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Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Authority MEETING OF THE RESOURCES COMMITTEE MONDAY, 17 NOVEMBER 2003 BRIGADE HEADQUARTERS,
1 DECLARATION BY MEMBERS OF ANY PERSONAL INTERESTS None were declared 2 TO CONFIRM AS A CORRECT RECORD THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 28TH JULY 2003 The minutes of the meeting held on 28th July 2003 were received and confirmed as a correct record. 3 THE JOINT REPORT OF THE CHIEF FIRE OFFICER AND TREASURER: BUDGET REQUIREMENT FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR 2004/2005 Members gave detailed consideration to the report on the budget requirement for the financial year 2004/2005, being keenly aware of the challenging circumstances in which it had been constructed. Whilst the overriding priority would be to address the financial consequences of the pay settlement for firefighters and control room personnel, agreed in June this year by the National Joint Council for Local Authority Fire Brigades, other pressures, some of which were equally inescapable, would also arise in the coming year. These had been identified in the report, with what in some cases would be an estimate of their financial implications, and where appropriate their relationship to the pay settlement. Members were aware from the last Fire Authority Meeting that it was expected that the Audit Commission would be asked to verify that sufficient progress had been made on these matters, although it was anticipated that they would not begin their examinations until early 2004. Subject to no further distortions in operational activity levels occurring, and to no further payments beyond the interim arrangements being made between now and the end of the financial year, it was anticipated that expenditure (including pay due only on a cash basis) could be containable within the totality of budget provision for 2003/2004. In the event that this position could change, when the final implications of the implementation of the pay settlement were known in sufficient detail, further reports would be submitted to Members prior to the final budget setting decisions by Committee and the Authority. On the basis of current information, the approach taken in compiling the budget requirement calculation for the next year had been to reflect the financial implications of the following:
It was noted that inclusion of the above factors produced a budget requirement increase of 10.3%. In addition further cost pressures would arise next year including the impact of the Regulatory Reform Order, to be introduced by the Government, which would affect the work of the Community Risk Reduction Department. Costs would further arise in training Fire Safety Officers and in providing extensive guidance documentation, and whilst current indications suggest that these costs could be relatively low, at about £20k -£30k, these could increase when the full implications of the Order were known. Given the other pressures previously referred to, however, no additional funding had been included for this, nor any other anticipated cost increases, which would have to be met from within current departmental budgets. The Treasurer indicated that in compiling the budget requirement, it had been assumed that no fundamental changes to the funding arrangements for the Service would flow from the devolvement of responsibility for fire policy to the Welsh Assembly Government. In the event that this proved not to be the case, further reports would again be presented as necessary. Finally, Members noted that the budget calculation made no reference to the transitional funding that the Government had announced would be available for the fire service pay settlement. Whilst a total of £30m had been earmarked for England and Wales, distribution of the proportion available to the three fire authorities in Wales was likely to be undertaken by the Welsh Assembly. A letter from the Minister of State for Local and Regional Government to Councillor Derek Rees, Chairman of the South Wales Fire Authority, setting out the current, rather unclear, position, had been enclosed for Members information. Clearly, in the event that the Authority received an allocation of transitional relief, there would be a requirement for this to be repaid in future years. The Chairman thanked the Treasurer for his report and invited each member in turn to provide comments and advice. Whilst Members collectively recognised that the 10.3% budget increase was as a direct result of the firefighters pay settlement and that the six Directors of Finance of the Unitary Authorities were fully aware that there would be an additional levy as a result of the pay dispute, they had grave reservations as to whether their own Authorities had the means to supply the additional funding. Members felt unable to support the proposed budget allocation until consultation had taken place with each Director of Finance and requested that a meeting be arranged as a matter of urgency. RESOLUTION It was RESOLVED that: i) A consultation meeting be arranged with the Directors of Finance of the six unitary Authorities before a recommendation on the budget requirement for 2004/05 could be made. ii) On the basis of that meeting a Special Resources Committee be convened in order to make a recommendation to the Fire Authority on 8 th December. 4 THE TREASURER'S BUDGET MONITORING REPORT: FINANCIAL YEAR 2003/2004 i) Revenue Monitoring Report for the Period 1st April to 31st October 2003 The report showed an overspend (deficit) for the reporting period of £86k for the principal reasons of high early operational activity levels, the initial costs of the PPE contract, and pensions. The Treasurer reported that the deficit had now been reduced to less than half that reported at June 2003. (It was noted that the report should be considered with reference to the Joint Report of the Chief Fire Officer and the Treasurer on the Budget Requirement for 2004/2005.) It was expected that 2003/2004 expenditure, including any further payments due in the year (on a cash basis) as a result of the firefighters' pay settlement, would be contained within the original budget, for which funding was in place. ii) Capital Monitoring Report for the Period 1 st April to 31 st October 2003 It was noted that the report on expenditure to date, and forecast to the year end on capital projects had been reported against the Approved Capital Programme. RESOLUTION It was RESOLVED that the report on Budget Monitoring for the Financial Year 2003/2004 be received and noted. 5 CODE WORD AUTHENTICATION FOR FACSIMILE TRANSACTIONS TO BARCLAYS BANK PLC Committee were informed that Barclays Bank, as bankers to the Authority require Members to approve the use of a securely held list of code words to verify instructions from the Finance Unit to the bank to implement payments from the Authority's bank account requested via fax transmission. One copy of the list was hand delivered to the bank, and opened under "dual control", whilst the master list was held on a secure password protected spreadsheet at the Finance Unit. As each code word was activated it was highlighted on the list to avoid duplicate use. This list was required in addition to the specific signature requirements on the account. RESOLUTION It was RESOLVED that the current procedure for use of the code list facility be approved, together with any additional code word listing required in the future. 6 PARTNERSHIP WORKING WITH THE WELSH NHS AMBULANCE TRUST At the Fire Authority meeting on the 11th December 2000, it had been resolved to approve the parking of ambulances at the Authority's Fire Stations and to allow the use of appropriate facilities at Fire Stations by Ambulance personnel. This was subject to agreement with the Ambulance Trust on the financial arrangements and consultation with the Fire Brigades Union on the day to day working arrangements. Due to concerns raised by the representative body and the industrial relations circumstances pertaining at that time, which included subsequent strike action, this initiative had not progressed. However, following a meeting with senior officers from the Ambulance Trust over Co-responder, the Trust subsequently wrote expressing a desire to re-enter into discussions over the siting of ambulances at Fire Authority premises and the possibilities for new building work adjacent to Authority property with the Trust being particularly interested in the following locations: Sketty, Tumble, Llandovery, Llandrindod Wells, Builth Wells and Aberaeron Fire Stations. RESOLUTION It was RESOLVED that:
7 DISPOSAL OF THE EXISTING CONTROL UNIT FROM PEMBROKE DOCK The new Incident Command Unit was due to become operational within the near future, which would result in the decommissioning of the existing units at Pembroke Dock and Morriston. The Community Safety Partnership in Swansea ("Safer Swansea") of which the Authority was an integral and active member had expressed an interest in securing the existing Pembroke Dock unit to refurbish and use as part of its crime reduction awareness programme. The unit in question was owned by the Authority and following its decommissioning would be sold at auction. It had been valued at approximately £2,000 and was proposed therefore to sell the Pembroke Dock Unit to the Safer Swansea Partnership. RESOLUTION It was RESOLVED that the Incident Command Unit be released to the safer Swansea Partnership on a payment basis of £2000. 8 CHERNOBYL CHILDREN'S CHARITY: HUMANITARIAN AID TO CHERNOBYL Correspondence had been received from the Chernobyl Children's Charity in respect of a project to acquire redundant equipment and arrange for its donation to the people of Chernobyl, where such equipment was urgently required. Members recalled that the Authority had in the past resolved to donate redundant appliances and equipment to east Mostar in Bosnia and to North West Romania building upon the support given for similar ventures in the three former authorities. It was noted that the Charity, would undertake the delivery of the equipment to its destination, at no cost to the Authority, and would give recognition to Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Authority for the generous donation. RESOLUTION It was RESOLVED that: Authorisation be given to the Chief Fire Officer to donate redundant kit as appropriate to the Chernobyl Children's Charity up to the value of £700. |
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