REPORT OF THE CHIEF FIRE OFFICER

MATTERS FOR DECISION

BRIGADE BUSINESS AND PERFORMANCE PLAN 2003/4

Enclosed as Appendix 1 is the Brigade Business and Performance Plan. The document incorporates the information required under Best Value legislation and the Departmental/Command Business Plans for the year 2003/4. Members will note that some of the National Performance Indicators statistics do not relate to the entirety of 2002/3, as some statistics are currently being verified prior to their incorporation into the document. These amendments will be made prior to its publication. The Brigade is required to publish the document by 30 June 2003.
Members are asked to note an amendment made to BVPI(i) and (ii) targets from 6.5 shifts per person to 7. This is considered more realistic taking account of the 2002/3 performance. The target remains well within the best of performers comparator.

The document will be produced bi-lingually on the internet and intranet and a limited number of printed documents will be circulated to Fire Authority Members, Brigade locations and public libraries for their reference sections.

RECOMMENDATION

Members are asked to consider and approve the document, subject to an amendment of the targets for sickness absence and further amendments to the section on Performance Indicators as end of year statistics become available.

B. MATTERS FOR INFORMATION

MINUTES OF THE BEST VALUE STANDING GROUP
The minutes of the Best Value Standing Group meeting held on 27 February 2003 is attached for information (Appendix 2)

2. OPERATIONS AND SPECIAL APPLIANCES BEST VALUE REVIEW

As Members will see from the Best Value Standing Group Minutes of 22 April, 2003 (Appendix 3), the Operations and Special Appliances Review has not been completed due in part to the introduction of Integrated Risk Management Planning. Members will recall from the previous meeting that the Brigade were awaiting guidance from the ODPM on this issue. This has now been received and following initial consultation with the Authority a response has been returned to ODPM. Wide consultation has also taken place with Brigade Officers and Managers resulting in a further response by myself (see Appendix 4).

The review of Volunteer Stations has yet to be completed. A meeting has been arranged for Members and Officers to meet with the Community Council in Borth on 17 June to discuss the current situation and a similar meeting regarding Caldey is in the planning stages.

3. FIRES PARTNERSHIP – RENEWAL OF CONTRACT

The Brigade has now agreed a short-term extension contract with Opinion Research Services, which will enable the ongoing work on consultation to continue until the new arrangements for consultation services made through the OJEC procedure are established.