Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Authority

BEST VALUE COMMITTEE MEETING

MONDAY, 7 APRIL 2003

REPORT OF THE CHIEF FIRE OFFICER

A. MATTERS FOR DECISION

1. BEST VALUE TOOLKIT

Enclosed, as Appendix 1 (PDF document, size 182 kb - What is a PDF?), is the Authority's revised Best Value Review Toolkit. The document comprehensively details the steps to be taken to deliver an effective and challenging Best Value Review. The document has received informal approval from the Audit Manager, and has been approved by the Best Value Standing Group, and Officers who have previously been involved in Best Value Reviews. Members will note that the section on Member Involvement has yet to be completed, as this will entail further work, involving consultation with Members, District Audit in Wales and local authorities.

RECOMMENDATION

Members are asked to consider and approve the document, subject to further amendments to the section on Member Involvement in Best Value Reviews.

2. BEST VALUE REVIEW PROGRAMME

Members will be aware that the proposed Best Value Review Programme for 2003/04 entailed a Review of Professional & Administrative Support and Finance. This has clearly been affected, to a significant extent, by the recent changes in the Brigade’s Financial Services Department. Following that, Members of the Fire Authority’s Personnel Committee asked that a speedy review be undertaken of the current staffing structures, principally in the Finance Unit, but also the wider relationship between support departments.

Additionally, Members will recognise that all support services will be affected to a greater or lesser degree by the changes to the Brigade’s Management Structures, and the reviews of support services have also, therefore, to take account of those changes.

In light of these developments, much work has already been undertaken to review and restructure the support service functions of Personnel, Finance and general administrative services. This has not however, followed in all respects the requirements of a formal "Best Value" review, although the principles of the BV legislation have been applied.

Detailed work on the final components of the review of the Finance and Personnel functions is now nearing completion. This will result in significant changes to the current staffing structures, and more importantly, to the methods of service delivery and work routines within both departments. Particular emphasis is being placed on challenging current systems, procedures and inputs, and also any collaborative opportunities that can be utilised. This will be required not least to optimise the arrangements for supporting the new county command structures. Members will be aware of the limitations imposed upon the Brigade in this regard, by the Fire Authority, in removing from next year’s budget allocation the required increase to fully support the new management structure.

It would be imprudent, in the period immediately following what will be major changes to current service delivery patterns and methodologies, to conduct a further Best Value Review of Personnel and Finance. It should be recognised that the Best Value principles have already been applied in drawing up the new management arrangements, which included an examination of support services.

It is vital in what will be a period of great change for the Brigade, with further potential change drivers upon the horizon, dependent upon the outcome of the current dispute, to secure as much stability as possible within these support service units. A further review is not therefore considered appropriate until the many revisions currently proposed have had an opportunity to become established.

However, the efficiency of the new support service structures will be monitored and reviewed on a continuous basis during the next two years, following which a decision can then be taken, on the basis of known and measured performance, as to whether a further Best Value review is required.

RECOMMENDATION

Members are asked to consider and approve Officers' proposals to reviewing the remaining support services.

3. BEST VALUE PERFORMANCE INDICATOR TARGETS

Enclosed, as Appendix 2 (PDF document, size 79.8 kb - What is a PDF?), is a paper detailing the targets set by officers for all the Best Value Performance Indicators for 2003/04.

RECOMMENDATION

Members are asked to consider and approve the targets set.

4. FIRES PARTNERSHIP – RENEWAL OF CONTRACT

Members will see from the briefing on the FIRES Partnership (Appendix 3) given at the meeting of the Best Value Standing Group on 27 February that the Brigade’s contract with Opinion Research Services in Swansea ends on 31 March 2003. Having taken advice from First Procurement and the Procurement Officer for Derbyshire (who are also due to renew their contract this month), it would appear that by signing the contract as it stands we may be breaking EU regulations. We understand that, as the value of all 49 contracts in place between Fire Brigades and ORS is over the EU threshold, the Brigade could be open to challenge for not opening the arrangement for European Tender.

A way forward, suggested by First Procurement and Derbyshire, is for a framework agreement to be set up from which Brigades could enter into individual contracts with a provider as their current contracts terminate. As members of the Steering Group, we would be well placed to influence any work that is undertaken in this regard.

A Steering Group meeting will be held on 3 and 4 April at which a decision as to how the Partnership manages the transition from the current arrangement will be made. In the meantime, negotiations are in hand with ORS to extend the current contract for a short period to cover the transition. It is essential that the good working arrangements currently enjoyed by all Brigades under the current partnership are maintained, but the exercise will provide an opportunity to make improvements.

RECOMMENDATION

Members are asked to consider the briefing in Appendix 3 and approve the move towards a framework agreement arrangement for consultation and to continue to participate in the Steering Group.

B MATTERS FOR INFORMATION

1. MINUTES OF The BEST VALUE STANDING GROUP

The minutes of the Best Value Standing Group meeting, held on 27 February 2003, are attached for information (Appendix 4).

2. PERFORMANCE SUMMARY

Members will recall their decision at the Fire Authority Meeting on 20th March, to approve the Annual Performance Summary, subject to minor drafting amendments. Members are advised that no material changes have been made to the document and publication was completed prior to the statutory deadline of 31st March 2003.

3. MANAGEMENT UPDATE

Enclosed, as Appendix 5, is the latest Management Update. Members will recall receiving this document, along with a written summary of performance, on 18th February 2003. Members may wish to take the opportunity to discuss this latest report with officers.

4. BEST VALUE REVIEW OF OPERATIONS - UPDATE

Members will be pleased to note that, despite the delays caused by industrial action, the Best Value Review of Operations has progressed to a point where a large portion of the remaining work can now be formulated into an action plan, and passed to the new County Commanders for implementation. A meeting will be convened within the next two weeks to formally hand over many of these outstanding issues for completion within the new Command areas. Review team members still await updates from Community and Town Councils on future funding arrangements for the Volunteer Units based at Borth and Caldey Island. The pursuance of these funding arrangements, and all other matters relating to the Volunteer Units will also be passed to the respective County Fire Commanders.

The major issue not yet addressed, is the review of frontline firefighting appliances which, on the recommendation of Her Majesty's Fire Service Inspectorate and the approval of Members, was postponed until the issue of new national guidance on a risk assessed approach to the provision of fire cover. Such guidance is expected to be released by Central Government in the near future. This risk-based assessment will, then, be carried out by officers within the Authority's Operational Risk Management, and will utilise both the nationally produced guidance and accepted Best Value principles and procedures.