register which is operated by National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC). The Enforcement Register has been moved to a new location and can be found via the NFCC website here. Historic records can be viewed here. It is not currently possible to update the historic records and therefore if you have an enquiry about enforcement action taken by SFRS please contact us via email on details@frs.gov.uk
Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service is committed to enforcing the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, which came into force in October 2006. This has repealed most of the previous pieces of Fire Safety Legislation. The Fire Safety Order places a duty on the owner, employer or responsible person to carry out a Fire Risk Assessment at their respective places of work.
Register of Interests
All members are bound by the Authority's Code of Conduct to declare any personal interests that they might have. A guide to member's personal interests can be found on the CLG website.
Register of Gifts and Hospitality
To view the register of Gifts and Hospitality, click here.
Disclosure Log
SFRS publishes the responses to requests made to us under FOI which it feels are of wider public interest, this is available here. These may be linked with topical subjects or frequently requested information.
The services we offer
Main Services provided by SFRS – (Please refer to the Fire and Rescue Act 2004)
- Safety at Work
- Safety in the Home
- Safety in the Community
- Emergency response
Current Fees
SFRS has the discretion to charge for some services. For details of which services and costs please follow the attached link to our current charging policy.
