The Fire and Rescue National Framework

The Fire and RescueNational Framework2006-08

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April 2006

Office of the Deputy Prime Minister: London

The Fire and RescueNational Framework

2006-08

Office of the Deputy Prime MinisterEland HouseBressenden PlaceLondon SW1E 5DUTelephone 020 7944 4400Web site www.odpm.gov.uk

© Crown copyright 2006.

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April 2006

Product code 05 FRSD 03688

Cover photograph: © Humberside Fire and Rescue Authority

CONTENTS

Ministerial Foreword 3

Introduction 4

Chapter 1Fire prevention and risk management 7

Chapter 2Working together: the regional approach 17

Chapter 3Effective response 23

Chapter 4Resilience 29

Chapter 5Fire and rescue staff 35

Chapter 6Workforce development 43

Chapter 7Finance 49

Chapter 8Performance management 57

Chapter 9Research 64

Annexes 69

CONTENTS

2006-08 FIRE AND RESCUE NATIONAL FRAMEWORK 1

Ministerial Foreword

Modernisation of the Fire and Rescue Serviceis now well underway and communities arealready seeing the benefits of a more efficientand effective Service. Our challenging PSAtargets are well on the way to being met,reflecting the excellent preventative work thatthe Service is undertaking. While we shouldbe proud of these achievements there is noroom for complacency. We must turn theseearly indications of reductions in deliberatefires and fire deaths into a clear trend andcontinue to make every effort to proactivelyprotect the most vulnerable.

A modern Fire and Rescue Service must alsodeliver value for public money. Fire CPAoutcomes, reported in 2005, established afirm basis for improvement and all Fire andRescue Authorities are now focussed onsecuring those improvements. One concernarising from the CPA process was the lack ofprogress on delivering equality and diversitywithin the Service. With the right approach Ibelieve that diversity will grow, increasinglyreflecting the, age, genders, ethnicity, sexualorientations, abilities, disabilities, religions, andbeliefs of the wider community, helping theService to build on its position of respect andtrust within the community with a greaterunderstanding of the needs of all those weserve. The aims and objectives of the Fire andRescue Service have been underpinned by aunifying creed. Its own Core Values. Theseclearly set out the expectations the Fire andRescue Service has of the attitudes andbehaviours of all staff. The public relies on thehonesty and integrity of each of us who havechosen to provide a public service.Behaviours that contravene the Fire andRescue Service Core Values risk seriousconsequences both for the individual and forthe reputation of the Fire and RescueServices.

This National Framework sets out a vision ofthe Fire and Rescue Service for the next twoyears. Our move to a two-year NationalFramework recognises the need for aconsistent vision to support strategic planningprocesses and our confidence that the paceof change and modernisation will continue.We will consider the timescale for futureNational Framework documents withstakeholders and will aim to co-ordinatefuture editions of the Framework withAuthorities’ financial planning timetables andthe continuing development of Integrated RiskManagement Planning.

The National Framework reflects theresponses we have received fromstakeholders to the draft document and Ithank all those who have given us their views.The Government’s full response to theconsultation will be published shortly on theODPM website. The Framework also reflectsthe conclusion of a number of otherconsultation exercises which have helpedshape relevant chapters within this document.

This National Framework looks ahead to thechallenges and opportunities for the next twoyears. We have a new strategy for Childrenand Young People to support the excellentwork in our communities, changes to theperformance framework for the servicefollowing CPA and new recruitmentarrangements. I look forward to continuingworking with you on the challenges ahead.

Jim Fitzpatrick MP.

Minister for the Fire and Rescue Service.

MINISTERIAL FORWARD


Introduction

1 The Government is responsible forsetting clear priorities and objectives for theFire and Rescue Service. The Fire andRescue National Framework does this bymaking clear:

• the Government’s expectations for theFire and Rescue Service;

• what Fire and Rescue Authorities areexpected to do; and

• what support Government will provide.

2 The Government’s new fire PublicService Agreement (PSA) target for Englandcame into effect on 1 April 20051. The targetis:

By 2010, reduce the number of accidental firerelated deaths in the home by 20% and thenumber of deliberate fires by 10%.

3 The National Framework is a strategicplan outlining how the PSA and otherobjectives can be delivered. Its three principalobjectives remain:

• to provide clarity about the outcomes andobjectives the Government wants to beachieved;

• to set out what the Government expectsFire and Rescue Authorities and RegionalManagement Boards to do in order tomeet these objectives; and

• to explain what the Government will do tosupport Fire and Rescue Authorities andRegional Management Boards to meetthese objectives.

4 As we have made clear, this documentis not a national blueprint. Giving Fire andRescue Authorities the flexibility they need tomeet the specific needs of their local

communities remains at the heart of theGovernment’s approach. The Framework isdesigned to give authorities a firm foundationon which to build local solutions.

Summary

5 The Framework is divided into ninechapters:

• Chapter 1 – Fire prevention and riskmanagement – covers fire preventionmeasures and the development ofIntegrated Risk Management Plans(IRMPs).

• Chapter 2 – Working together: theregional approach – covers the functionson which Fire and Rescue Authoritiesshould work together through RegionalManagement Boards (RMBs), and focuson regional control centres andprocurement.

• Chapter 3 – Effective response –focuses on providing an effectiveresponse when incidents do occur.

• Chapter 4 – Resilience and NewDimension – sets out the strategy forresponding to terrorist threats and othermajor natural or man-made disasters.

• Chapter 5 – Fire and rescue staff –deals with fair and effective managementof Fire and Rescue Service staff, includingequality and diversity issues.

• Chapter 6 – Workforce development –covers the Integrated PersonalDevelopment System and trainingprovision.

• Chapter 7 – Finance – deals with thefunding provided by central governmentand financial management issues.

• Chapter 8 – Performance management– covers progress following the

INTRODUCTION

4 2006-08 FIRE AND RESCUE NATIONAL FRAMEWORK

1 See: www.hmtreasury.gov.uk

introduction of ComprehensivePerformance Assessment (CPA);improvement planning; Best Value;capturing and disseminating goodpractice; Local Area Agreements; and e-Government.

• Chapter 9 – Research – outlines the fireand rescue research strategy.

6 Each section addresses: theGovernment’s objectives; what theGovernment will do to help; and action forFire and Rescue Authorities and RegionalManagement Boards.

Fire and Rescue Services Act2004

7 The Fire and Rescue Services Actrepresented a comprehensive reform of thestatutory framework. In particular, it placedthe prevention of fires at the heart oflegislation, for example with the creation ofnew duties to promote fire safety; and givesFire and Rescue Authorities powers to workwith other partners in the community todeliver this duty. The Act gave statutory effectto other roles Fire and Rescue Authoritiesalready undertake, such as attending to roadtraffic accidents and, by Order and subject tostakeholder consultation and Parliamentaryscrutiny, their new responsibilities in relation toterrorist threats and other activities, such asresponding to serious flooding. The Act alsogives Fire and Rescue Authorities widediscretion to plan, equip and take action tomeet local risks and priorities.

8 The Fire and Rescue Services Act2004 has given statutory effect to theNational Framework and requires theSecretary of State to report against it. Therelevant sections of the Act are as follows:

• Section 21 requires the Secretary of Stateto prepare and keep current a National

Framework setting out priorities andobjectives for Fire and Rescue Authorities,with the aim of promoting public safety,and the economy, efficiency andeffectiveness of authorities and theirfunctions. He must consultrepresentatives of the authorities and theiremployees before making significantrevisions, and must give them effect bystatutory instrument. For their part, Fireand Rescue Authorities must ‘haveregard’ to the Framework when carryingout their functions.

• Section 22 provides the Secretary ofState with the power to intervene if heconsiders a Fire and Rescue Authority isfailing, or is likely to fail, to act inaccordance with the Framework. WhileFire and Rescue Authorities are expectedto make progress in all areas set out inthe Framework, references to whatauthorities ‘must’ or ‘should’ do indicatethose areas that Ministers consider mostimportant, with ‘must’ being stronger.They are also highlighted in bold text. Anyuse of intervention powers will be inaccordance with the principles of theLocal Government Intervention Protocol(link at Annex A) as agreed with the LocalGovernment Association (LGA) (seechapter 8). We envisage that thesepowers would only be used as a measureof last resort.

• Section 23 requires the Secretary of Stateto consult on and publish an interventionprotocol. This requirement has beenfulfilled by consultation on the applicationof the Local Government InterventionProtocol to these powers.

• Section 24 explicitly extends the AuditCommission’s powers to inspect –contained within the Local GovernmentAct 1999 – to include performanceexpectations in the Framework that mightnot be covered by the Best Valueinspection powers in the 1999 Act. These

INTRODUCTION


expectations were taken into account bythe Audit Commission during the Fire CPAprocess.

• Section 25 requires the Secretary of Stateto report to Parliament on the extent towhich Fire and Rescue Authorities areacting in accordance with the Framework,and any steps taken by him to ensure thatthey do.

Future Frameworks

9 In future, we aim to publish NationalFrameworks in the Autumn. We are likely toconsult on the next National Framework inSummer 2007. In the future NationalFrameworks are likely to have a two-yearlifespan or longer. Where significant changesto the Framework are necessary during thelife of the document, stakeholders will be fullyconsulted and amendments to theFramework will be published by Fire andRescue Service Circular and laid in Parliamentfor approval. We will inform stakeholders ofany amendments and cross-refer them torelevant paragraph of the NationalFramework.

10 The National Framework continues todraw together, in one place, existing prioritiesand objectives for Fire and RescueAuthorities. As a result we do not considerthat it will place extra burdens on business,charities, the voluntary sector or public sector,and therefore no Regulatory ImpactAssessment has been produced.

Devolved Administrations

11 The National Framework does notcover Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales,where the Fire and Rescue Service is fullydevolved. The Northern Ireland Department ofHealth, Social Services and Public Safety, theNational Assembly for Wales and the ScottishExecutive are each responsible for their ownframework documents.

INTRODUCTION


1Chapter 1

Fire prevention and risk management

Integrated Risk ManagementPlans

1.1 Since April 2003 every Fire and RescueAuthority has been required to produce alocal IRMP that sets out the authority’sstrategy, in collaboration with other agencies,for:

• reducing the number and severity of fires,road traffic accidents and otheremergency incidents occurring in the areafor which it is responsible;

• reducing the severity of injuries in fires,road traffic accidents and otheremergency incidents;

• reducing the commercial, economic andsocial impact of fires and otheremergency incidents;

• safeguarding the environment andheritage (both built and natural); and

• providing value for money.

1.2 An IRMP will set out an authority’sassessment of local risk to life and, in linewith this analysis, how it is going to deploy itsresources to tackle these risks and improvethe safety of all sections of society. The IRMPwill identify the ways in which the authoritycan work in partnership with neighbouringauthorities and other agencies to deliverimproved public safety. It will also set out thetargets an authority has set itself and thestandards it will apply to meet the specificpattern of local risk. This will be done in thecontext of its statutory duty to securecontinuous improvement and should achieveBest Value for its local council taxpayers.

1.3 The IRMP is expected to be a strategic,forward looking document with the approachand detail of business and changemanagement plans. Annual action plans,which may be produced separately orintegrated with the main plan, will set out whatthe authority plans to do in the year ahead.

Fire and Rescue Authorities should ensurethat their IRMPs are both accessible – tothe public, business and otherstakeholders – and easy to understand.

Authorities are required to keep their IRMPsunder review, and revise them on a regularbasis when new evidence or analytical toolsbecome available. (Further guidance on theoperational aspects of IRMPs is included inChapter 3.)

1.4 In summary, Fire and RescueAuthorities must each have in place andmaintain an IRMP which reflects localneed and which sets out plans to tackleeffectively both existing and potential risksto communities. They should also:

• produce annual action plans on whichthey have fully consulted their localcommunities, allowing twelve weeksfor the consultation;

• have regard to central governmentguidance in producing their plans; and

• make efficient and effective use ofresources to implement the IRMP andthe action plan, including using moreefficient working practices whereappropriate.

1.5 ODPM has issued a series of guidancenotes to provide advice and assistance to Fireand Rescue Authorities on developing IRMPs.That guidance explains what needs to bedone to produce an IRMP and what it mightcontain. Furthermore, ODPM through itsImplementation Support Teams (IST) isproviding advice, guidance andencouragement to Fire and Rescue Authoritymembers and Principal Officers in thedevelopment of the IRMP and subsequentaction plans.

1.6 ODPM also recognises the need toremain fully engaged with stakeholders onIRMP and, therefore, has invited a number of

CHAPTER 1 FIRE PREVENTION AND RISK MANAGEMENT


key representatives from the fire industry toparticipate in an IRMP Steering Group. TheIRMP Steering Group will provide a forum forstakeholders. Its terms of reference are to:

• Consider the general process of IRMPimplementation by Fire and RescueAuthorities in England so as to ensurethat appropriate procedures have beenfollowed and that a robust risk analysishas taken place. The Steering Group willnot make judgements nor question thedecisions taken by Fire and RescueAuthorities as a result of IRMPs.

• Act as a source of expertise on all issuesof process raised by the public, businessor other stakeholders in respect of IRMPs;identify the need for further advice andguidance to be issued; consider whataction may need to be taken to ensurethat efficiency and value for money remaina key issue in the IRMP process; act asfacilitator for improving the standard of theoverall IRMP process by initiating specificpieces of work from Steering Groupmembers or through a third party.

• Provide a focal point for institutionalframework bodies such as thePractitioners’ Forum, the Business &Community Safety Forum and the CentralLocal Partnership to raise issues ofprocess relating to IRMP.

• Consider how the impact of IRMPs canbe assessed and, therefore, the extent towhich they are contributing to thesuccessful delivery of the PSA3 target.

1.7 Fire and Rescue Authorities will, ofcourse, wish to co-ordinate the planning ofIRMP action plans with the budget settingprocess. ODPM Circular 09/2004 emphasisesthe importance of alignment of business andfinancial planning with Best ValuePerformance Plans (BVPP) and IRMPs and,where possible, integration of the relevantplans. The IRMP Steering Group will consider

whether further guidance is needed on thisissue in the light of Fire CPA outcomes.

1.8 Most Fire and Rescue Authorities havemade significant progress and they are nowable to base their action plans and keydecisions on sound, nationally validatedevidence. Nearly all are now using the FireService Emergency Cover (FSEC) toolkit. Wehave offered an FSEC health-check forauthorities to assist with quality control andassurance. Authorities are encouraged tocontinue to make use of this. The risk-basedapproach contained within the FSECmethodology will form the basis of risk-basedmobilising with the new national network ofcontrol centres and the health check willprovide both Fire and Rescue Authorities andODPM with assurance that risk assessmentsand mobilising policies are soundly based.The further development of FSEC is part ofthe new initiatives being taken forward underthe IRMP Steering Group, outlined above(paragraph 1.6).

1.9 The FiReControl Project (see Chapter2) will lead to the creation of nine controlcentres for Fire and Rescue Authorities inEngland. The technical systems provided inthe new centres will enable them to servicethe mobilising policies of all the authorities intheir area, however much they may vary, sothere will not be a technically drivenrequirement to standardise mobilising policies.However, we welcome the initiative taken bysome authorities to re-examine theirmobilising and resourcing policies in aregional context.

Fire Prevention

1.10 The Fire and Rescue Services Act2004 created a new statutory duty on Fireand Rescue Authorities to promote fire safety.This places fire prevention at the heart of Fireand Rescue Service activity. To support fire



prevention work, including community firesafety, arson reduction and work with childrenand young people, the Government hasmade available funds totalling £11.4m for theperiod 2006 to 2008. This single grant to allFire and Rescue Authorities replaces thegrants paid to some authorities under theCommunity Fire Safety Innovation Fund andthe Arson Control Forum ImplementationFund in 2003-6, and provides revenuefunding to complement the capital grants paidunder the Home Fire Risk Check initiative in2004-8. The grant is designed to support theachievement of the national Public ServiceAgreement targets on accidental fire deaths inthe home and on arson reduction, with aparticular focus on reducing inequality in theimpact of fire and meeting the floor target.

1.11 Fire and Rescue Authorities areexpected to focus resources on projectsdelivering effective risk reduction throughworking with vulnerable groups. The projectsfunded will form a targeted programme ofwork designed to deliver reductions in fires,deaths and injuries among vulnerable groupswith appropriate monitoring, review andevaluation, appropriate support, materials andvehicles. Subject to the local prioritiesidentified in IRMPs, this may include the areascovered by the draft Strategy for Children andYoung People (see paragraphs 1.21 – 1.22below).

1.12 Government will provide support to Fireand Rescue Authorities through a centrallyfunded good practice programme. This willdraw on the emerging lessons from the fireprevention projects funded and will beavailable to all Fire and Rescue Authorities.

Community Fire Safety

1.13 Research shows that those most atrisk from fire in the home are the elderly. Halfof all those who die in accidental domesticfires are over 60. Those in the lower

socioeconomic groups, ethnic minorities, andfamilies with young children – who are oftenconcentrated in deprived neighbourhoods –are also particularly at risk. For a variety ofreasons these groups may be particularlyhard to reach with fire safety advice andunable or unwilling to take action in response.

1.14 Vulnerable people can only beidentified and targeted successfully based ona good knowledge of their characteristics andneeds, and good use of face to face contact,local community groups and local media, forexample through community advocates.Firefighters, whether wholetime, part-time oron the retained duty system, non-operationalstaff and volunteers all have a part to play.Fire safety can also be improved by makingfire stations open to the community or sharedwith partner organisations.

Fire and Rescue Authorities shouldconsider community fire safety, includingthe priority vulnerable groups in their area,in preparing their IRMPs and in decidingthe balance of funding and resources.

1.15 Most Fire and Rescue Authoritiesalready have links with some local agenciesand partnerships. Increasingly, authorities arealso members of Local Strategic Partnerships(LSPs). Partner organisations may forexample be able to identify and refervulnerable households, share data on localneeds, and carry out simple fire safety checkswith appropriate training. Where Fire andRescue Authorities will demonstrably addvalue, they are encouraged to actively seek towork jointly with local partners in health,social services, housing, education, thevoluntary sector and other emergencyservices to reduce risk to the vulnerablegroups in line with their IRMPs, for examplethrough Local Area Agreements (seeparagraph 8.17).

1.16 To assist the further development oflocal initiatives the Government established



the Community Fire Safety Innovation Fundtotalling £4.5million for the period 2003-06. Ittargeted resources at areas with the worstproblems, on the basis of fatality rates fromaccidental domestic fires per 100,000population. Evaluation is in progress and willbe completed by the end of 2006.

1.17 The National Community Fire SafetyCentre (NCFSC), was established in 1998 tosponsor national fire safety publicity andeducation campaigns. It also provides goodpractice and an educational resource to Fireand Rescue Authorities in their community firesafety work, through a suite of tools in theNCFSC toolbox2.

1.18 Since 1987 the National CommunityFire Safety Centre has conducted televisioncampaigns promoting aspects of fire safety inthe home, with a particular focus onpromoting smoke alarms. Ownership hasincreased from 9% in 1987 to the currentlevel of 80%. The NCFSC will continue to runmedia campaigns to promote the importanceof having a working smoke alarm installed indwellings to under-pin local initiatives.

1.19 Most Fire and Rescue Authoritiesalready install free smoke alarms, but smokealarm ownership is still far from universal andneedless deaths and injuries are still occurringas a result. The Government has thereforeprovided £25 million capital funding for 2004-08 to support a significant expansion ofactivity. All Fire and Rescue Authorities willreceive funding to install free smoke alarmswith 10-year batteries in association with aprogramme of Home Fire Risk Checks.Automated fire suppression systems may also

be installed where justified by a riskassessment, for those who can be protectedin no other way.

1.20 Fire and Rescue Authorities will beexpected to target their programme on themost vulnerable households in line with theirIRMPs – particularly the elderly, but alsodeprived households and areas, youngfamilies and Black and Minority Ethniccommunities. The capital grants havetherefore been allocated on the basis ofregional smoke alarm ownership, and withineach region on the basis of the Fire Index3,weighted by population.

Fire and Rescue Service Strategyfor Children and Young People

1.21 The Strategy is a four year high levelnational strategy covering the period spring2006 to spring 2010. It aims to delivereffective reduction of fire risk and fire crimeinvolving children and young people, buildingon the existing strengths of the Service in firesafety education, youth diversion and workwith young firesetters. This work cancontribute to fire prevention through reducingfiresetting and hoax calls, and increasingawareness of fire safety. It can also help totackle crime, vandalism and anti-socialbehaviour, as well as improving schoolattendance and employment chances foryoung people.

1.22 It will be for authorities to decide whattype and extent of work with children andyoung people will contribute most effectivelyto risk reduction in their areas, in accordance



2 See: www.firesafetytoolbox.org.uk

3 The Fire Index, used in the calculation of the FSS allocation, is the unweighted sum of six standardisedindicators measuring various aspects of poverty and social exclusion. For more information see:www.local.odpm.gov.uk/finance/0405/datadefs.pdf

with the local priorities identified in theirIRMPs. Good practice in planning,undertaking and evaluating work with youngfiresetters and youth diversion schemes isidentified in recent ODPM research andguidance.4

Fire and Rescue Authorities should haveregard to the strategy in all work withchildren and young people which theyundertake.

Arson Reduction

1.23 Arson is the largest single cause offires attended by Fire and Rescue Authorities.Deliberate fires are a very significant problemin many areas, especially fires involving stolenor abandoned vehicles, which form two-thirdsof the deliberate fires recorded nationally.Arson puts lives at risk, damages propertyand strains the resources of Fire and RescueAuthorities and other public services. It canalso have a very negative effect on the localenvironment.

1.24 Arson is often part of a complexpattern which includes crime, fear of crime,antisocial behaviour and poor quality publicspace. Low-level disorder and thoughtlessactions affect the quality of life of others, bycreating fear or degrading the environment.All these issues can only be dealt withsuccessfully if Fire and Rescue Authorities,the Police and other local partners worktogether, for example in Arson Task Forces,which bring together Police and Fire andRescue personnel, and operate car clearanceschemes which aim to remove abandonedvehicles as quickly as possible.

Fire and Rescue Authorities shouldconsider arson reduction and their Crimeand Disorder Reduction Partnershipstrategies in preparing their IRMPs anddeciding the balance of funding andresources.

1.25 This work forms part of the nationalstrategy on nuisance vehicles, Cleaner SaferGreener Communities: Removing NuisanceVehicles5, which includes advice on goodpractice sources of support. The Governmenthas introduced new powers for localauthorities to tackle nuisance vehicles underthe Clean Neighbourhoods and EnvironmentAct 2005.

1.26 The Police Reform Act 2002 places aduty on Fire and Rescue Authorities, workingwith the Police and local authorities in Crimeand Disorder Reduction Partnerships, toidentify crime and disorder problems in theirarea and to develop and implement a strategyto tackle them. Fire and Rescue Authoritiescan also work through LSPs.

1.27 Fire and Rescue Authorities shouldwork with Crime and Disorder ReductionPartnerships6 and other partnerships withexternal agencies where they will addvalue in tackling arson.

This will help to find local solutions to localproblems – for example, deliberate firesetting,hoax calls and other forms of anti-socialbehaviour.

1.28 The Government supports arsonreduction through the Arson Control Forum,which was established in 2001 to lead workin this area. It advises on research into arsonissues, sponsors local arson reduction



4 Evaluation of interventions with arsonists and young firesetters (ODPM, March 2005),Effectiveness of youth diversion and training schemes (ODPM, forthcoming)Youth training and diversion: a good practice guide (ODPM, forthcoming)

5 See: www.cleanersafergreener.gov.uk

6 Established under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998.

initiatives and promotes good practicethrough guidance to Fire and RescueAuthorities and other partners.

1.29 Local arson reduction projectssponsored by the Arson Control Forumreceived £2.25 million in 2001-03. Evaluationof these projects has shown a significantimpact with levels of arson around 30%below comparable areas where no projecthas been undertaken. The projects haveshown what can be achieved by a dedicatedmulti-agency approach with strong localsupport – for every £1 funding, other partnershave contributed an additional £4. Costeffectiveness is high – it is estimated that forevery pound spent, £16 has been saved incosts of fire to the economy7.

1.30 The Arson Control ForumImplementation Fund provided a total of£11.3 million to assist the furtherdevelopment of local arson reduction work in2003-06. Sixty-six projects made successfulbids including 24 car clearance schemes and29 Arson Task Forces. Evaluation of theseprojects is in progress and will be completedin mid-2006.

Building Regulations

1.31 The objectives of the fire safety aspects(Part B) of the Building Regulations 2000 asamended are to ensure that reasonableprovision is made for the health and safety ofpeople, including firefighters, in and aroundbuildings.

1.32 The regulations apply whenever“building work” is undertaken in England andWales, typically the erection, extension oralteration of a building. While the regulationsdo not cover property protection, or the

condition of the majority of the existingbuilding stock, they do provide a mechanismfor the progressive “designing in” of fire safetyto the built environment. The regulations setout functional performance-basedrequirements in terms of what is reasonable,adequate or appropriate. To support thisregulatory system, we publish detailedguidance in the form of Approved DocumentB8. The current substantive version of thiswas published in 2000, although subsequentamendments arising out of Europeanharmonisation were published in asupplement in 2002, and came into force on1 March 2003.

1.33 Early in 2004, the Government began afundamental review of Part B and supportingApproved Document B. This review isconsidering fire safety in all types of buildings,including residential premises, schools andwarehouses and draws on the findings ofrecent research and experience. As part ofthe broad review, we are targeting theprovision of fire safety measures in those newand altered premises where people areconsidered to be most vulnerable. We arekeen to improve fire safety by all reasonablemeans and we are therefore considering therole that sprinklers can play as part of apackage of measures that can be provided inbuildings. ODPM published a consultationpaper on proposed changes, supported by adraft Regulatory Impact Assessment in July2005. It is expected to publish a final revisedversion of Part B and Approved Document Btowards the end of 2006, to come into forcein 2007.

1.34 The process of designing fire safetyinto buildings relies upon maintaining anddeveloping close co-operation between Fireand Rescue Authorities and theirstakeholders, such as building control bodies.



7 Evaluation of Arson Control Forum New Projects Initiative, ODPM, January 2005

8 A consolidated version of the Approved Document can be found at:www.odpm.gov.uk/approveddocuments

Authorities should continue to give advice tothese bodies on whether the measuresproposed appear adequate to providereasonable levels of fire safety. ODPMpublishes guidance on the level ofconsultation that should exist between Fireand Rescue Authorities and Building ControlBodies9. We are currently reviewing thisimportant document. Following consultationwith stakeholders, we aim to publish a revisedversion to coincide with implementation of theRegulatory Reform Order.

Regulatory Reform Order

1.35 The Government’s reform of general firesafety legislation is the biggest reform of firesafety legislation in 30 years. Responsibilityfor fire safety in non-domestic premises willrest with the person responsible for thepremises. That person will be required toassess the risk in respect of both the placeand activities in it, implement such general firesafety measures as are reasonable andnecessary to reduce risks that are found andprotect all persons using the premises fromrisks that remain. There will no longer be arequirement to obtain a fire certificate.Enforcement will principally be by Fire andRescue Authorities though other authoritiesmay enforce the requirements in certainspecified situations, for example the Healthand Safety Executive (HSE) for the nuclearindustry. There will be guidance forbusinesses and enforcers before the Ordercomes into force.

1.36 The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety)Order 2005 (RRO) received Parliamentary andMinisterial approval on 7 June 2005. Thesubstantive provisions of the RRO (which willcome into force on 1st October 2006 subject

to parliamentary approval) introduce for thefirst time a general duty of fire safety care forthose responsible for non-domestic premises.It requires fire risk assessment and thecarrying out of preventative and protective firesafety measures by the person responsiblefor the premises being used. Stakeholdershave worked with ODPM to develop guidancefor businesses and enforcers for when theRRO comes into force.

1.37 The Order complements the change inemphasis of the role of Fire and RescueAuthorities to one of prevention. Authoritieswill be responsible for ensuring public safetyby monitoring compliance with the law and,where necessary, enforcing the requirementsof the new legislation. An authority’s strategyfor the enforcement of fire safety legislation isa key part of its overall strategy for theprotection of its community.

Authorities must therefore have a firesafety inspection programme and thismust form part of its IRMP, as set out inIRMP Guidance Note 4, which givesadvice on risk-based enforcement. Fire andRescue Authorities should – in drawing uptheir enforcement programmes – prioritiseinspection of places that, in the case offire, pose a significant risk to life.

Crown Premises

1.38 Crown Fire Inspectors enforce firesafety legislation in Crown Premises andprovide fire safety advice and guidance. TheGovernment will support and promote thefocus on prevention by continuing toencourage safe behaviour in Crown Premises.The ‘Revitalising Health and Safety’ StrategyStatement10 published in June 2000 said:



9 Building Regulations and Fire Safety – Procedural Guidance (ODPM February 2001)See: www.odpm.gov.uk/buildingregsfiresafety

10 See: www.hse.gov.uk/revitalising/strategy.pdf

‘The Government will seek a legislativeopportunity, when Parliamentary time allows,removing Crown immunity from statutoryhealth and safety enforcement’. ODPM isworking with the Department for Work andPensions and the HSE to explore the bestway to achieve this through jointly addressinghealth and safety and fire safety legislation. Inthe meantime, the Government remainscommitted to ensuring full compliance withthe requirements of health and safety law andbest practice.

1.39 Crown Fire Inspectors work closelywith local Fire and Rescue Authorities, sinceboth parties are interested in the risk posedby premises. To inform their risk prioritisation,Crown Fire Inspectors benefit fromintelligence gathered by Fire and RescueAuthorities whilst responding to emergencyincidents. Fire and Rescue Authorities need togain information to inform their local riskmanagement plans and to inform theintervention strategies of firefighters.

1.40 Fire and Rescue Authorities shouldbe aware of the contribution CrownInspectors can make in achieving the aimsand objectives of their IRMPs, consultCrown Inspectors on their IRMPs, andwork closely with them where appropriate.

Road Traffic Collision Reduction

1.41 The number of people killed orseriously injured on the roads remains asignificant social problem. It can only besuccessfully tackled using a multi-agencyapproach, bringing together governmentdepartments and, at a local level, the keyservice delivery agencies and interest groups.Road accidents form a significant part of thework of many Fire and Rescue Authorities,and overall more people are rescued fromcars than from fires. Depending on localcircumstances, authorities may wish toparticipate in local partnerships aimed at road

traffic accident reduction, and build on theestablished “five Es” approach to:

• Engineer out the problems;

• Enforce against poor driver behaviour;

• Educate the community in road safetyand promote good driver behaviour;

• provide casualty centred Emergencyresponse; and

• Evaluate the impact of reductioninitiatives.

However it will be for authorities to decidewhat type and extent of work on road safetywill contribute most effectively to thereduction of road accidents requiring theirattendance, in accordance with the localpriorities identified in their IRMPs.

1.42 Partnerships may include Police, localauthority engineering departments, localauthority road safety units, the HighwaysAgency, road safety camera partnerships,andthe Health Service, as well as the Fire andRescue Service. These partnerships maystand alone or be facilitated through localcommunity safety partnerships such as LSPsand Crime and Disorder ReductionPartnerships.



2Chapter 2

Working together: the regional approach

2.1 Chapter 1 of the Framework highlightsthe importance of developing local solutionsto meet local needs. This is a fundamentalpart of the Government’s approach. It is whywe have devolved more responsibility forplanning to local Fire and Rescue Authorities,for example, by withdrawing ‘one size fits all’national standards of fire cover in favour oflocal Integrated Risk Management Plans. Butas we set out in the White Paper Our Fire andRescue Service, the Government believes in aregional approach where that is what isneeded.

2.2 There are some challenges, bothorganisational and operational, for which Fireand Rescue Authorities working in isolationdo not have the capacity to provide the mostefficient, effective and economical response.On the organisational side, the challengesinclude providing specialist services, such astraining and procurement, where collaborationwill yield efficiency improvements. From anoperational perspective, they includeresilience issues such as responding toterrorist incidents.

2.3 London has its own Fire andEmergency Planning Authority (LFEPA), whichis overseen by the Greater London Authority(GLA). Elsewhere, regional functions arecarried out by Regional Management Boards.

2.4 It is important that RegionalManagement Boards now deliverimprovement in the Fire and RescueService.

They must have:

• clear aims and objectives; and

• delegated powers that are appropriateto those aims and objectives.

2.5 Regional Management Boardsshould be able to demonstrate continuingand measurable progress towards meeting

the requirements in each of the key areaslisted at paragraph 2.7 of this document;and that they have the capacity – in termsof both resources and expertise – todeliver in those key areas. Fire and RescueAuthorities should report in their AnnualEfficiency Statements (see chapter 7) onthe extent to which they are makingefficiency savings through regionalcollaboration.

2.6 The Government will ask for furtherreports on progress in each region asappropriate. Only if the needs of public safetyrequire urgent action – or evidence from FireComprehensive Performance Assessmentdemonstrates a failure to achieve economy,efficiency and effectiveness – will theGovernment consider the use of its statutorypowers to combine Fire and RescueAuthorities. Such combinations could bealong sub-regional lines.

The functions of RegionalManagement Boards

2.7 There are six key areas of work thatshould be dealt with through RegionalManagement Boards. They should:

• integrate common and specialistservices, e.g. fire investigation (seeChapter 3);

• put in place effective resilience plansfor large scale emergencies (seeChapter 4);

• introduce regional personnel andhuman resource functions (seeChapter 5);

• develop a regional approach to training(see Chapter 6).

CHAPTER 2 WORKING TOGETHER: THE REGIONAL APPROACH


They must:

• establish regional control centres as anoperational priority (see below); and

• introduce regional procurement withinthe context of the NationalProcurement Strategy for the Fire andRescue Service: 2005-2008 (seebelow).

FiReControl

2.8 The Government is progressing with itsplan to deliver a national network of nine Fireand Rescue control centres using the newnational radio network, Firelink (see paragraph4.27). ODPM has signed agreements to leaseappropriate accommodation for 8 newcentres, to be built to ODPM specifications byprivate developers. LFEPA has agreed thatLondon will form part of the network beforethe Olympics in 2012, and it is likely that thiswill entail moving their present control centrefrom its current site. Negotiations with threeprivate sector companies bidding to be theprime contractor for supply oftechnology/infrastructure services areexpected to conclude in spring 2006.

2.9 The new control centres will be built tothe same timetable and under the sameprogramme as the Firelink radio project tomaximise financial and operating efficiency.

2.10 The successful operation of a nationalnetwork of control centres requires a numberof national functions to be established, ownedand discharged by one or more bodies abovethe control centre level. This will enable thenew control centres to function effectively asa national network. Work is in hand to defineand cost those functions and recommendarrangements for discharging them. Staff inthe new control centres will be trained tonational standards in nationally agreed roles,

and ODPM is working on the implementationof this strategy in partnership with theEmployers’ Organisation.

2.11 The Government consulted on the twooptions of a lead authority or a local authoritycompany as suitable management vehiclesfor the new centres. It concluded that a localauthority company is the model it wishesRegional Management Boards to adoptbecause this reduces the exposure to risk ofindividual authorities and minimisesadministrative and operational risks tonational resilience. It also provides greatertransparency and accountability in terms ofthe governance structures and requires allauthorities to take ownership and responsibilityfor the control centres in their region.

2.12 Regional Management Boards havetherefore been asked to establish localauthority companies which will be responsibleand accountable through their constituent Fireand Rescue Authorities for the control centresin their regions.

2.13 Against the background above, Fireand Rescue Authorities, through RegionalManagement Boards, must:

• Work closely with the Government toensure that the phased transition fromexisting control rooms to the newcontrol centres is integrated with theroll-out of Firelink and delivered by theend of 2009/10;

• ensure that the local authoritycompanies who will run the controlcentres on behalf of Fire and RescueAuthorities are established by 1 August2006 in the South West, East Midlandsand North East; by 1 January 2007 inthe West Midlands, North West andSouth East; and by 1 May 2007 inYorkshire and Humberside and theEast of England;



• ensure that the new control centrescomply with national guidance to beissued on staff roles, training andmobilising procedures (includingfallback and recovery) and resilience;

• ensure that they observe nationalguidance on operating and mobilisingprocedures and associated systems.This requirement does not extend tostandards and levels of resourcedeployment to emergency incidents,which are a matter for local Fire &Rescue Authorities to determinethrough IRMPs;

• ensure that they establish thenecessary interfaces with the nationalnetwork and constituent Fire andRescue Authorities; and

• ensure that the control centres observeconvergence and resiliencerequirements to be issued and that thestaff maintain data for which they areresponsible according to standardsthat will be defined.

2.14 Guidance on funding under the ‘newburdens’ principle (see paragraph 7.29) wasissued on 23 December 2005 in Fire ServiceCircular 63/2005. This provided more detailon exactly what work needs to be done,which costs will be met by ODPM and whichshould be met by Fire and RescueAuthorities.

Procurement

2.15 Procurement is a function currentlydischarged principally at local and in someareas regional level. This has meant that theFire and Rescue Service has not achievedmaximum efficiency in some of its purchasing.On 2 November 2005 the Governmentpublished the National Procurement Strategyfor the Fire and Rescue Service 2005-2008.The strategy sets out arrangements for

specialised central and regional purchasing. Itwill make possible the development of thesort of procurement expertise that individualFire and Rescue Authorities find it hard toacquire or afford, and will lead to benefitsfrom combined authority purchasing.

2.16 The strategy sets out:

• the details of the national arrangementsfor specialist Fire and Rescue Serviceprocurement as part of the nationalprocurement strategy through creation ofa new national procurement institution,(“FiReBuy Ltd”); and

• the role of Regional Management Boardsas part of the strategy, including call-offcontract management, regionalprocurement expertise and staff training,in conjunction with the regional centres ofprocurement excellence.

2.17 FiReBuy Limited has been establishedas a company limited by guarantee. Theguarantors as it moves into its earlyoperational phase are expected to be each ofthe Fire and Rescue Authorities (FRAs) inEngland and the Secretary of State. Inaddition to having limited company status, itis expected that FiReBuy Ltd will also beestablished as a Non Departmental PublicBody (NDPB), since under the EuropeanSystem of Accounts it is expected to beclassified as a central government body.

2.18 The Integrated Clothing Project (ICP)will deliver a range of clothing that is fit forpurpose and has been adapted toaccommodate equality and diversity issuesfor a modernised Fire and Rescue Service. Itis an example of how service-widecollaboration can ensure better value andperformance for Personal ProtectiveEquipment (PPE) and other clothing. Thetesting regime for the PPE offered bytenderers is a world first. No individual Fireand Rescue Authority would have the



resources to be able to carry out such teststo ensure garment performance. The testingregime will ensure that key features whichreflect equal opportunities concerns will bepresent in options provided by all tenderersand will be standard to all Fire and RescueService clothing supplied.

2.19 The ICP will also seek views on anational identity for the Fire and RescueService through a large scale collaborativeprocurement initiative which will provideclothing in a standard colour throughoutEngland. This will not affect individual Fire andRescue Service’s ability to badge theirclothing to maintain local identity. The ICPproject will continue to be taken forward byFiReBuy Ltd.

2.20 A procurement process to achieve anational framework contract for pumpingappliances to BS:EN Standards by the end ofJanuary 2007 has commenced and is ontarget. In addition national frameworkcontracts are already being utilised by Fireand Rescue Authorities for the purchase ofsmoke alarms and portable radios. These twocontracts are already providing procurementbenefits and efficiencies for Fire and RescueAuthorities.

2.21 Fire and Rescue Authorities mustsupport the arrangements set out in theStrategy and procure through FiReBuy Ltdwhere directed.



3Chapter 3

Effective response

3.1 The Fire and Rescue Service deservesits reputation for providing an effective andprofessional response to fires and otherincidents.

3.2 Although working to prevent fires is acore objective for Fire and Rescue Authorities,the need for an effective response toincidents that do occur is not diminished. Fireand Rescue Authorities will need to ensurethat their standards of emergency responseare appropriate to all the needs of thecommunities they serve, including thecapacity to respond to challenges such aspotential terrorist incidents in accordance withthe national New Dimension programme andassociated legislation.

3.3 Fire and Rescue Authorities shouldensure an effective and efficient responseis available to meet the range of incidentswhich they may reasonably expect toencounter, working together asappropriate. This includes ensuring that:

• effective command and controlsystems are in place, and that theymaintain compatibility with theprogramme to deliver Regional ControlCentres;

• arrangements are in place for criticalrisk information to be readily availableat the scene of the incident. (ODPMrecognise the value of critical incidentdata and are developing systems toachieve this and part of theFiReControl project.)

• all staff are developed to be competentin their role.

• staff are familiar with the principal riskslikely to be met in the particular workareas.

• the right equipment is available.

Management of Health andSafety

3.4 Health and safety legislation applies toFire and Rescue Authorities. There is a needto care for the safety and health of all staff,and of others at risk from operations,particularly when dealing with emergencyincidents. It is important, therefore, that goodpractice is shared between Fire and RescueAuthorities, managers and front-line staff andthat account is taken of national guidancepublished by the HSE and ODPM.

3.5 Fire and Rescue Authority managershave generally maintained and oftenincreased the operational effectiveness of firecrews by applying the principles andpractices associated with health and safetylegislation.

3.6 A national Fire and Rescue Health andSafety Group, on which all Practitioners’Forum organisations are represented(including the Health and Safety Executive) –meets quarterly and reports against anagreed business plan through thePractitioners’ Forum. This group co-ordinatesthe generation of national health and safetyguidance and good practice11 especially inrespect of generic risks and the identificationof common solutions to emerging challenges.An additional group has been established torevise guidance on dynamic and generic riskassessment; and improve the quality ofaccident and injury data and its collectionarrangements. This work will be piloted laterin 2006.

CHAPTER 3 EFFECTIVE RESPONSE


11 Further information on existing guidance to Fire and Rescue Authorities is available through ODPM’s FireInformation Service on 020 7944 5450, or [email protected]

Utilisation of Resources

3.7 The Government believes that there isscope to improve the efficiency of Fire andRescue Authorities in responding to incidentswhile maintaining the highest standards.

3.8 Traditionally, pumping appliances, withpredetermined numbers of firefighters andofficers, provided the initial response toemergency incidents. Occasionally specialistvehicles such as water carriers or aerialappliances supplemented the response.

3.9 This overly prescriptive, blanketresponse sometimes over-provided,particularly where hoax calls, signals fromautomatic fire alarm systems and fires clearlydefined as being of limited extent wereconcerned. It also resulted in fewer resourcesremaining available for incidents where therisk to life and injury is greatest – often in thehome. The introduction of the IRMP approachenables Fire and Rescue Authorities to targettheir resources appropriately.

3.10 In April 2004, ODPM published a‘Guide to Reducing the Number of FalseAlarms from Fire Detection and Fire AlarmSystems’12, in conjunction with CFOA and theBritish Fire Protection Systems Association.CFOA also produced a ‘Model Agreement forRemotely Monitored Fire Alarm Systems’13.These documents, together with theintroduction of IRMPs and the use of modernintelligent information systems, allow risks tobe assessed more effectively, providing theflexibility for more appropriate and bettertargeted response. Fire and RescueAuthorities should:

• have regard to ODPM’s ‘Guide toReducing the Number of False Alarmsfrom Fire Detection and Fire AlarmSystems’;

• consider the adoption of the CFOA‘Model Agreement for RemotelyMonitored Fire Alarm Systems’published in 2004 following wideconsultation with stakeholders;

• work with other Fire and RescueAuthorities and other emergencyservices where appropriate, and takesteps to drive down the number ofhoax calls and unwanted signals fromautomatic fire alarms; and

• log the callers and properties thatcreate the greatest demand, assessthe risks associated with them, anddecide upon action to achieveimprovement, which may includeincreased fire prevention work or achanged level of response.

3.11 The principal aim of an emergencyresponse is to reduce deaths and the numberand severity of injuries. If outcomes can beimproved by adapting services or workingwith other providers to improve life safetyservices these are encouraged. For example,some authorities are already usingdefibrillation equipment and others areengaged in co-responder schemes, which aresaving the lives of people who have sufferedcardiac arrest, including firefighters.

3.12 Fire and Rescue Authorities shouldactively review the opportunities forimproving community safety byimplementing co-responder schemes inpartnership with other agencies.



12 See: www.odpm.gov.uk/falsealarms

13See: www.fire-uk.org/pubs/RMFA_CFOA_Policy_Final.pdf

Mutual Assistance

3.13 Fire and Rescue Authorities have formany years provided mutual support acrossborders for responses to emergenciesthrough the shared availability of fire crewsand appliances.

3.14 It is important that this good practice isuniversally applied. Local, regional andnational boundaries should not stop Fire andRescue Authorities from delivering the mostspeedy, effective and efficient responsepossible.

3.15 Authorities should, therefore,(bearing in mind the general requirementsof paragraphs 3.2 and 3.3) design theirIRMPs to ensure that, so far as practical,there is efficient and effective shared useof resources, particularly, for example: theservices of principal, senior and specialistofficers14; pumping and non-pumpingappliances, such as those used for aerialaccess; equipment used in traffic accidentresponse and the bulk supply of water;and specialist support services such asrope rescue teams.

3.16 Regional Management Boards providean appropriate forum for promoting andimproving collaboration.

Incident Management Protocols

3.17 Major fire-related incidents, terroristattacks or large environmental disasters haveno respect for authority boundaries. Nor canthey be dealt with by one emergency serviceworking in isolation. Increasingly, theydemand co-ordinated planning, operational

co-operation and compatibility in responsemanagement between Fire and RescueAuthorities and other emergency and non-emergency responders, such as localauthorities, the Environment Agency or theMaritime and Coastguard Agency.

3.18 The Fire and Rescue Services Act2004 and the Civil Contingencies Act 2004(see Chapter 4) together confirm the broaderrole Fire and Rescue Authorities play inincidents other than fire.

3.19 Common policies, practices andprocedures for the operational managementand command of emergencies are essential.

To ensure a consistent operationalapproach the Service must adopt theprinciples and procedures detailed in theFire Service Manual Vol. 2: Fire ServiceOperations – Incident Command15. Thiswill help to ensure the adoptionnationwide of common arrangements andthe safe and effective management ofoperations.

CFOA and HMFSI will work together tomaintain the Manual’s currency in response tonew threats and emerging issues. TheManual, together with the Cabinet Office2005 publications, ‘Emergency Responseand Recovery’ and ‘EmergencyPreparedness’16 provides the template forregular interservice training and exercisingand will form an integral part of the training atthe Fire Service College (see paragraph 6.12– 6.18). The Fire Service College will alsoprovide a centre of specialist expertise inurban search and rescue and related majoremergency incident techniques.



14 The Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004 repeals ss30(3) and 30(6) of the Fire Services Act 1947 underwhich sole control of a fire was placed on the senior officer present from the Fire and Rescue Service ofthe area in which the fire originated. This should allow greater flexibility in the sharing of senior officers.

15 Fire Service Manual Vol.2: Fire Service Operations – Incident Command (ODPM 2002)

16 Emergency Preparedness (Cabinet Office, 29.07.05) and Emergency Response and Recovery (CabinetOffice 23.09.05)

Fire Investigation

3.20 Fire investigation can provide aninvaluable insight into the behaviour of fireand of the people involved in fire incidents,providing essential evidence on ways tomanage risk.

3.21 Few Fire and Rescue Authorities areable to deploy adequate resources, at alltimes, to ensure effective fire investigation.This activity is one of many that is intended tobe delivered more effectively by Fire andRescue Authorities working together throughRegional Management Boards.

3.22 In the case of deliberate fires, the leadauthority is the Police. In other cases, thelead authority will depend on thecircumstances and the initial fire investigationresults. A degree of flexibility is necessary toallow the leadership at various stages of theinvestigation process to be shared, with themost relevant agency assuming the lead roleas required. Formal protocols andMemoranda of Understanding are essentialfoundations for ensuring that the needs of allpartners are considered.

3.23 The Fire and Rescue Services Act2004 provides formal powers for Fire andRescue Authorities to investigate the causesof fires and the reasons for fire spread. Thesepowers are balanced by safeguards for thepublic and are for use in cases wherepermission for fire investigation cannot beobtained from, or is withheld by, the personresponsible for the fire scene in question.

3.24 The Arson Control Forum, which bringstogether Police, fire and rescue practitioners,insurers and other stakeholders, is currentlydeveloping a model protocol for fireinvestigation, to be launched in early 2006.These are supported by new NationalOccupational Standards for fire investigationfor Fire and Rescue Authorities, the Police

and the Forensic Science Service which wereaccredited for use in April 2005.

3.25 Using the model protocol and thesupporting NOSs, Fire and RescueAuthorities should, through RegionalManagement Boards, ensure specialist fireinvestigation capacity is pooled to providean effective and efficient regionalcapability.

Contingency planning for anyfuture industrial action

3.26 The Civil Contingencies Act 2004imposes a duty on Fire and RescueAuthorities to put in place business continuitymanagement arrangements to ensure thatthey can continue to exercise their functionsin the event of an emergency so far as isreasonably practicable. It cannot be assumedthat the Armed Forces will be available toprovide cover in the event of industrial actionby firefighters. The Government will work withFire and Rescue Authorities to examine hownational contingency planning arrangementscan be further improved. This will includelinking any revised arrangements withimproved regional resilience, the future role ofthe Armed Forces, raising public awarenessand other elements which compriseemergency fire and rescue services.

3.27 Accordingly, Fire and RescueAuthorities will be expected to play anincreasing role in contingency provision,including the supply of all appliances andequipment required and the effectivedeployment of available personnel. Under theFire and Rescue Services Act 2004, and afterconsultation, the Secretary of State has thepower to direct the use of Fire and RescueAuthorities’ facilities and property for thepurposes of public safety.



Quality Assurance and GoodPractice

3.28 The Audit Commission is responsiblefor the performance assessment of Fire andRescue Authorities and has implemented theFire Comprehensive Performance Assessmentframework (see Chapter 8).

3.29 HMFSI has a process of ongoingliaison with each Fire and Rescue Authoritywith a senior member of HMFSI appointed toundertake this task on a regional basis. Thiswill include issues related to operationalmanagement and assurance. Any relevantinformation from this process will be sharedwith the Audit Commission and ministers tocomplement the CPA process.

3.30 HMFSI and others will work inconjunction with the Fire and Rescue ServiceImprovement Team in responding to theoutcomes of CPA and supportingimprovement planning and operationalassurance by Fire and Rescue Authorities.

3.31 HMFSI will with stakeholders review allexisting guidance relating to operational,technical and professional matters (see AnnexF), and to disseminate good practice. Thisreview will provide simplified and more easilyaccessible guidance from Summer 2007.Additionally to this, an operationalperformance assessment framework,currently under development between HMFSIand CFOA will result in a common, nationalstandard for self, peer and external bodyassessment. This framework will be issued intwo phases during 2006 to complement theAudit Commission directed serviceassessment which will take place in all Fireand Rescue Authorities in 2006 (see para 8.8).



4Chapter 4

Resilience

4.1 Resilience is defined as the ability tomanage disruptive challenges, such asterrorist attacks, chemical, biological,radiological or nuclear (CBRN) incidents ormajor flooding that can lead to or result in crisis.

4.2 The Government’s aim in buildingresilience capacity is to ensure public safetyby taking practical steps to reduce thelikelihood of such incidents occurring andresponding quickly and effectively when they do.

Statutory responsibilities of Fireand Rescue AuthoritiesFire and Rescue Services Act2004

4.3 Section 9 of the Fire and RescueServices Act 2004 enables the Secretary ofState to place functions on Fire and RescueAuthorities regarding specific types ofemergencies. These functions would be setout in an Order (an Emergencies Order) andbe subject to Parliamentary approval.

4.4 An Emergencies Order would provideFire and Rescue Authorities with a clearstatutory role concerning specificemergencies, underpin the New Dimensionprogramme and help improve the ability ofFire and Rescue Authorities to plan. Thisshould improve further the country’s resilienceto terrorist attacks, natural disasters andmajor accidents.

4.5 Following consultation on a draftEmergencies Order we published a responseoutlining our plans in November 2005. We willensure that any Emergencies Order wouldonly come into effect once the capabilitiesprovided by the New Dimension programmeare fully operational in spring 2007.

4.6 It is likely that an Emergencies Orderwould make it a statutory duty for Fire andRescue Authorities to make provision usingNew Dimension resources for the:

• decontamination of people following therelease of chemical, biological,radiological and nuclear substances;

• freeing of people from collapsedstructures and non-road transportwreckages or debris;

• rescue of people trapped by flooding.

Fire and Rescue Authorities not hosting NewDimension resources would be expected tomeet any statutory duty by participating inreinforcement schemes for mutual assistance.Fire and Rescue Authorities would not beexpected to make any additional provision interms of equipment, crewing or initial trainingbeyond that provided by the New Dimensionprogramme.

4.7 The Government will act in accordancewith the ‘new burdens’ principle, and ifneeded will provide new resources havingconsulted CFOA and the LGA. (The ‘newburdens’ principle is explained more fully atparagraph 7.29.)

Civil Contingencies Act 2004

4.8 The Civil Contingencies Act 2004became law on 18 November 2004. In Julythe Civil Contingencies Act 2004(Contingency Planning) Regulations 2005 andsupporting statutory guidance, EmergencyPreparedness, were published.Supplementary non-statutory guidance,Emergency Response and Recovery, waspublished in September. For the purposes ofFire and Rescue Authorities, Part 1 of the Act,which covers local arrangements for civilprotection, came into force on the 14November 2005. Part 2 of the Act, dealing

CHAPTER 4 RESILIENCE


with emergency powers will only be used inthe most serious emergencies and as a last resort.

4.9 Part 1 of the Civil Contingencies Act2004, along with the accompanyingregulations and guidance, establishes a newframework to reinforce cooperation betweenthe emergency services, local authorities andother front line responders at the local level.This ensures that they can deal with the fullrange of emergencies from localised majorincidents through to catastrophic events. Part1 also creates a statutory duty on the part oflocal bodies including Fire and RescueAuthorities to work together to developcontingency plans.

As a consequence of this Act, Fire andRescue Authorities, through RegionalManagement Boards where appropriate,must work in co-operation with otheremergency services, local authorities andfront line responders at the local level to:

• assess the risk of emergenciesoccurring and use this to informemergency planning and businesscontinuity planning;

• put in place emergency plans,supported by appropriate training,exercising, validation and revisionprocesses;

• put in place business continuity plans,so that the authority can continue tofunction in an emergency;

• put in place arrangements to makeinformation available to the publicabout civil protection matters andmaintain arrangements to warn, informand advise the public in the event ofan emergency;

• share information with other localresponders to enhance co-ordination;and,

• co-operate with other local respondersto enhance co-ordination andefficiency.

4.10 Participating in Regional ResilienceForums (see paragraph 4.16) will help Fireand Rescue Authorities to discharge theirstatutory duties under Part 1 of the Act.

4.11 Part 2 of the Act, Emergency Powers,gives the Secretary of State powers to maketemporary legislation (in the form ofemergency regulations) requiring Fire andRescue Authorities, and other localresponders, to act in order to deal with themost serious of emergencies. A range ofsafeguards exist against the possibility ofmisuse to ensure, amongst other things,compliance with Human Rights legislation andeffective Parliamentary scrutiny.

4.12 The Civil Contingencies Act is largelyorganisational and is not considered toimpose a new burden on Fire and RescueAuthorities. No additional direct funding forthis work has therefore been provided to Fireand Rescue Authorities. But centralGovernment has more than doubled itsfunding to local authorities for civil protectionwork to £40million: other responders arefunded through other means.

4.13 Prior to the Civil Contingencies Act,metropolitan Fire and Civil Defence Authorities(FCDAs) (now metropolitan and county Fireand Rescue Authorities) used to receive CivilDefence Grant to carry out their function toco-ordinate local authorities’ civil defenceplanning, training and exercising. Under theregime introduced under the CivilContingencies Act, FCDAs no longer haveany statutory responsibilities to co-ordinatelocal authorities’ civil protection work. As alogical consequence, FCDAs no longerreceive any direct funding for this work.However, where local authorities wish to enterinto collaborative arrangements, they cantransfer resources to the metropolitan county



Fire and Rescue Authority. The exception tothis is the London Fire and EmergencyPlanning Authority (LFEPA) which continues toreceive direct funding from centralgovernment in order to fund its responsibilitiesunder the new legislation.

Regional Resilience

4.14 At a national level, clear co-ordinationarrangements are in place to ensuresuccessful emergency planning. The HomeSecretary has overall responsibility for safetyand security. The Cabinet Office co-ordinatesthe development of resilience policy andprocedures across Government and seeks toidentify and prevent potential disruptivechallenges.

4.15 Fire and Rescue Authorities have alongstanding tradition of effective planningand response to non-fire incidents at the locallevel. However, the tragic events of 7 July2005 and 11 September 2001 changed theframe of reference for dealing with terrorism.The response to terrorist attacks in the UK, orones which involved a chemical, biological,radiological or nuclear (CBRN) element,require more than local planning andresponse. Other events, such as widespreadflooding or a major infectious diseaseoutbreak, could also require regional co-ordination. That is why the Government hasput in place regional resilience structures.Since April 2003, Regional Resilience Teamshave been operational in each of theGovernment Offices in all nine Englishregions. The teams will provide support forthe Regional Resilience Forums and RegionalCivil Contingencies Committees in the eventof regional response arrangements beingcalled upon (see paragraphs 4.16 and 4.17below). The teams will also work with theDevolved Administrations to ensure effectivecross-border arrangements.

4.16 Regional Resilience Forums bringtogether central government agencies, theArmed Forces, and representatives of localresponders, including the emergency servicesand local authorities. Each Forum has onerepresentative from the Fire and RescueService. The Forums work to improve the co-ordination of planning at a regional level andimprove communications between the centreand the region and between the region andlocal responders. Participation in the RegionalResilience Forums will help RegionalManagement Boards to put in place effectiveresilience plans for large scale emergencies(see paragraph 2.13).

4.17 In the event of a larger scaleemergency a separate committee, theRegional Civil Contingencies Committee,could be formed to co-ordinate the regionalresponse to an event which overwhelmedlocal responders or which had an impact overa wide area. The Civil Contingencies Act alsoenables Ministers to appoint a RegionalNominated Co-ordinator, if required, to helpco-ordinate activities under any regulationsmade in response to an emergency.

4.18 These structures will provide theplatform for coordinating both planning andresponse in relation to civil contingencies at aregional level. They will provide regional co-ordination and facilitation functions to adisruptive event, while – under direction – anyresponse will remain, for the most part, withlocal responders.

Resilience Programmes

4.19 Firelink, FiReControl and NewDimension project teams are working co-operatively to improve the capacity of Fire andRescue Authorities to prepare for andrespond to catastrophic incidents. A fullycomplementary approach to theimplementation of the projects has beendeveloped, and they are now being managed



as a single programme overseen by a highlevel senior management board.

New Dimension

4.20 The New Dimension programme seeksto ensure that Fire and Rescue Authorities aresufficiently trained and equipped to deal safelyand effectively with major CBRN andconventional terrorist incidents on a nationalscale. The Government has committed over£200 million to purchase equipment and fundtraining for England and Wales (althoughsubsequently policy responsibility hasdevolved to Wales). In addition, Governmenthas confirmed that up to £16 million will beavailable each year to meet the costs ofcrewing the capability.

4.21 Through a continued strongpartnership working with both CFOA and theLGA, a substantial programme of delivery hastaken place throughout 2004/5 and 2005/6which has resulted in:

• 80 Incident Response Units equippedwith mass decontamination facilitieslocated in all Fire and Rescue Authoritiesin England and Wales;

• strategic location of 18 initial detection,identification and monitoring (DIM) teams;

• the continued enhancement of urbansearch and rescue capability as we worktowards completing 19 fully equippedteams in England; and

• delivery of 34 high volume pumps, someof which have already seen action inresponse to the floods in Carlisle and theserious fire at the Buncefield Oil Depot inHertfordshire.

4.22 There is still much to be achievedbefore the end of the programme’s deliveryphase in spring 2007. The equipment aspectsof the programme are focusing on:

• completing the mass decontaminationproject by providing modules ofequipment to provide back up to theexisting Incident Response Unit provision;

• providing further equipment to the 18 DIMteams, to enable comprehensive regionalcoverage of DIM capability;

• ensuring that each of the urban searchand rescue teams has its full complementof equipment and can provide world classcapability within each region; and

• delivering the remaining high volumepumps across the regions.

4.23 The roll out of equipment isaccompanied by substantial training.Government is fully funding this initial training.Any ongoing costs for training across thecapabilities will be met in line with newburdens principles.

4.24 Allied to the equipment aspects of theprogramme, three additional strands of workare continuing. First, we are looking at themeans by which equipment will be suppliedand refreshed as a result of responding toincidents through our operational logisticswork. This also includes consideration ofaccommodation requirements, with anongoing programme of consultation with Fireand Rescue Authorities.

4.25 Secondly, command and control issuesare being addressed through two closelyrelated pieces of work: command supportand co-ordination and mobilisation. It is thissecond piece of work that has seen thecreation of an initial national co-ordinationfunction and which is currently beingenhanced to ensure that full co-ordinationfunctions are embedded in the regionalcontrol rooms when they become available.

4.26 We are keen to promote a co-ordinated response from Fire and RescueAuthorities in the event of a major emergency.



That is why most Fire and Rescue Authoritiesparticipate in the Mutual Aid Agreementdescribed in Fire Service Circular 8/2004. Thisenables individual authorities to ask forassistance from another authority in the eventof a major incident. We are reviewing mutualassistance arrangements with CFOA in lightof the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004 andexpect guidance on this matter to bepublished in spring 2006.

4.27 Finally, the Government recognises thatin the long term, New Dimension capabilitywill need to be managed, maintained,supported, and updated throughout its lifecycle. The New Dimension programme willensure that the relevant managementstructures and support capabilities are inplace to maintain every aspect of thisequipment, at an appropriate level ofoperational effectiveness and readiness forthe indefinite future. The option for long-termmanagement will be developed in partnershipwith CFOA.

Firelink

4.28 As explained in Fire Service Circular7/2002, ODPM is funding the procurement ofa new national radio system for Fire andRescue Authorities (the Firelink radio project)in order to increase resilience and provideinteroperability within the Service and withother emergency services. It will replace theradio systems currently owned and managedby authorities. It is planned that the new radiosystem will complete roll-out by 2009.

4.29 Government has already confirmedthrough this same Circular that it will reviewthe revenue consequences of this investmentin the context of future local governmentfinance settlements. This is subject to currentdiscussion with Fire and Rescue Authorities.

4.30 Fire and Rescue Authorities have acentral role to play in the successful roll-out of

Firelink. In England Firelink Regional Roll-outBoards will be formed. These will be apartnership between Fire and RescueAuthorities, the Firelink project and thecontractor. The function of the Boards will beto oversee and co-ordinate theimplementation of the Firelink solution in theapplicable Fire and Rescue Authority regionwithin contractually agreed timescales.

4.31 The functions of the Regional Roll-outBoards are to:

• engage Fire and Rescue Authorities in thesmooth, effective and co-ordinated rolloutof Firelink;

• oversee the implementation of the FirelinkSolution in the applicable Fire and RescueAuthority area in accordance with contractterms; and,

• maximise the strength of the ODPM’scontractual positions, and support thefulfilment of and compliance with ODPMobligations.

4.32 We will continue to manage thedependencies between Firelink andFiReControl (see paragraph 2.9) so thatschedules are aligned and project delivery isachieved within a co-ordinated overallprogramme.

4.33 While the Firelink project is beingdeveloped, we recognise that it is essential tosafeguard the performance of existing radiosystems. For this reason ODPM is fundingmeasures to sustain those items withinexisting systems which have a high risk offailure. This will ensure that they remainoperationally effective until replaced byFirelink.



5Chapter 5

Fire and rescue staff

5.1 Fire and Rescue Authorities’ mostimportant resource is their staff. It is essentialthat people from all backgrounds and withmany different skills and specialisms are:

• encouraged to join the Service;

• are used as effectively as possible; and

• are offered a rewarding and flexible career.

Fire and Rescue Authorities compriseoperational staff who spend most of theircareer in an active role of prevention andintervention and Fire and Rescue Service staffin a variety other roles e.g. managerial,administrative, technical whose contribution isequally important and who keep every Fireand Rescue Authority functioning.

5.2 A statement of Core Values has beendeveloped for the Fire and Rescue Service bya stakeholder group led and facilitated byCFOA. The Core Values, ( see page 89), setout clearly the principles which the Serviceconsiders are fundamental to thedevelopment of an organisation which valuesand supports all members of its workforceand provides an effective service to the wholecommunity. The Core Values have beendeveloped to apply to both the Fire andRescue Service as an organisation and to allmembers of staff. They provide a clearstatement of the expectation of the Fire andRescue Service with regard to the attitudesand behaviour’s of all staff whatever their rolewithin the organisation.

5.3 All staff within the Fire and RescueService and those applying to join need to bemade aware that active membership ofextremist groups could challenge their abilityto discharge their duties impartially in a workenvironment where they serve the wholecommunity. Affiliation to such organisations iscontrary to the ideals promoted by the CoreValues and in conflict with Fire and RescueAuthorities’ legal duties under the RaceRelations (Amendment) Act 2000. The public

relies on the honesty and integrity of all Fireand Rescue Service staff. Behaviours thatcontravene the Fire and Rescue Service CoreValues risk serious consequences both for theindividual and for the reputation of theService.

5.4 The abolition of the restrictiveprovisions of the Appointments andPromotion Regulations and the introduction ofthe common framework of IPDS (see Chapter6) means that movement within the workforcecan be far more flexible than in the past. Forexample, there may be opportunities to moveinto an operational role from another area ofthe organisation and from operations to anadministrative or technical role. It is importantthat Fire and Rescue Authorities treat theirworkforce as a unified whole, includingdeveloping and recognising specialist skills.There should be no artificial barriers to stafffrom different backgrounds reaching the mostsenior levels in the organisation.

5.5 Fire and Rescue Authorities mustensure that all members of staff aretreated fairly and afforded equality ofopportunity. Fire and Rescue Authoritiesshould ensure that all staff are developedin a way which takes account of thediffering needs of the individual, in orderto deliver the Authority’s aims andobjectives effectively. It is not aboutproviding more training and development,but about ensuring that developmentopportunities are better tailored to theneeds of each member of the workforcethan they have been in the past.

5.6 The business needs of each Fire andRescue Authority will be driven by therequirements of their IRMP. This will set outwhen and where people and resources areneeded, how they are to be deployed andwhat competencies staff will require to fullfilthe needs of the IRMP. As a result, Fire andRescue Authorities will need to ensure thattheir HR strategy effectively and efficiently

CHAPTER 5 FIRE AND RESCUE STAFF


reflects the needs set out in the IRMP, andmakes full use of the advantages conferredby flexible shift patterns and workingpractices.

5.7 The move away from ‘one size fits all’shift patterns, and from standard nine to fivehours for those who work in, for instance,administrative jobs, will help to open upopportunities for people from a wider range ofbackgrounds and with caring and othercommitments. It should also mean a moreflexible and rewarding career for all staff. TheGovernment amended the Fire-fighters’Pension Scheme to allow part-time service asa regular (wholetime duty system) fire-fighterto count towards pension entitlement. Thishas facilitated the development of part-timeworking arrangements and Fire and RescueAuthorities are encouraged to extend thepractice. All other staff have access to theLocal Government Pension Scheme whichalready makes provision for flexible workingincluding on a part-time basis.

Fire and Rescue Authorities should ensurethat there is as much opportunity as isreasonably possible for people to workflexibly, for example on a part-time basis,using flexi-time or working as part of a jobshare partnership.

5.8 The Government particularly values thecontribution of staff on the retained dutysystem, which provides the backbone ofmany Fire and Rescue Authorities across thecountry. It is important that full use is made oftheir valuable skills and that more is done toovercome the recruitment and retentionchallenges. Recommendations on tacklingthese issues were made by the RetainedReview Team to the Practitioners’ Forum inSeptember 2004. The Review Team’s reportand recommendations were published inFebruary 2005. A task group, set up jointly bythe Practitioners’ Forum and the Businessand Community Safety Forum, will facilitatethe delivery of the Retained Review Team’s

recommendations through an implementationplan to be published in Spring 2006.

5.9 Whilst the retained duty system taskgroup will look at the Retained Reviewrecommendations from a nationalperspective, Fire and Rescue Authorities willthemselves wish to tackle the recruitment andretention challenges they face in respect ofthe retained duty system by taking practicalsteps to effectively and efficiently implementthe recommendations at a local level.

5.10 The introduction of IPDS (see Chapter6) offers an opportunity to develop the skillsand knowledge of all staff, including those onthe retained duty system. Flexible workingarrangements, job sharing, part-time serviceas well as the nature of working on theretained duty system may mean that somepeople may not have the same opportunitiesfor development in the workplace as thoseworking full time on the wholetime dutysystem. As set out in the Learning andDevelopment Strategy, use of flexible meansof developing people, such as e-learning ordistance learning, and the delivery ofdevelopment opportunities during weekendsand evenings will become increasinglyimportant elements in meeting the needs ofmany members of staff, particularly those onthe retained duty system.

5.11 The Government is working withstakeholders, including the retained dutysystem task group and retained duty systemstaff, to encourage more people to apply tojoin the retained duty system, and to makethe positive changes necessary to encourageexisting staff to stay working in Fire andRescue Authorities. The Government is alsoworking with the business community to:

• highlight the benefits of having in theirworkforce the skills which staff on theretained duty system can bring;



• encourage support for the release ofemployees for the retained duty system;and

• tackle the barriers to releasing employeesfor their fire and rescue duties whilstrespecting the needs of primaryemployers.

5.10 Fire and Rescue Authorities shouldensure that they:

• make full and efficient use of staff onthe retained duty system in line withthe needs in their IRMPs;

• give staff on the retained duty systemaccess to development opportunitiescomparable to those for wholetimeduty system and other staff; and

• break down artificial barriers betweenstaff on the retained duty system andother staff, including where appropriateexploring options such as mixedcrewing and providing wholetime dutysystem staff with the opportunity toundertake additional service on theretained duty system.

Human Resources Management

5.11 The modernisation programme placesadditional demands on the Human Resources(HR) function within Fire and RescueAuthorities. The introduction of RegionalManagement Boards offers Fire and RescueAuthorities the potential to consolidateexpertise in this area, and thereby provide amore efficient and effective service. Equally,the development by CFOA of the UK Fire andRescue Service HR Strategy framework will

provide greater support and structure to thiscentral role.

5.12 Central government will work with Fireand Rescue Authorities, CFOA, the CharteredInstitute of Personnel and Development andother appropriate professional bodies tostimulate the development of a skilled,professional and strategic HR function by:

• encouraging more HR staff to undertakeprofessional and vocational qualificationsand, through networking meetings,seminars and professional support, todevelop their workforce planning skills andtheir capacity to help modernise thecurrent management culture; and

• facilitating the sharing of best practiceamong HR staff through the regularmeetings of the Fire and Rescue ServiceHR Practitioners’ Network and throughseminars covering key HR andemployment law issues.

5.13 Fire and Rescue Authorities, throughRegional Management Boards, should:

• draw up a regional HR strategy byAutumn 2006, encompassingrecruitment, learning and development(see Chapter 6), occupational health,health and safety, medical adviceservices, sickness/ill healthmanagement, discipline, mobility and aregional equalities strategy17;

• identify and implement the mostefficient and effective means for theregion to deliver these services,including through lead authorities oroutsourcing where appropriate.



17 It is acknowledged that in some areas RMBs have already made significant advances in their regionalplanning process and have developed separate regional strategies for issues such as equality anddiversity outside their HR Strategy. In many cases this is an effective way of ensuring equality anddiversity issues receive the necessary high profile in order to ensure they are mainstreamed. Whetherthese issues are considered as part of a unified HR Strategy as described above or are the subject ofseparate regional strategies it is important to ensure that the implications of the various strategies havebeen evaluated and are compatible.

• ensure regional HR strategies arecompatible with local IRMPs. (It is foreach Regional Management Board todecide which issues, in addition tothose set out above, are best dealtwith in the regional strategy and thosewhich fall within IRMPs and are bestdealt with locally, and to ensure thatthere is a good fit.)

• ensure that they undertake appropriateEquality Impact Assessment of all theirpolicies, plans, procedures or practicesin accordance with legislativerequirements.

Improving opportunities

5.14 The Fire and Rescue Service workforcedoes not currently reflect the communities itserves. In 2004, only 2.5% of operational staffwere women and 2.7% of all staff were fromminority ethnic backgrounds.

5.15 Raising the profile of working in the Fireand Rescue Service as a career option forwomen and those from minority ethnicbackgrounds should help improve thisposition. So will making the Service moreaccessible to those with caring and otherresponsibilities by introducing more flexiblepatterns of working. But these measures willnot of themselves be sufficient.

5.16 To help Fire and Rescue Authoritiesimprove their performance the race andgender employment targets agreed and set in1999 (for minority ethnic staff) and 2000 (forwomen) have been reviewed. The existingstrategies were designed at a time when thekey concerns focused on race and genderand the Government is aware that otherissues, surrounding in particular sexualorientation, disability, religion and age havenot previously been given a sufficiently highprofile and need now to be addressed. A newstrategy will be published in 2006 following

consultation with stakeholders. The strategywill continue to encourage greater diversityamongst applicants and appointees andpromote equality of opportunity in careerprogression; it will aim to improve diversity atall levels of the organisation and reduce thenumber of staff from under-representedgroups leaving the service prior to retirement.Fire and Rescue Authorities will, as atpresent, be monitored on their performanceagainst the requirements of the strategy.

5.17 Achieving greater diversity within theservice is clearly the responsibility of Fire andRescue Authorities. However, ODPMsupports this aim and will work with partnersunder the leadership of the DiversityHappens! Programme Board to achieve thenecessary cultural change to create anorganisation which values diversity and isinclusive and supportive of all. This will resultin a series of actions for Fire and RescueAuthorities which will comprise the nationalperformance expectations in this area. Amongthe key areas which will be addressed are:

• The Fire and Rescue Service “BusinessCase” for Diversity

• The implementation of the new equalityemployment targets

• Equality training and the role of equalityadvisers including good practicedissemination

• Peer review on equality issues betweenFire and Rescue Authorities and otherorganisations e.g. public, private andvoluntary sector organisations; and

• Benchmarking of Fire and RescueAuthorities’ achievement on equality anddiversity issues against the LocalGovernment Equality Standard

5.18 To assess their current performancewith regard to equality and diversity issuesFire and Rescue Authorities are encouragedto:



• undertake a cultural audit involving bothstaff and their local community; and

• to undertake a review of their plans,policies, practices and procedures toensure they are compatible with goodpractice and are supportive of the aim tobecome an organisation which values andpromotes equality and diversity.

5.19 Fire and Rescue Authorities, throughRegional Management Boards, shouldproduce a regional equalities strategy (seeparagraph 5.15).

Recruitment

5.20 Fire and Rescue Authorities now havethe freedom to recruit directly to any levelwithin their organisation in order to meet theprovisions of their IRMP and to broaden thediversity of skills and experience within theirworkforce. In doing so Fire and RescueAuthorities are already required to have regardto the principles of IPDS including thePersonal Qualities and Attributes Framework(see Chapter 6). It is also essential that Fireand Rescue Authorities comply withappropriate employment legislation, includingequalities legislation and that they applyidentified good practice.

5.21 In recruiting staff Fire and RescueAuthorities must ensure they comply withthe provisions of the Criminal Justice andCourt Services Act 2000 Section 36(1)(a-h),by carrying out Criminal Records BureauDisclosure checks on those who will beworking with children and vulnerable adults.

5.22 In partnership with stakeholdersGovernment has developed role relevantselection tools to be used by Fire and RescueAuthorities to identify applicants with thepotential to become firefighters. The tools weredeveloped with the aim of ensuring nationalconsistency in the methodology and standardsapplied to the selection of these staff.

5.23 In September 2005, Governmentissued a consultation on arrangements for therecruitment of firefighters and the progressionof operational and control managers in theService. That consultation presented anumber of options and questions includingthe extent to which the Service should usenational processes to assess staff forrecruitment and progression. The consultationreceived a good rate of response and theclear balance of opinion was that nationalprocesses offered the greatest benefits to theService. This Framework therefore makesclear Government’s expectation that Fire andRescue Authorities will now use the newnational processes in place of their existingfirefighter selection processes. It is expectedthat all FRAs will have these nationalprocesses in place by April 2007 at the latest(see para 6.7) – however, Authorities arestrongly encouraged to begin using theseprocesses as soon as possible, both tointroduce greater consistency of approachacross the country and to ensure that thetests can undergo a rigorous validationprocess using data collected from theperformance of real candidates.

5.24 The Practitioners’ Forum made it clearat its meeting on 13th December 2005 thatthere should be national standards for thefire-fighter selection tests which would applyacross all duty systems. In order to ensurethe tests are effective and the standards setare appropriate the Practitioners’ Forum hasasked that there be an 18 month reviewperiod for the tests.

5.25 Whilst, overall, respondees to theconsultation were in favour of nationalprocesses, some did express concerns abouta number of detailed issues. In order toaddress these concerns, to comply with thewishes of the Practitioners’ Forum and in linewith best practice the selection process willbe monitored and reviewed as part of theongoing validation process mentioned above.



Improvements to the process will be madewhere necessary.

5.26 Detailed guidance on the new selectionprocess is available on the ODPM website atwww.odpm.gov.uk. Authorities will be supportedin using the new processes and will be requiredto collect data on the process which must besubmitted to ODPM.

Discipline

5.27 With the introduction of the Fire andRescue Services Act 2004, the Fire Services(Discipline) Regulations 1985 wereautomatically abolished. Staff who wereformally charged under the 1985 DisciplineRegulations before 1st October 2004 retainthe right of appeal to the Secretary of Stateon awards of dismissal, the requirement toresign or reduction in rank.

5.28 To comply with the provisions of theEmployment Act 2002 (DisputesResolution) Regulations 2004 (SI 2004/752) and in line with the provisions of thesixth edition of the National Joint Council’sScheme of Conditions of Service (the GreyBook) Fire and Rescue Authorities musteither:

• have developed and implementeddisciplinary procedures which arebased on Advisory, Conciliation andArbitration Service (ACAS) bestpractice guidance18; or

• have introduced for use within theirauthority the model disciplinaryprocedure as set out in the NationalJoint Council for Local Authorities’ FireBrigades Scheme of Conditions ofService (the Grey Book).

5.29 Fire and Rescue Authorities need togive consideration to the cost, best practice

and efficiency benefits of developingdisciplinary procedures, dealing withdisciplinary issues and providing effectivemanagement training through a regional HR function.

Sickness Management/ Ill HealthRetirement

5.30 Fire and Rescue Authorities shouldtake effective steps to improve sicknessmanagement and reduce ill healthretirements.

5.31 The national Fire and Rescue Servicetargets for sickness were to reduce sickabsence in the service from 9.2 shifts perperson in 1998/99 to an average of 6.5 shiftsper person for fire-fighters and from 13.4 to5.4 shifts per person for fire control staff byMarch 2005. The figures for 2003/04 were10.4 shifts per person for fire-fighters and13.2 for control room staff. These figuresindicate very little movement since theprevious year and unless there is significantimprovement it seems unlikely that theService will have met the target set for 2005.

5.32 The Health and Safety Executive inpartnership with ODPM will be undertaking astudy of sickness absence in the Fire andRescue Service to identify, where possible,the main underlying causes of sicknessabsence in the Service The programme ofresearch is due to commence in Spring 2006.and Fire and Rescue Service stakeholders willbe invited to take part. The research will becarried out in two phases. The first phase willessentially be fact finding and analysis. Thephase 1 report which will identify areas ofgood practice is due to be delivered in Spring2007. The findings will be used as the basisfor further constructive action under thesecond phase of the programme: developing



18 See: www.acas.org.uk/publications

best practice in the reduction andmanagement of sickness absence and settingappropriate sickness absence targets. Fireand Rescue Authorities will be encouraged totake a proactive role in both parts of theresearch programme, however theirinvolvement will be particularly crucial to thesuccess of the second phase.

5.33 Whilst the study will help to identifyareas of good practice in the reduction andmanagement of sickness absence Fire andRescue Authorities’ are advised that it is theirresponsibility to implement process andprocedures which effectively tackle ill healthabsence issues.

5.34 The target for ill health retirements is toreduce them to 6.9 retirements per thousandemployees within all Fire and RescueAuthorities by March 2005. There continuesto be a year-on-year reduction in the numberof ill health retirements, but it is unlikely thatthis target will be met.

5.35 The focus to date with regard tosickness absence and ill-health retirement hasbeen on uniformed staff. However, in future,ODPM will look at sickness figures across thewhole Fire and Rescue Service workforce tohelp the Service identify areas where sicknessmanagement provisions need to improve orwhere good practice can be identified andshared.

5.36 In 2004 the Government amended theFirefighters’ Pension Scheme to enable Fireand Rescue Authorities to continue to drawon the experience of trained firefighters whomay no longer be fit to undertake firefightingduties, rather than retiring them with an illhealth pension and this together with arequirement to use independent medicalassessment – whose opinion is binding –before approving applications for earlyretirement on ill health grounds, has helpedauthorities bring levels of ill-health retirementsdown.

5.37 Fire and Rescue Authorities should:

• ensure that their occupational healtharrangements including the provisionof occupational health advice areefficient and effective,

• ensure that full consideration is givento the health and fitness of all staff andthat they are assigned to appropriateroles;

• introduce and administer effectiveabsence management processes andprocedures to facilitate theachievement of Government targets onthe reduction of sickness absence andill health retirements, and

• consider the cost and organisationalbenefits of operating their occupational health arrangements on a regional basis;

Pensions

5.38 Following consultation on a newfirefighters’ pension scheme for new entrantsto the Service and for amendments to theexisting scheme, the Government publishedits decisions on the new arrangements on 8September (seewww.odpm.gov.uk/stellent/groups/odpm_fire/documents/page/odpm_fire)Implementation of the proposals is now beingdiscussed in detail by the Fire-fighters’Pension Committee which includesrepresentatives from both employers andemployees. The new pension arrangementswill reflect: the changes in the nature of firefighting duties under modernisationproposals; the changes in the regulatory andtax framework for pensions generally; andequality and diversity issues. A new pensionscheme will come into operation during 2006-7 for new entrants to the Fire and RescueService. The Government is also makingchanges to the financial arrangements forfunding fire-fighters’ pensions (see paragraph 7.9).



6Chapter 6

Workforce development

The Integrated PersonalDevelopment System (IPDS)

6.1 The current role of the Fire and RescueService puts a premium on flexibility, personalskills and competence. This is true for all staffwithin the modernising Fire and RescueService, whatever aspect of the service theydeliver.

6.2 The Integrated Personal DevelopmentSystem (IPDS) for people and organisationalmanagement has, since 2001, provided afresh approach to workforce development forFire and Rescue Authorities. Brought in aspart of the June 2003 pay and modernisationagreement for most operational staff, IPDSintroduces a competence-based approach,and its system of development specificallytargets the needs of the individual. People arenow able to join the Service at any level andprogress according to their ability. IPDSallows staff with high potential to undertakean appropriate programme of tailoreddevelopment and Government is currentlyconsulting about a new approach toleadership learning and developmentincluding a High-Potential ManagementDevelopment scheme.

6.3 CFOA has been taking forward work toestablish whether there is a need to identifysuitable National Occupational Standards forwider application within the Service.

6.4 The IPDS Project within theModernisation Programme finished in 2005and leaves behind a largely complete system.This includes: role maps and NationalOccupational Standards which set out what isexpected of people; guidance on how peopleshould be developed to achieve and maintaincompetence in their job; guidance onassessing people in the workplace (which can

usefully include Vocational Qualifications);guidance on keeping records about personaldevelopment; and the assessment processesset out in paragraphs 5.18 and 6.5. It shouldbe remembered that IPDS, which has beendesigned to drive down risk, is an integratedsystem which should be applied in its entiretyas set out in IPDS documents issued byODPM19 and by the NJC. Following theclosure of the Project, national IPDSinformation, guidance and expertise continuesto be available through the Fire ServiceCollege. The intention in the longer term isthat IPDS expertise should form part of thework of the proposed Fire and RescueService Centre of Excellence.

6.5 The demands of the resilience agendaand emerging European training anddevelopment legislation underlines the needfor coherent developmental standards andconsistent processes. A number of thecomponents of IPDS provide the foundationfor this.

6.6 In partnership with stakeholders, theGovernment has developed and published aPersonal Qualities and Attributes (PQAs)Framework20 against which staff are nowassessed when going through AssessmentDevelopment Centres. In September 2005,Government issued a consultation about newarrangements for the recruitment offire-fighters and the progression of operationaland control managers in the Service. Thatconsultation presented a number of optionsand questions including the extent to whichthe Service should use national processes toassess staff for recruitment and progression.The consultation received a good rate ofresponse and the clear balance of opinionwas that national processes offered thegreatest benefits to the Service. ThisFramework therefore makes clear

CHAPTER 6 WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT


19 Guidance on IPDS is set out in the following Fire Service Circulars: 9/2002; 10/2003; 11/2003; 14/2003;20/2003; 9/2004; 38/2004; 51/2004; 20/2005; 34/2005 and 6/2006.

20 FSCs 51/2004; 34/2005 and 6/2006.

Government’s expectation that Fire andRescue Authorities will now use the newnational processes and will have these inplace by April 2007 at the latest. Authoritiesare strongly encouraged to begin using theseprocesses as soon as possible. Whilst,overall, respondees were in favour of nationalprocesses, some did express concerns abouta number of detailed issues. Over the nextyear or so, Government will monitor the newprocesses and make improvements wherenecessary and it will ensure that Authoritiesare supported in using the new processes.

6.7 In adopting and implementing IPDS,Fire and Rescue Authorities should:

• ensure that the development of its staffunderpins and supports the delivery ofits IRMP;

• put in place systems and trainmanagers to ensure that staff areassessed fairly against nationalstandards, with overall performanceregularly reviewed, and workplaceassessments carried out and recordedconsistently;

• consider how collaborative workingmay maximise the benefit fromavailable resources for IPDS;

• support the use of any pay flexibilitiescurrently available with robustevidence, for example on recruitmentand retention needs and through jobevaluation exercises;

• communicate all changes to staffeffectively; and

• from September 2007, use nationalprocesses for the progression ofoperational and control staff;

National Fire and Rescue ServiceLearning and DevelopmentStrategy for England

6.8 IPDS requires people to demonstratecompetence in their role and, in many cases,this means ensuring that people’s existingknowledge, skills and understanding hasbeen developed to required standards. Tomeet these more diverse needs, Fire andRescue Authorities will need to look to arange of sources to help staff attain andmaintain competence. This may include someoutside the traditional fire and rescueinstitutions (such as Further Education andmanagement colleges) and e-learning.

6.9 To support Fire and Rescue Authorities,the Fire Service College, in consultation withODPM, CFOA, LGA and other stakeholders,has drawn up a Learning and DevelopmentStrategy (LDS) for the Fire and RescueService in England. The aim of this high levelstrategy is to provide the framework for Fireand Rescue Service learning anddevelopment over the next ten years. It isintended to apply to all Fire and RescueAuthority employees and will ensure the Fireand Rescue Service operates within theGovernment’s wider skills developmentframework. The LDS focuses on how learningand development should be delivered, whatthe outcomes and benefits should be and theappropriate milestones and targets towardsachieving these. It recognises the value ofpartnership working, particularly in learningdelivery at regional and sub-regional levels,and the potential of Regional ManagementBoards to co-ordinate and monitor learningand development across their regions. TheStrategy encourages Fire and RescueAuthorities to invite an elected member totake on responsibility for overseeing learningand development.



6.10 It is important for the aims andobjectives of the LDS to be matched with thefacilities currently available for the training anddevelopment of Fire and Rescue Service staff.This will help Fire and Rescue Authoritiesmake an informed judgement about wheretheir staff learning and development needscan most effectively be met.

6.11 The Government believes that it isimportant that the most efficient and effectiveuse is made of local training facilities, and thatthere may be scope for some facilities to beshared at a regional level.

Fire and Rescue Authorities, throughRegional Management Boards should:

• seek to ensure that learning anddevelopment is carried out in waysthat reflect the principles set out in theLDS;

• support and monitor the delivery oflearning and development inaccordance with the key elements ofthe LDS;

• ensure that learning and developmentforms part of regional HR strategies(see Chapter 5); and

• from September 2007, use nationalprocesses for the recruitment of fire-fighters and the progression ofoperational and control staff;

The Fire Service College

6.12 The Fire Service College will continueto provide a national and international facilityfor operational incident management training,centred on its unique facilities. The Collegerecognises the need for learning anddevelopment to be delivered more flexibly inorder to meet the requirements for national,regional and local learning whilst maintainingconsistent national standards. It is reviewingits programme of training courses and

products in order to better meet the changinglearning needs of the Fire and RescueService. The College is also developing aManaged Learning Environment to supportdistance learning across the Fire and RescueService.

6.13 The College is developing its role as acentre of learning and developmentexcellence for the Fire and Rescue Service. Itis leading work with stakeholders to developan enhanced National QualificationsFramework and to increase the take-up ofopportunities for Fire and Rescue Service staffto gain vocational and other qualifications.The College is exploring opportunities to formpartnerships and co-location with key fire andrescue organisations and is working onoptions for partnership with the private sectorin developing the use of the site and facilities.The College plays a key role in the supportframework for IPDS (see paragraph 6.4above).

6.14 A financial review of the College in2005 concluded that it should no longeroperate as an independent trading fund. From2007/8 the College will operate as an “onvote” executive agency. The College willcontinue to charge for its products underboth financial models.

Leadership

6.16 Government issued a consultationpaper in December 2005 recommending anew approach to leadership within the Fireand Rescue Service. The consultation paperreflects the work of two Task and FinishGroups, each representing key stake-holders,established by the IPDS Project Board in 2004.



6.17 The consultation paper proposed theintroduction of:

• a transformational leadership model theprinciples of which are applicable to alllevels of the Service where leadership isrequired;

• a framework for leadership learning anddevelopment providing a structuredapproach that ensures the developmentof current and future leaders andmanagers;

• a Strategic Leadership DevelopmentProgramme providing managedprogrammes of learning and developmentfor individuals identified as having thepotential to reach and succeed at thestrategic manager levels; and

• a High Potential ManagementDevelopment scheme providingaccelerated progression through amanaged programme of learning anddevelopment for individuals identified ashaving the potential to reach and succeedat middle manager levels.

6.18 The consultation ends on 13 March2006. Responses to the consultation will thenbe considered and a Fire Service Circularissued to set out the approach Governmentendorses to Fire and Rescue Authorities.



7Chapter 7

Finance

Revenue Support

7.1 The Local Government Settlement for2006/07 and 2007/08 was announced on 31January 2006. Fire and Rescue Authoritiesreceived average grant increases of 1.96% in2006/7 and 3.14% in 2007/8 and noAuthority received less than 1.5% in 2006/7and 2.7% in 2007/8. The Governmentcontinues to recognise that the modernisationprogramme and the associated agreement onpay and terms and conditions, has and willhave significant financial ramifications. Thereare increased costs to fund the pay awardand potentially some aspects of themodernisation agenda, for example theincreased emphasis on prevention. However,substantial savings are also available, forexample through better targeting of resourcesto match risks, regional collaboration andmore efficient working practices, which mightinclude the use of overtime, alternative dutysystems, part time working, greater use ofnon-uniformed staff, revised crewing levelsand officer cover arrangements. TheIndependent Review of the Fire and RescueService21 said ‘We are confident that, withinthe foreseeable future, benefits will more thanexceed additional costs, including those ofthe pay increases we propose’.22

Fire and Rescue Authorities shoulddevelop fully the opportunities forefficiency improvements, including throughcollaboration, consistent with their dutiesunder Best Value and the Government’sobjectives to reduce accidental deathsfrom fire in the home and deliberate fires.

7.2 Sir Peter Gershon’s efficiency reviewthat formed part of SR04 aims to ‘ensure that

frontline staff get the resources they need todo their job even better, and that thebureaucracy that can get in their way isremoved’.23 The aim is to ensure thatmaximum use is made of increasedinvestment. The principles apply equally tocentral government and Fire and RescueAuthorities. Local Government as a whole hasbeen set a target of achieving £6.45 billion inefficiency gains by 2007/08. Fire and RescueAuthorities have a part to play in helpingLocal Government to meet that target. ODPMhas assumed within its own efficiency targetthat English Fire and Rescue Authoritiestogether will achieve £105m gross efficiencysavings in 2007/08. This would amount to agross efficiency saving equivalent to around5.67% of total 2004/05 expenditure. This willneed to be achieved by the end of financialyear 2007/08. More detail is given in ODPM’sEfficiency Technical Note For LocalGovernment24 and Fire Service Circulars8/2005, 30/2005 and 48/2005.

7.3 All English Fire and RescueAuthorities should report their efficiencygains through Annual EfficiencyStatements (AES) as described in FireService Circular 48/2005.

The first AESs were received in November2005 reporting those countable efficiencygains achieved in 2004/05 and those plannedefficiency gains to the end of 2005/06. Thefuture timetable is as follows:

Date 18 April 2006

Fire and Rescue Authorities submit theforward part of the AES, looking ahead to theyear 2006/07

CHAPTER 7 FINANCE


21 The Independent Review of the Fire Service, The Future of the Fire Service: reducing risk, saving lives(2002). See www.irfs.org.uk

22 Ibid, chapter 12 – Implementing Reform, paragraph 12.22

23 Releasing Resources to the Frontline – Efficiency Review, Budget 2003 Review (HMT 2003).

24 http://www.odpm.gov.uk/pub/532/EfficiencytechnicalnoteforlocalgovernmentPDF336Kb_id1135532.pdf

Date 16 June 2006

Fire and Rescue Authorities submit thebackward part of the AES, setting outefficiency gains achieved in 2005/06

Date 17 November 2006

Fire and Rescue Authorities that do not have‘Excellent’ CPA status are required to providea mid-year update to ODPM.

Those with ‘Excellent’ status are invited to do so.

Date 12 April 2007

Fire and Rescue Authorities submit theforward part of the AES for the year 2007/08

Date 14 June 2007

Fire and Rescue Authorities submit thebackward part of the AES for the year2006/07

Date 17 November 2007

Fire and Rescue Authorities that do not have‘Excellent’ CPA status are required to providea mid-year update to ODPM.

Those with ‘Excellent’ status are invited to do so.

Date 12 June 2008

Fire and Rescue Authorities submit thebackward part of the AES for the year2007/08

7.4 A lot of activity is already taking placein Fire and Rescue Authorities aimed atincreasing efficiency, some of it pre-dating theefficiency target. This is in areas such as shiftpatterns, crewing arrangements, appropriateuse of overtime, reducing sickness and otherabsences, minimising ill-health retirements,collaboration, partnerships, procurement, riskmanagement, driving down false automaticfire alarm activation, better use of retainedfire-fighters, civilianisation and Capital

Investment. Different Fire and RescueAuthorities face different challenges and haveadopted a wide variety of approaches toachieving efficiency in these and other areas.Details of the approaches taken in achievingefficiency savings were included in the AESssubmitted in November 2005. The ODPM hasjoined forces with CFOA and the LGA inbringing together notable practice fromacross the Service into case studies that willbe disseminated to all Fire and RescueAuthorities. The intended purpose of makingthese case studies widely available is toensure that all Fire and Rescue Authoritiesknow how other Fire and Rescue Authoritiesare approaching achieving efficiency gains.

Fire and Rescue Authorities shouldconsider actively for themselves whetherany of the approaches identified in thecase studies guidance will assist them indelivering greater efficiencies.

It is hoped that this guidance will grow incoverage and depth over time. The moreexperience that can be shared, the easier itshould be for the Fire and Rescue Service asa whole to increase efficiency and meet thetarget.

7.5 The Government has long recognisedthat there may be a lag between costs andsavings of Fire and Rescue Servicemodernisation. That is why, at the LGA’srequest, we paid £30 million transitionalfunding to English and Welsh Fire and RescueAuthorities in 2004/05. Originally theGovernment planned to recoup thetransitional funding before the end of 2005/6but later agreed to the LGA’s request to deferthis until 2006/7. This was on the basis thatthere have been delays in the pay andmodernisation process and that, amongstother things, recouping it in 2005/6 couldhave meant that we were seeking to recoupthe transitional funding less than a year after ithad been distributed to authorities. The LGAand Fire and Rescue Authorities provided

CHAPTER 7 FINANCE


evidence to support their case, including onefficiencies to be delivered for 2006/7.Following further representations we havesmoothed the impact of recovering thismoney by deferring recoupment of half(£14m) of the transitional funding from FRAsuntil 2007/08 so that half will be recouped in2006/07 and half in 2007/08. We have alsodecided that the 50% recouped from FRAs in2006/07 should be fed back into the widerprovisional local government financesettlement.

Council Tax

7.6 In common with the rest of localgovernment, Fire and Rescue Authoritiesmust ensure that they do not placeunreasonable burdens on their counciltaxpayers. The Government used its reservecapping powers against fourteen authorities,including five Fire and Rescue Authorities, in2004/05. No Fire and Rescue Authoritieswere capped in 2005/06 when the averagecouncil tax precept increase for Fire andRescue Authorities in England in 2005/06was 4.4%, with none setting increases higherthan 5%.

7.7 The Government expects all Fire andRescue Authorities to ensure they do not setexcessive increases in 2006/07 and 2007/08.The Government made clear in its GeneralElection manifesto that it would not hesitateto use its capping powers to protect counciltaxpayers from excessive rises in future years.

Three Year Settlements

7.8 Spending Review 2004 announcedthat the Government would be introducingthree year revenue and capital settlements forLocal, Police and Fire and Rescue Authorities.The purpose of this change is to maximisethe benefits of three year spending plans forcentral government departments by

cascading them down to the maximum extentpossible. A consultation paper on this subjectwas issued by the ODPM in December 2004with the analysis of responses issued in June2005.The Government’s proposals wereissued on 19 July 2005.

Pensions finance

7.9 On 29 November 2005 Phil Woolasand Hazel Blears jointly announced theirintention to introduce new financialarrangements for police and firefighterpensions after considering responses to theconsultations which took place earlier thisyear. It is proposed that the newarrangements, subject to Parliamentaryapproval, will be introduced on 1 April 2006.

7.10 The proposal is that from 1 April 2006instead of meeting the full cost of pensionoutgo from their operational budgets Fire andRescue Authorities will pay an employercontribution out of operational resources inorder to cover the accruing liability to paypensions in the future. This employercontribution and employee contributions willbe paid into a pension account held by theFire and Rescue Authority, from whichpensions outgo will be met. ODPM will ‘topup’ the pension account or recover anysurplus. The intention is that newarrangements will:

• counter the yearly volatility in pensionsexpenditure which has fed into council taxprecept increases; and

• increase transparency in Fire and RescueAuthorities’ budgets, in that they will moreaccurately reflect the cost of providing thefrontline service.

7.11 For the remaining two years of thisspending review period, the new top-up grantrequired to meet any gap in Fire and RescueAuthorities’ pension accounts will be financed

CHAPTER 7 FINANCE


by top-slicing Formula Grant. This should becost neutral because the underlying cost-driver to the public purse – the bill forpensions outgo – will be unaffected.

Distribution

7.12 Changes have been made to the fireand rescue formula to take into account themove to three-year settlements, new financialarrangements for fire-fighters’ pensions,changes to indicators caused by theelimination of national standards of fire coverand changes to fire safety law. Changes havealso been made to the formula to recognisethe increasing role of community fire safetywork to authorities by increasing the fixedpercentage element from 3% to 6%. Theindicator used to distribute this has also beenupdated and widened to include thepopulation of those over 65. Followingconsultation with local government, Ministershave decided not to include an additionalelement for sparsity in light of other changesto the formula. These changes to the formulawill come into effect for the 2006/07 LocalGovernment Finance Settlement.

Local Prudential BorrowingRegime

7.13 The Local Government Act 2003replaced the existing system of basic andsupplementary credit approvals for localauthorities with a new local prudential regime.From 1 April 2004, Local Authorities, includingFire and Rescue Authorities, have been freeto borrow for investment without Governmentconsent, provided they can afford to servicethe debt.

Supported Capital Expenditure

7.14 ODPM Fire Circular 58/2005 informedEnglish Fire and Rescue Authorities of theamounts of supported capital expenditurewhich each will receive in 2006/07 and2007/08 alongside the two-year LocalGovernment Finance Settlement. The totalsupported capital expenditure for each year is£57.98 million. ODPM are currentlyconsidering what support there might be forreviewing the basis for the distribution ofsupported capital expenditure to Fire andRescue Authorities.

Private Finance Initiative (PFI)

7.15 Eight schemes have successfullysigned following the inception of PFI for theFire and Rescue Service in 1998, all of whichare now fully operational. A further two are inthe procurement or pre-procurement stage.ODPM Fire Service Circular 31/2005 invitedFire and Rescue Authorities in England tosubmit indicative bids for a share of up to£150 million of notional credit approvals(NCAs) as part of the fifth round of projects tobe supported under PFI. Bids were receivedon 7 October and duly evaluated against thefollowing broad criteria where indicative bidsshould:

• be consistent with the National Fire andRescue Framework and hence theNational Procurement Strategy, and withthe relevant Fire and Rescue Authority orAuthorities’ Integrated Risk ManagementPlan(s). They should help to increase thesafety of Fire and Rescue Service staffand members of the public

• increase the efficiency of the Fire andRescue Service

• demonstrate that PFI is the sensibleprocurement route and that they haveconsidered the alternatives. Authorities willbe aware of the need to complete the

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Stage 2 HMT Value for Money model andcompare this with the Stage 1 model aspart of the Outline Business Caseapproval process. This conforms to HMTreasury requirements for PFI projects.25

Bids from Fire and Rescue Authorities alsohad to meet HM Treasury’s minimum capitalthreshold of £20 million. The successful bidswere announced on 30 November 2005.These were, Staffordshire, Gloucestershire,Merseyside, Lancashire and Cumbria. Thelatter three are going forward as a jointproject.

7.16 The PFI programme has the potentialto help Fire and Rescue Authorities with theprovision of some of the capital assetsnecessary to meet the modernisation agenda.It is hoped to launch further bidding roundsfor Fire and Rescue Authorities in succeedingyears.

Other sources of funding

7.17 We have made £25 million available toFire and Rescue Authorities in England for theperiod up to March 2008 to enable the Fireand Rescue Service to undertake Home FireRisk Checks and to provide free smoke alarminstallation for vulnerable, high riskhouseholds. We will continue to providesupport for fire prevention work includingcommunity fire safety, working with youngpeople and arson reduction. We have made afurther £11.4 million available to Fire andRescue Authorities in England for the periodto March 2008 to support fire preventionwork, including community fire safety, arsonreduction and work with children and youngpeople (see Chapter 1). This single grant to allFire and Rescue Authorities replaces thegrants paid to some Authorities under theCommunity Fire Safety Innovation Fund and

the Arson Control Forum ImplementationFund in 2003-06, and provides revenuefunding to complement the capital grants paidto Fire and Rescue Authorities under theHome Fire Risk Check initiative.

7.18 For the New Dimension programme,Government has committed over £200mwhich includes funding for equipment andtraining as well as supporting the crewingneeds resulting from this investment. NewDimension is due to complete its roll-out ofcapability by spring 2007. For the Firelinkproject, Government has committed to fundthe procurement and capital costs of the newwide-area radio system for the Fire andRescue Service.

7.19 An Emergencies Order underpinningthe New Dimension programme is planned tobe made in autumn 2006 or early in 2007. Itwould only take effect once the NewDimension capabilities are fully operationalfrom spring 2007 (See Chapter 4). Whilstthese are being rolled out, Fire and RescueAuthorities will not be expected to incuradditional expenditure. Government will act inaccordance with the ‘new burdens principle’(explained more fully in paragraph 7.29). Thiswould ensure that any new burden to Fire andRescue Authorities arising from anEmergencies Order would be agreed afterdiscussion between the Government, theLGA and CFOA.

7.20 The Government recognises that therewill be net additional costs to Fire and RescueAuthorities during the transition from localcontrol rooms to the national network ofcontrol centres. Central government willsupport these costs in line with the newburdens principle. Guidance on funding underthe ‘new burdens’ principle (see paragraph7.29) was issued on 23 December 2005 inFire Service Circular 63/2005. This provided

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25 www.hmtreasury.gov.uk/documents/public_private_partnerships/key_documents/ppp_guidance_index.cfm

more detail on exactly what work needs to bedone and which costs will be met by ODPMand which should be met by Fire and RescueAuthorities.

7.21 The Government also funds a widerange of work relevant to Fire and RescueAuthorities’ role, particularly on preventionand community fire safety, for example onneighbourhood renewal such as the Saferand Stronger Communities Fund.

7.22 The HM Treasury/Cabinet Office Investto Save Budget aims to ‘Encourageinnovation and partnership throughout thepublic sector, in order to improve the qualityand cost effectiveness of public services’.Projects are appointed with a view to theresulting learning and benefits being able tobe applied by others more widely. Criteriachange from year to year and Fire andRescue Authorities with an interest shouldrefer to the Invest to Save Budget website.26

7.23 Fire Service Circular 50/2005 highlightssome further existing grants that Fire andRescue Authorities may wish to apply foreither directly or through their partners.

FiReBuy

7.24 ODPM has met the costs ofestablishing FiReBuy Ltd, this includes£800,000 spend on the Integrated ClothingProject that Fire and Rescue Authorities hadexpected to meet from their own budgetsduring 2005/06. In 2006/07 and 2007/08ODPM will fund up to £1.8m, each year, forrunning FiReBuy Ltd. ODPM will work withFire and Rescue Authorities in 2006 to identify a future funding mechanism includingcost recovery.

Charging

7.25 The range of calls to which Fire andRescue Authorities respond goes beyonddealing simply with fires. Responding tospecial service calls, ranging from road trafficcollisions to stalled lifts and people locked outof their homes, accounts for almost half thecalls which the Fire and Rescue Serviceattends.

7.26 Section 19 of the Fire and RescueServices Act 2004 preserves a power tocharge for responding to incidents other thanfire calls and ensures that emergency medicalassistance is free at the point of delivery. By“charge” we mean the recovery of up to thefull costs incurred by the Fire and RescueAuthority in providing that service todistinguish it from “trading”, which isconsidered in paragraph below. The firstOrder made under Section 19 came intoeffect on 1st October 2004 and specifies allservices for which at least one English Fireand Rescue Authority was charging as at 1stApril 2004. Any future proposals to extendcharging would be subject to extensiveconsultation.

Fire and Rescue Authorities shouldconsider very carefully whether the costsof providing the non-statutory servicesspecified in the Order should fall on thosewho requested the service or on counciltax payers.

7.27 A number of Fire and RescueAuthorities have become accustomed torecovering an element of profit when settingtheir fees for services such as training andsafety consultancy. In normal circumstanceswe would consider that this commerciallybased activity should be permitted only aspart of a flexibilities package following afavourable assessment under the CPA

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26 http://www.isb.gov.uk/hmt.isb.application.2/index.asp

process. However, during our consultation onthe Section 19 power, forceful representationswere made that we should ensure that theseincome streams were not put at risk during2005 by the new charging regime. For thatreason we made a trading Order undersection 95 of the Local Government Act 2003to cover all services in which named EnglishFire and Rescue Authorities were trading on1st April 2004. The Order was reviewed afterthe introduction of a CPA for Fire and RescueAuthorities in 2005.

Although this arrangement means thattrading must be conducted through acompany structure, with associated costs,authorities must price their services atmarket rates in the interests of faircompetition.

7.28 ODPM expects to issue guidance onthe charging and trading Orders in 2006.

‘New Burdens’ Principle

7.29 Where a central governmentdepartment’s policies or initiatives increasethe cost of providing local authority services,the ‘new burdens’ principle means that theGovernment will fund the additionalexpenditure, provided that the aggregatevalue of the burdens across all authorities inany financial year is greater than £100,000. Aprocedure has been agreed with the LGA forassessing new burdens costs.

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8Chapter 8

Performance management

8.1 People must have assurance thatpublic services are delivered efficiently andeffectively.

8.2 To this end, the Audit Commissioncarried out a Comprehensive PerformanceAssessment (CPA) of each Fire and RescueAuthority during 2005. This exercise was fullyfunded by ODPM and the expectations setout in the National Framework were taken intoaccount by the Audit Commission as part ofthis CPA process. Fire and Rescue Authoritiesreceived their CPA reports and categorisationin July 2005. A spread of results wasachieved across all five categories fromexcellent to poor.

8.3 CPA has provided each authority with arobust baseline for improvement and ODPMhas sought to co-ordinate the input of externalstakeholders as each Fire and RescueAuthority has developed its improvement plan.Round-table discussions, which were aimed atsupporting the improvement planning processand finalising improvement plans, will becompleted in early 2006.

8.4 Those Fire and Rescue Authorities thatwere categorised as CPA weak or poorreceived further support through the ODPMSupport Team. The Support Team’s role wasto work with and advise Fire and RescueAuthorities during their improvement planningprocess. The Support Team will compile a“stocktake” report for each authoritysummarising the progress made by Fire andRescue Authorities towards robustimprovement planning and indicating whetherthey consider any further action to benecessary – by either the authority, or ODPM– to deliver the improvement required. On theconclusion of the “stocktake” the SupportTeam may recommend appropriate ongoingmonitoring arrangements to monitor progressin delivering improvement.

8.5 Those Fire and Rescue Authorities thatwere categorised as CPA excellent arecurrently negotiating their “bespoke” packageof Freedoms and Flexibilities with ODPM. This“bespoke agreement” is aimed at enablingFire and Rescue Authorities to undertakeprojects or develop initiatives to deliver furtherinnovation which may generate new andtransferable good practice.

8.6 To help Fire and Rescue Authoritiesdeliver their improvement plans, a range ofsupport is available through the jointly fundedODPM/LGA Capacity Building Programme.ODPM has been working with thePerformance Partnership28 and withcontractors on the Local GovernmentCapacity Building Framework Contract inorder to provide national capacity buildingprogrammes for local government in a rangeof areas, such as performance managementand training for elected members. Fire andRescue Authorities have direct access tothese training programmes. In addition eachregion is in the process of establishing aregional improvement partnership, consistingeither of local authorities and Fire and RescueAuthorities or of Fire and Rescue Authoritiesseparately. Funding will be channelled throughthese to directly support innovation andimprovement. Business Change Managers(see paragraph 8.13) act as the link to ODPMRegional Directors of Practice in eachGovernment Office. They facilitate access forFire and Rescue Authorities to regionalimprovement partnerships, and the fundingthey provide.

8.7 The Audit Commission published theirNational Report “Learning from CPA for theFire and Rescue Service” in January 2006.The report set out recommendations for Fireand Rescue Authorities, local authorities andthe government on securing improvement inthe Service. ODPM will be looking closely at

CHAPTER 8 PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT


28 The Improvement and Development Agency, the Local Government Employer’s Organisation, the 4Psand LACORs.

these recommendations and working with Fireand Rescue Authorities to secure theirimprovement on the key areas highlighted.

Next Steps for PerformanceAssessment

8.8 In consultation with stakeholders theAudit Commission is developing appropriateperformance assessment processes to followFire CPA. These measures will beproportionate and will reflect theCommission’s general approaches toassessing performance in local government,while measuring improvement from the CPAbaseline and addressing the specific needsand issues relevant to Fire and RescueAuthorities.

8.9 The Audit Commission will be formallyconsulting on the detail of this work in Spring2006 but it will encompass:

• A Service Assessment consistent withthe Local Services Inspection Forumprinciples that will form part of the CPA forsingle tier and county councils from 2006onwards. The methodology used will beapplicable to all types of Fire and RescueAuthorities and will place emphasis onservice delivery. It will include a selfassessment of operational performancebased on the Operational AssessementToolkit which has been developed byODPM and CFOA. The self assessmentswill be reviewed by operationalassessment teams comprising of Fire andRescue Service staff seconded to ODPM.A separate consultation on this element ofthe Service Assessment will be undertakenin early 2006. The other component of theService Assessment will be a review of keyperformance indicators.

• A Use of Resources Judgement for allFire and Rescue Authorities. This willassess the authority across a range of

financial issues and will provide a scoredjudgement on whether the Fire andRescue Authority is providing value formoney.

• An assessment of improvement, ordeterioration, in performance measuredthrough a scored direction of travelassessment. This will provide Fire andRescue Authorities with a judgementabout the progress they have made onimplementing their improvement planssince Fire CPA in 2005. This will bereported, along with the use of resourcesjudgement by March 2007.

8.10 The Audit Commission’s assessmentwill give a strong and evidence based pictureof the progress a Fire and Rescue Authorityhas made since CPA publication in July 2005.

Relationship Managers

The Commission has appointed RelationshipManagers to all Fire and Rescue Authorities toestablish an ongoing dialogue with all Fire andRescue Authorities to inform their audit andinspection work. The role of the RelationshipManager is primarily one of co-ordination andclose liaison with a wide range of players toensure delivery of the following:

• The provision of a seamless local auditand inspection service

• The delivery of relevant and proportionateaudit and inspection

• The promotion of service improvementand a user focus

• The improvement of information flows anddialogue between Audited and InspectedBodies and the Audit Commission.

A key role of the Relationship Managers willbe to forge effective linkages between itsregional delivery activities and AuditCommission wide policy and strategy



development. ODPM’s Business ChangeManagers and Relationship Managers willneed to work closely at local level to avoidduplication. Business Change Managersremain the lead on supporting theimprovement planning activities that Fire andRescue Authorities undertake whileRelationship Managers will assess the deliveryof that improvement.

Timeframe

8.11 The Commission will need to confirmthat significant improvement has beendelivered before undertaking re-categorisationof Fire and Rescue Authorities. Furtherinformation about the follow-up to CPA andthe timetable for future action will beconsulted on by the Audit Commission in duecourse.

Promoting Good and InnovativePractice

8.12 A sound body of good practice iscritical to improving performance to meet thechallenges facing the Service. There is alreadya broad consensus on the need to identify,validate and disseminate good or innovativepractice to Fire and Rescue Authorities in asystematic manner, particularly where it willassist in securing efficiency savings and onfire prevention, where the evidence base iscurrently limited. ODPM is working with theAudit Commission, CFOA, LGA, IDeA, theFire Service College and other stakeholders toconsider how best to facilitate this work withinthe resources which we are jointly able tomake available in the short to medium term.CFOA, LGA and ODPM have joined forces togather together a number of case studiesfrom across the Service on initiatives aimed atincreasing efficiency (see paragraph 7.4) andthey will disseminate these to all Fire andRescue Authorities in a series of guidance

notes and other means. These should help tofurther clarify where opportunities lie for Fireand Rescue Authorities to make efficiencysavings.

Business Change Managers

8.13 ODPM has established a regionalnetwork of Business Change Managers, whoare situated in the Government Offices. They:

• represent the interests of ODPM in eachregion by providing a resource for Fire andRescue Authorities to aid thedevelopment of Regional ManagementBoards. This will include identifying andachieving business change benefits, bothgenerally and in relation to the six keyareas of work attributed to RegionalManagement Boards (see paragraph 2.7);

• support the CPA improvement planningroundtable meetings following theassessment process in each Fire andRescue Authority. They will liaise withindividual Fire and Rescue Authorities, theAudit Commission and other ODPMbodies. They will also act as the linkbetween Fire and Rescue Authorities andODPM Regional Directors of Practice andthe ODPM/LGA Capacity BuildingProgramme (see paragraph 8.6);

• work within the relevant GovernmentOffice to ensure that key stakeholders inthe region support and understand themodernisation agenda by establishinglinks on crime and disorder reduction,neighbourhood renewal, social exclusion,resilience, local government performanceimprovement and housing.

Best Value and data collection

8.14 Best Value will remain the statutorybasis on which Best Value Authoritiesundertake their improvement planning and



manage performance against serviceobjectives. In line with developmentselsewhere in local government, the emphasiswill be on Fire and Rescue Authoritiesindividually and through RegionalManagement Boards using Best Value as aflexible management tool to improve servicedelivery and provide high quality services andvalue for money for local people.

8.15 We have no plans to make changes tothe current suite of Best Value PerformanceIndicators (BVPIs) (05/06) and these willcontinue to apply to Fire and RescueAuthorities for the foreseeable future.Performance Indicators have an importantrole in providing a broad diagnostic tool toenable performance to be tracked over timefor both local performance management andindependent performance assessment. Thecurrent set of BVPIs were developed andrefined with the help of a working group withpractitioner and wider stakeholderrepresentation, piloting by volunteerauthorities and a national consultation. Theseperformance indicators are intended to reflectthe performance expectations of the WhitePaper and the National Framework, and areexpected to underpin performanceassessment.

8.16 The provisions of the Fire and RescueServices Act 2004 require Fire and RescueAuthorities to have regard to the requirementsof the National Framework in discharging theirBest Value responsibilities.

Local Area Agreements

8.17 Local Area Agreements (LAAs) set outthe priorities for a local area agreed betweencentral government and a local area. Manycentral programmes can be pooled togetherwithin an LAA in pursuit of these agreedpriorities, including the Home Fire Risk CheckInitiative and fire prevention grant for 2007/08.

8.18 LAAs simplify the number of additionalfunding streams from central governmentgoing into an area, help join up publicservices more effectively and allow greaterflexibility for local solutions to localcircumstances. LAAs set priorities andoutcomes grouped in four blocks: childrenand young people, safer and strongercommunities, healthier communities and olderpeople and economic development andenterprise. Local areas are also encouragedto include cross-cutting priorities.

8.19 The first 20 LAAs came into effect inApril 2005 and a further 66 LAAs will followfrom April 2006. The remaining 63 top tierauthorities will be expected to negotiate LAAsto come into effect in April 2007.

8.20 Fire and Rescue Authorities have thepotential to make a strong contribution to thefirst three blocks and to cross cuttingpriorities, for example through fire safetyeducation, youth diversion, car clearschemes, and targeted home fire risk checksfor older people and other vulnerable groups.It should be possible to tap into a much widerrange of partnerships and possibly funding tosupport such work and deliver the prioritiesidentified in IRMPs through participation in an LAA.

8.21 With the introduction of LAAs LocalPublic Service Agreements (LPSAs) will ceaseto exist in their own right, although thosealready agreed, or being negotiated, will forma ‘reward element’ of the LAA. There is theopportunity for authorities to identify up to 12priorities within the LAA which will qualify for areward element. For these there must berobust indicators to demonstrate how theyhave delivered measurable stretchedperformance over the following three years inreturn for the payment of reward grant. Fireand Rescue Authorities will wish to engage inthis process and consider what part theymight play in informing and delivering these



priorities. Further details are given in the LocalArea Agreements Guidance.

e-Government

8.22 For local government, a corporate BVPI(BVPI 157) measures progress against theoriginal e-Government targets. But simplymaking services available is not enough. Timeand money will be wasted if they are notoffered in ways that enhance quality,convenience and availability.

8.23 Fire Service Circular 26-2005acknowledged the unique situation of Fire andRescue Authorities in regard to the e-Government agenda. It proposed that theexpectations upon Fire and RescueAuthorities within Financial Year 2005/06should be limited to ensuring that they areable to receive and act appropriately uponrecords received via the national fire portal. Itremains the case that all Fire and RescueAuthorities should meet this requirement.although it should be noted that in the caseof County Fire and Rescue Authorities, theremay be further obligations arising from thegoverning Council’s e-Services strategy.

E-Fire

8.24 ODPM has been progressing the e-fireproject, in partnership with both GreaterManchester Fire and Rescue Authority andCFOA. This will produce an internet ‘portal’for the Fire and Rescue Authorities inEngland, which will be known as the “FireGateway”. The Gateway will provide a rangeof information and guidance to householders,carers, premises operators and potentialapplicants for employment within the Service.Users will also be able to make onlinerequests for services to be delivered by theirlocal Fire and Rescue Authority.

8.25 Following the award of the primecontract to Parity Solutions Ltd, the Gatewayis under development and due to be broughtinto service in mid 2006. From the date ofimplementation, users of the portal anywherein England could use it to raise a request forservice. Fire and Rescue Authorities musttherefore ensure that they are able to receiveand appropriately act upon such requests forservices relating to their area.

8.26 ODPM has made provision for the initialhosting of the Gateway’s infrastructure.However, the successful operation of thesystem in the longer term requires theestablishment of national functions to managethe system on a daily basis and to provide forits future development. Work is currentlyunderway to define and cost the governanceand delivery structures required.

8.27 The technical infrastructure of theGateway has been designed to satisfy currentrequirements but also to provide for a numberof future development scenarios supportingthe modernisation agenda. To deliver thegreatest medium to long term benefits fromthe currently-approved investment, it will benecessary to achieve the active partnership ofboth CFOA and the individual Fire andRescue Authority themselves in identifying,specifying and delivering further functionality.

Information andCommunications TechnologyRoadmap

8.28 In February 2005, the ODPMcommissioned a consultancy exercise, basedon the findings of the e-fire technical survey ofFire and Rescue Authorities, their ICTinfrastructures and systems portfolios. Thepurpose of the exercise was

a) to assess commonalities and trendsbetween Fire and Rescue Authorities’



existing IT infrastructures, relating them toidentifiable trends within the IT industry, aswell as identifiable trends among broaderuser bases, such as other areas of thePublic Sector and

b) to develop options for ensuring that localFire and Rescue Service have adequateand sustainable ICT structure.

8.29 The product of the consultancyexercise was a potential ICT development‘roadmap’, highlighting areas where benefitscould be gained through convergence on:

• key standards for data;

• the development and management of ICTinfrastructures;

• the development of corporate skills bases;and

• the development of elements of sharedinfrastructure.

8.30 It is considered that the convergenceillustrated within the Roadmap would provide:

• a key ‘underpinning element’ supportingthe Fire and Rescue Servicemodernisation agenda;

• significant facilitatation to the sharing ofinformation and the development ofinteroperability; and

• a focal point for co-ordination betweenvarious national projects such asFiReControl, e-fire, MLE etc, maximisingthe benefits to be obtained from work ineach of these areas.

Subject to a full consultation exercise andmodelling of expected benefits in relation tothe cost of achieving them, the Roadmap isproposed as a basis for development of ICTsystems across the fire community in thestrategic timeframe.



9Chapter 9

Research

9.1 Research and other evidence can playa crucial role in:

• development of policy;

• understanding risk and developingstrategies to deal with it;

• identifying and sharing best practice; and

• informing the development of equipmentand techniques for dealing with incidents,such as improved personal protectiveequipment for firefighters.

9.2 ODPM and predecessor departmentshave for many years sponsored programmesof fire and rescue related research. ODPMcurrently runs programmes of research whichrelate to Fire and Rescue Authorities in twoDirectorates, and which are co-ordinatedbetween the sponsoring Directorates:

Fire and Resilience DirectorateResearch

The Fire and Rescue programme is a wideranging programme of work includingresearch on:

• Risk Management, in particular thecontinued development of the Fire ServiceEmergency Cover (FSEC) methodologyand the associated toolkit (see paragraph 1.8);

• Projects identified by the Building DisasterAssessment Group (BDAG) to ensure thatfire and rescue service procedures andbuilding design are compatible;

• Community Fire Safety, including anevaluation of the Community Fire SafetyInnovation Fund and lower cost domesticsprinklers (see paragraph 1.14);

• Fire prevention, including community firesafety, arson reduction and working withchildren and young people (seeparagraphs 1.11, 1.19, 1.21);

• Research supporting human resourcesmodernisation (e.g. Main Employment ofRetained Duty Staff)

• Civil resilience issues, many of which arefire and rescue related (e.g. personalprotective equipment).

Housing Directorate in thePlanning Places andCommunities Group FireResearch

Buildings Division have a research programmein support of Part B (Fire safety) of theBuilding Regulations and the accompanyingtechnical guidance in Approved Document B.This has included many aspects of fire safetyin all types of buildings across a wide rangeof issues such as the effectiveness ofresidential sprinklers to the use of lifts andescalators for means of escape and generalbuilding evacuation.

9.3 Further information can be found at theODPM website28 under ‘Fire and Rescue’,and at the Arson Control Forum website29.

National Fire and RescueResearch Strategy

9.4 Fire and rescue related research is alsosponsored by other GovernmentDepartments and members of the fire andrescue community, including Fire and RescueAuthorities, trade unions, manufacturers andsuppliers, academia and insurers.

CHAPTER 9 RESEARCH


28 www.odpm.gov.uk

29 www.arsoncontrolforum.gov.uk

9.5 The Government believes that there isconsiderable scope to improve collaborationon fire and rescue research. It is working, incollaboration with the fire and rescue researchcommunity, to develop a comprehensive fireand rescue research strategy that will helpunderpin the modernisation agenda and thenew challenges facing the Fire and RescueService. We envisage a strategy whichembraces the whole cycle of riskidentification, prevention, mitigation andemergency response, including:

• further statistical and other analyses tobetter identify the categories of peopleand properties most at risk;

• further work on prevention andcommunity fire safety, in particulardeveloping the evidence base on goodpractice and how preventative work canaddress fire risk in a cost effectivemanner;

• research on innovative approaches to firesafety in building design and construction;and work to explore further the role ofactive and passive fire protectionmeasures in buildings;

• research on enhancing firefighting andother emergency responses, including thedesign and use of Fire and RescueService personal protective and otherequipment, vehicles, and premises;

• research on the development of Fire andRescue Service staff required for thedelivery of the modernisation agenda; and

• support for underpinning fire science inacademia.

9.6 The strategy will also examine thelessons to be drawn from internationalresearch.

9.7 ODPM consulted with stakeholders atthe beginning of 2005, and the feedback forthe potential for an Academy was positive –many stakeholders could see the merit of a

more collaborative approach. Since then,ODPM has published an initial national Fireand Rescue Research Strategy and is nowentering a dialogue with key stakeholders todevelop a community-led Fire ResearchAcademy. The first stage of this dialogue withkey stakeholders will attempt to establish agovernance/funding model for the academy. Ifsuccessful ODPM, in partnership with keystakeholders, will then seek to create the FireResearch Academy in line with the agreedmodel. Once established the Fire ResearchAcademy itself will take forward its owndevelopment as well as the development ofthe national Fire and Rescue ResearchStrategy which it will keep under review. It ishoped that that the Academy will provide ameans for greater collaboration within the fireand rescue research community and willenable a more strategic approach to fire andrescue related research amongst allstakeholders.

9.8 As well as advising on research, theAcademy will also seek to improvecommunications between sponsors ofresearch and all those that can benefit from it.


• draw on the relevant research inexercising their functions, for examplein formulating their Integrated RiskManagement Plans, includingstrategies to efficiently and effectivelyprevent fires, mitigate their effects onpeople and buildings and dealeffectively with incidents when theyoccur; and

• avoid duplication by drawing onothers’ work and sharing their ownfindings and plans, including throughthe Practitioners’ Forum and the FireResearch Academy.

CHAPTER 9 RESEARCH


Statistics

9.10 ODPM will continue to producenational quarterly and annual statistics on theincidence of fire that are analysed andpublished in accordance with strict NationalStatistics guidelines. In addition, ODPMcollects and publishes data relating tooperational and HR issues. These data setsare published in the annual OperationalStatistics publication, as well as in support ofrelevant BVPIs, and have been used to informCPA inspections.

9.11 A review of the fire incident reportforms has been completed and concludedthat detailed information should be collectedon all incidents attended by the Fire andRescue Service. A data definition group wasestablished to advise on the amount of detailto be collected on these incidents in future.The conclusions from the group formed thebasis for a wider consultation in 2005 on thecontent of the new incident recording system.

9.12 The review was the first stage of alarger project to upgrade the data collectionprocess by capturing electronic informationdirectly from Fire and Rescue Authorities.Following the consultation on the content ofthe new system, a contract is to be let for theimplementation phase of the project. Thisproject will improve data quality and result inmore timely statistics, thereby allowing manyFire and Rescue Authorities to access theirown validated data more quickly. This shouldmean significant advances in monitoringprogress against targets and performanceindicators. We aim to complete this work in2006. We will provide as much warning aspossible of any changes to the content orcoverage of the information required, for both BVPIs and any other data used formonitoring purposes.


• continue the timely completion ofstatistical returns issued by ODPM;

• assist ODPM in establishing a fullyelectronic data collection system bycontributing their knowledge of Fireand Rescue Service procedures andincident recording to the e-datacollection project;

• explore how they might provide timelyinformation on fires and incidents ofspecial interest (FOSIs), in particular,details of fire related fatalities.

CHAPTER 9 RESEARCH


AAnnexes

Annex A

Protocol on Central GovernmentEngagement in PoorlyPerforming Local Authorities

Preamble

1. This Protocol, revised on 19 February2003, derives from the Framework forPartnership signed in November 1997 by theDeputy Prime Minister on behalf of theGovernment and the Chairman of the LocalGovernment Association (LGA) on behalf oflocal authorities. The Framework provides forthe Government and the LGA to discusspolicy for the use of intervention powers,including how best to facilitate a role for theLGA in supporting local authorities.

2. The Protocol gives expression to theshared aim of central and local government toraise standards in public service, to supportand assist local authorities in improvingservices, to provide a clear framework forengagement and intervention by centralGovernment, where council performance isunacceptable, and an orderly process forresumption of service by local authorities asnecessary following intervention.

Purpose

3. The Protocol sets out the generalprinciples that will underpin the engagementof central Government with individual localauthorities whose performance, including theircapacity to improve, is categorised as poor orweak with little or no prospect forimprovement. It also applies to othercircumstances where Government takes theview that an authority’s performance in aparticular service area is sufficiently poor tojustify Government engagement orintervention. The LGA may play an active rolein assisting the Government in determining

the nature and extent of any engagement orintervention.

4. The term ‘engagement’ is used to referto nonstatutory action taken with regard to anauthority where there is a serious concernregarding a substantial failure that might leadto statutory action if satisfactory improvementis not achieved. The form of engagement willbe determined by the nature of the problembut for example will usually, in the case ofpoor and weak authorities, involve theappointment of a lead official whose role willinclude assessing whether the council has –or is developing, possibly with externalsupport – the capacity and commitment todeliver improvement. Since action in thesecircumstances is by agreement with theauthority, there is a wide range of measuresthat might be taken in order to secureimprovements.

5. The term ‘intervention’ is used to referto action by the Secretary of State in exerciseof his powers under section 15 of the LocalGovernment Act 1999 and under othercomparable legislation that applies to specificservices or circumstances (see note onintervention powers below). The form of eachintervention will depend, as in the case ofengagement (paragraph 4), on the nature ofthe problem and also on the scope of thestatutory powers (paragraph 25).

6. The term ‘Secretary of State’ is usedthroughout to mean the appropriate Secretaryof State.

7. Local authorities have a responsibilityto deliver to local people services to clearstandards. Authorities should set thosestandards – covering both cost and quality –for all the services for which they areresponsible. But in those areas, such aseducation and social services, where theGovernment has key responsibilities andcommitments, the Government itself may setsuch standards. The best value duty in Part 1

Annex A – Protocol on Central Government Engagement in Poorly Performing Local Authorities


of the Local Government Act 1999 requireslocal authorities to make arrangements tosecure continuous improvement in theeconomy, efficiency and effectiveness withwhich they deliver services and meetstandards. Standards that should be met inspecific services are set out in othercomparable legislation.

Role of the LGA in helping authorities atrisk of failure

8. Where evidence and experience showthat a local authority is at risk of failing in itsduty in respect of a service or services, thereare several ways of achieving improvements.Councillors, officials and contractors all havea responsibility for delivering quality servicesand addressing shortcomings and failings.The LGA and the Improvement andDevelopment Agency (IDeA) are committed towork with local authorities to supportimprovement where problems exist. The LGAencourages its member authorities to giveearly warning of potential problems emergingfrom inspections, draft reports, complaints,reviews or other sources so that advice andsupport can be offered. Other authorities mayoffer support through networks, or theauthority may be helped to identify andprocure other external advice and assistance.

Principles governing engagement andintervention by the Secretary of State

9. When a Comprehensive PerformanceAssessment (CPA) has been completed, it isintended to provide a rounded view of theperformance of the authority and an earlywarning of weaknesses that need to beaddressed. It facilitates the adoption of timelyremedial action by the authority. The CPA willalso become the primary indicator of the needfor central Government engagement with theauthority as a whole, especially to secureimprovements across a range of differentservices where it is judged that there is verylimited internal capacity to improve.

Engagement and possibly intervention inrespect of individual services can also beexpected following, for example, a criticalinspection report or poor performanceinformation, and this will take account of anauthority’s corporate performance from anearly stage. The provisions of this Protocolapply to both types of case.

10. The Secretary of State will exerciseintervention powers under section 15 of theLocal Government Act 1999 and othercomparable legislation only when there isclear evidence that an authority is failing eitherto discharge its functions adequately or failingto meet its statutory obligations.

11. The Secretary of State will inform theauthority of the reasons for interventionwhenever using his powers under thislegislation.

12. The form and extent of engagementand intervention will reflect the type andseriousness of failure and the need foreffective improvement.

13. The authority will normally be given theopportunity to make the necessaryimprovements itself. In exceptional cases ofserious corporate or service failure, whenthere is a serious risk of harm or financialloss, paragraph 26 of this Protocol will apply.

14. Authorities will provide accurate andtimely responses to requests for information(as soon as possible, but normally within 10working days), and co-operate with suchaction as the Secretary of State may direct inaccordance with his powers and thisprotocol.

15. In cases where a function is exercisedby the Secretary of State or a person actingon his behalf, both the Secretary of State andhis nominee will be subject to the statutoryduties that the authority would normally besubject to in respect of that function.



Process

Identification of problems

16. Non statutory engagement will only beembarked upon, and formal interventionpowers will only be invoked, on the basis ofclear evidence. Such evidence may emerge,for example, from:

• CPAs including the corporateassessment;

• audits of financial accounts;

• audits of local performance plans;

• audits of performance information;

• inspection reports, including those arisingfrom inspections directed under Section10 of the Local Government Act 1999;

• public interest reports;

• reports of inquiries, Ombudsmaninvestigations or judicial findings; or

• concerns raised about serious danger orharm to the public.

Non statutory engagement in instances ofcorporate weakness

17. The CPA outcomes will be the usualmeans of deciding whether centralGovernment engagement to tackle corporateweakness is necessary.

18. Authorities would be expected to drawup a recovery plan promptly when asked todo so by the Secretary of State. They will beencouraged to seek help in the developmentof their plans, and funding may be madeavailable for this purpose. Recovery plans willneed to consider alternative ways by whichservices might be improved and delivered,following the review principles outlined in BestValue guidance.

19. Poor and weak authorities will havepriority in accessing assistance for capacity

building through national programmes.Support and guidance will be made availableto assist local authorities to identify the mostappropriate activity to address prioritiesidentified in their recovery or improvementplans.

20. In addition to the support provided bythe LGA, through the IDeA or by othermeans, the lead official (paragraph 4) will beable to identify other possible sources ofsupport and guidance. The lead official willalso advise whether partnership orimprovement boards should form part of awider support package. This will be thenormal course of action where the CPA is thetrigger.

21. However the need for engagement isidentified, whether by CPA or other means, itwill be necessary to determine as soon aspossible whether action is needed:

• to tackle weaknesses within the politicalor managerial leadership (the corporatecore);

• to address problems in single servicesalone; or

• to address problems simultaneously inboth the corporate core and specificservices.

It will be for the relevant Secretary of State todetermine ultimately the appropriate course ofaction and form of engagement with the localauthority. In all cases, such action will be co-ordinated and proportionate in line with theprinciples in paragraphs 9-15, and with anyMemorandum of Understanding to be agreedbetween Departments as to the way in whichtheir actions will be decided and exercised.

Exercise of statutory intervention powers

22. If the Secretary of State decides thatthe facts of the case mean that statutoryintervention is likely to be necessary, he will



formally notify the authority and the LGAimmediately of his decision to direct theauthority under the powers contained inSection 15 of the Local Government Act1999, or in comparable legislation.

23. The authority will be given theopportunity to make representations aboutthe direction proposed.

Nature of statutory intervention

24. In the case of the Local GovernmentAct 1999, the Secretary of State may takesuch action he judges necessary to securecompliance by the authority with therequirements of Part 1. This may require, forexample, directing the local authority to actwithin a specified period to:

• prepare or amend a recovery plan;

• make sure a function is carried out so asto achieve specified objectives orpriorities;

• take consultancy advice;

• appoint interim management;

• enforce appropriate levels of delegation;

• secure the function from a specifiedprovider or put the function out to tender;

• appoint a nominee to exercise certainspecified functions of the authority;

• any other action that will secure thenecessary improvements.

The Secretary of State may also direct a localinquiry to be held under Section 15(3) of the 1999 Act.

25. The Secretary of State may also takesuch action as is necessary to secure serviceimprovements as granted to him under otherlegislation. Any such measures will need to bedeployed consistent with this Protocol andany Memorandum of Understanding agreedbetween Departments.

Statutory intervention in cases of urgency

26. Although the above arrangements forengagement and intervention will be thenorm, there may be exceptional cases wherethe severity or persistence of failure, or thecontinuing risk of harm or financial loss, showthat urgent intervention is necessary. If thesecircumstances prevail, and an authority couldreasonably be expected to be aware of theseproblems and has failed to take adequateaction to address them, then the Secretary ofState retains the discretion to abbreviate theprocedures outlined above as he seesnecessary. When exercising his powers in thisway, the Secretary of State will notify theauthority and the LGA immediately of theintervention that is necessary and the reasonsfor intervention, and will provide a fullexplanation of his reasons for curtailing theprocedures.

Monitoring, review and exit strategies

27. The Government wishes to keep itsinvolvement in the running of localgovernment to a minimum. Where statutorypowers have been used to remove powersfrom a local authority, the Secretary of Statewill aim to return control to it as soon asimprovements are well established and theauthority’s political and managerial leadershiphas the capacity to sustain them. A smallgovernment team led by the lead official willnormally undertake regular monitoring. Theviews of any partnership or improvementboard will also be taken into account.

28. The test of success of recovery plans isthe delivery of improvements against keyperformance outcomes. The audit andinspection process will be the principal meansby which the Government will assess whethersuch outcomes have been achieved andwhether these are sufficient to meet thecriteria laid down in paragraph 29.



29. Where intervention is based on adirection that is not time-limited and leavesresponsibility for the function with the localauthority, the direction will normally be liftedwhen the Secretary of State is content thatthe objectives of the intervention have beenmet in terms of improved outcomes whichcan be sustained. He will seek to take intoaccount any audit or inspection report whichhas been completed for this purpose. Liftingthe direction will not nullify any contracts thatresulted from it.

Media relations and exchange ofinformation

30. Any announcements, publications orpress releases issued in relation to any part ofthe procedures for intervention covered underthis protocol will be subject to the agreementset out in the section titled ‘PublicAnnouncements and Exchange ofInformation’ in the Schedule for Arrangementsfor the Conduct of Central Local Relationsunder the Framework for Central LocalPartnership.

Roles and responsibilities inrespect of local authorityrecovery

Lead official roles and responsibilities

• To provide Ministers with an assessmentof an authority’s capacity andcommitment to deliver improvement.

• To provide a single point of contactbetween local and central Government.

• To ensure that central Government activityin an authority is coherent and consistent.

Key activities

• To advise Ministers when requested on allaspects of the authority’s progress in

drawing up and implementing its recoveryplan.

• To establish monitoring arrangements.

• To establish co-ordination arrangementswithin central Government.

• To advise on financial support from ODPMfunds established to assist poor and weakauthorities.

• To liaise with the Audit Commissionrelationship manager for that authority onall aspects of audit and inspection.

LGA roles and responsibilities

• To support local authorities through theimprovement planning process.

• To oversee the management andallocation of capacity funding (jointly withODPM).

• To monitor and review capacity buildingactivity to ensure that it deliversimprovement.

IDeA roles and responsibilities

• To manage and co-ordinate the recoveryand improvement planning supportactivities commissioned by the Council,where engaged by an authority.

Key activities

• To undertake activities, including brokeringsupport from a range of sources includingpeers, associates, partner authorities andexternal consultancies, as required tofacilitate recovery.

• To contribute to capturing, mobilising anddisseminating knowledge and learningabout improvement for the benefit of thesector as a whole, in conjunction withODPM, the Audit Commission, the LGAand others as appropriate.



Audit Commission, appointed auditors andinspectors

The Audit Commission and its appointedauditors will carry out their statutoryresponsibilities under the Audit CommissionAct 1998 and the Local Government Act1999. In carrying out their functions, theCommission and its appointed auditors will,so far as is consistent with thoseresponsibilities, have regard to and seek tocontribute to the key priorities for recovery ofpoorly performing authorities.

Roles and responsibilities

• To audit, inspect and assess theperformance of authorities.

• To refer an authority to the Secretary ofState if appropriate.

• In cases where the Government hasappointed a lead official, the relationshipmanager will be expected to work closelywith that lead official in ensuring that auditand inspection work complements theagreed recovery plan, in so far as it isconsistent with statutory responsibilities.

Key activities

• To audit the Performance Plan.

• To agree a co-ordinated audit andinspection programme for each authority.

• The Commission, its appointed auditors,inspectors and other inspectorates may,so far as it is consistent with theirstatutory responsibilities, monitor andreport on the outcomes following theimplementation of any recovery plan.

Intervention powers

This note sets out the legislative powers thatexist to enforce a local authority to take actionto address poor performance.

The powers are:

• Local Government Act 1999, Part 1,Sections 15(5) and 15(6).

• Local Government Act 2000 – LocalAuthorities (Referendums) (Petitions andDirections) (England) Regulations 2000.

• Local Government Act 1972.

In most cases, to ensure consistency acrossWhitehall, we would promote the LocalGovernment Act 1999 as the mechanism toenforce improvement.

In addition to the powers set out in thevarious Local Government Acts, there areservice specific powers for statutoryintervention.

These powers are:

Housing

• Right to Buy – Sections 164, 167, and170 of the Housing Act 1985

• ‘Supporting People’ – Clause 64 of theLocal Government Bill

• Large Scale Voluntary Transfers –Schedule 3A to the Housing Act 1985 asinserted by section 6 and Schedule 1 tothe Housing and Planning Act 1986Asylum seekers – The Immigration andAsylum Act 1999

Environmental

• Statutory Nuisance – Section 79 of theEnvironmental Protection Act 1990 –Paragraph 4 of Schedule 3 to the 1990Act

• Local air quality management – Section85 of the Environment Act 1995

• Industrial air pollution – Part 1 of theEnvironmental Protection Act 1990



• Waste management – Sections 49(3), 49(4), and 57 of the EnvironmentalProtection Act 1990 – Paragraphs 2 and4 of Schedule 2

Building regulations

• Section 116 of the Building Act 1984

Planning

• Sections 38, 44, 77 and 100 of the Townand Country Planning Act 1990

Fire

• Sections 2, 6, 12, 19, 21, 24, and 33 ofthe Fire Services Act 1947

Home office – Police

• Sections 40, 37, S 38, 39, 40,41,43, 46-49, 53, 57) of the Police Act 1996

Department for Education and Skills

• Sections 495, 496, 497, 499 and 507 ofthe Education Act 1996

• Sections 60, 61, 62, 63, 64 of theEducation Act 2002

• Section 8 of the School Standards andFramework Act

Department of Health

• Section 7 of the Local Authority SocialServices Act 1970

• Section 54 of the Children Act 1989

• Section 13 of the Health and Social CareAct 2001

Department of Culture, Media and Sport

• Sections 7 and 10 of the Public Librariesand Museums Act 1964

Department for Work and Pensions

• Sections 139D to 139H and 140B of theSocial Security Administration Act 1992



Annex B

Fire and Rescue Service Targetsand ODPM Strategic Priorities

Fire Public Service Agreement

The fire PSA target covers England only. Itfully incorporates previous targets relating toaccidental fire-related deaths and deliberatefires and will come into effect on 1 April 2005.

By 2010, reduce the number of accidentalfire-related deaths in the home by 20%and the number of deliberate fires by 10%.The PSA target covers one main and twosub-targets:

Main target: Accidental fire-related deathsin the home

To reduce the number of accidental fire-related deaths in the home by 20%, averagedover the eleven-year period to 31 March2010, equivalent to 280 fire-related deathsper annum, compared with the averagerecorded in the five-year period to 31 March1999 of 350 fire-related deaths.

Sub-target 1: Floor Target

No local Fire and Rescue Authority having afatality rate, from accidental fires in the home,more than 1.25 times the national average by2010.

Sub-target 2: Deliberate fires

To achieve a 10% reduction in deliberate firesby 31 March 2010 to 94,000 from the2001/02 baseline of 104,500.

Additional Targets for the Fireand Rescue Service

Efficiency Targets:

The Target

£105m gross cashable savings for the Englishfire and rescue service in 2007/08.

The Baseline

The baseline year is 2004/05. But efficienciesachieved in 2004/5 that continue through tothe end of the SR04 period (2007/8) can becounted towards the target.

Equality and Diversity Targets:

To increase the percentage of womenamongst uniformed operational staff to 15%by 2009.

To increase the percentage of minority ethnicrepresentation within the fire service to 7% by2009.

Strategic Priorities

Priority 1

Delivering a better balance between housingsupply and demand by supportingsustainable growth, reviving markets andtackling abandonment.

Priority 2

Ensuring people have decent places to live byimproving the quality and sustainability oflocal environments and neighbourhoods,reviving brownfield land, and improving thequality of housing.

Annex B – Fire and Rescue Service Targets and ODPM Strategic Priorities


Priority 3

Tackling disadvantage by reviving the mostdeprived neighbourhoods, reducing socialexclusion and supporting society’s mostvulnerable groups.

Priority 4

Delivering better public services, by devolvingdecision-making to the most effective level –regional, local or neighbourhood:

• Promoting high quality, customer-focusedlocal services and ensuring adequate,stable resources are available to localgovernment.

• Clarifying the roles and functions of localgovernment, its relationship with centraland regional government and thearrangements for neighbourhoodengagement, in the context of a sharedstrategy for local government.

Priority 5

Promoting the development of the Englishregions by improving their economicperformance so that all are able to reach theirfull potential, and developing an effectiveframework for regional governance takingaccount of the public’s view of what is bestfor their area.

Annex B – Fire and Rescue Service Targets and ODPM Strategic Priorities


Annex C

Memorandum of Understandingbetween the ODPM and theAudit Commission concerningthe Fire and Rescue Service inEngland

May 2004

Memorandum of Understanding

1. This document is a memorandum ofunderstanding (MOU). It sets out certainstanding arrangements to be followed by theAudit Commission, the Fire & Rescue ServiceImprovement Team (FRSIT) and HM FireService Inspectorate (HMFSI). It covers allaspects of performance management andassessment in the Fire & Rescue Service inEngland for which the signatory parties areresponsible. Separate arrangements will bemade for the rest of the UK.

2. It came into force on 31st December2005 and will apply until 31st March 2007. Itmay be revised or revoked before that date.

3. Fire CPA was developed and theassessments were conducted by the AuditCommission in July 2005. This MOU assumesthat a performance framework to follow-upFire CPA will be developed by the AuditCommission in accordance with the priniplesset out in the draft National Framework 2006-08.

Responsibilities

ODPM

4. The ODPM will work closely with theAudit Commission and stakeholders as theCommission develops a performanceframework to follow Fire CPA.

5. The ODPM has responsibility for settingnational performance indicators for the Fireand Rescue Service.

6. Provision of Operational Assuranceevidence which can be used as part of theFire and Rescue Service block assessment tobe carried out by the Audit Commission aspart of the Comprehensive PerformanceAssessment of County Councils in 2006-07.

FRSIT

7. The Fire & Rescue ServiceImprovement Team is part of the ODPM. Theaims of FRSIT are:

• To act as a catalyst for change, promotingreform and working with all fire andrescue service institutions to ensurechange happens, in particular, to ensurethat the change of focus to preventiontakes place. To monitor the overall rate ofchange to report to ministers and thewider public on that progress and therebyhighlight any problems or concerns.

• To ensure that the overall strategicdirection of all the institutions is focusedon the programme of reform and changein a coherent way.

To fulfil its role, FRSIT will continue to co-ordinate work with Fire and RescueAuthorities (FRAs) on their improvement plansfollowing the publication of CPA outcomesand has put a Support Team in place toassist “weak” and “poor” authorities indeveloping robust improvement plans.

Annex C – Memorandum of Understanding


FRSIT has established a regional network ofBusiness Change Managers in theGovernment Offices. The BCM’s:

• Represent the interests of ODPM in eachregion,

• Provide a resource for Fire and RescueAuthorities to aid the development ofRegional Management Boards.

• Act as the lead external body insupporting the improvement planningprocesses adopted by Fire and RescueAuthorities as a consequence of the CPAprocess.

• Act as the link between Fire and RescueAuthorities and ODPM Regional Directorsof Practice and the ODPM/LGA CapacityBuilding Programme.

• Work within the government office toensure that key stakeholders in the regionunderstand and support themodernisation agenda.

HMFSI

8. The primary functions of HMFSI are to:

• Provide assurance and advice to theDeputy Prime Minister and the ODPM, inrespect of professional and technicalmatters.

• Assist in identifying the Fire and RescueService leaders of the future.

• Generate, identify and promote goodpractice.

• Advise FRSIT in developing measures tosupport improvement in FRAs

• Develop and support professional andtechnical improvements in fire and rescueservices operations.

• Contribute to the development of firesafety statute, standards and nationalguidance.

• Provide support for specific activities ofother ODPM divisions related toimprovements in service delivery.

• Provide the Audit Commission with anOperational Assessment of each Fire andRescue Authority for use in the serviceblock assessment being developed by theAudit Commission according to an agreedtimetable.

Audit Commission

9. The Audit Commission has a functionto inspect compliance by best valueauthorities with Part I of the LocalGovernment Act 1999, principally in relationto the duty to secure continuousimprovement in the exercise of functions,having regard to economy, efficiency andeffectiveness. Fire and Rescue Authorities arebest value authorities under the LocalGovernment Act 1999.

10. The Audit Commission may carry outstudies, from time to time, in accordance withAC powers and strategy. Under section 33 ofthe Audit Commission Act the Commissioncarries out studies where it has identified aneed and has consulted formally.

11. Under section 11 of the LocalGovernment Act 1999, inspectors mayrequire information from best value authoritiesfor the purposes of undertaking aninspection. Auditors appointed by theCommission may require information, undersection 6 of the Audit Commission Act 1998,for the purposes of undertaking an audit.

12. The Audit Commission can make arecommendation to the Secretary of State togive a direction (section 13(4) of the LocalGovernment Act 1999 or under Section 21 ofthe Fire and Rescue Services Act..

13. The Audit Commission has developeda process to follow Fire CPA. This will consist



of three main elements – a scored Use ofResources judgment which will assess Fireand Rescue Authorities principally on whetherthey have secured value for money andefficiencies; a scored direction of travelstatement which will assess whether anauthority is improving or not improvingfollowing the Fire and Rescue CPA and aservice assessment that will judge theeffectiveness of the fire and rescue authorityin meeting their operational responsibilities

14. The Audit Commission will apply arecategorisation process for Fire and RescueAuthorities from 2007 where this is anindication of a significant improvement orregression in performance.

Appointment of RelationshipManagers

15. The Commission will appointRelationship Managers to all Fire and RescueAuthorities from December 2005 onwards.The Audit Commission will then have anongoing dialogue with all authorities to informits audit and inspection work. The role of aRelationship Manager is primarily one of co-ordination and close liaison with a wide rangeof players to ensure delivery of the following:

• The provision of a seamless local service

• The delivery of relevant and proportionateaudit and inspection

• The promotion of service improvementand a user focus

• The improvement of information flows anddialogue between Audited and InspectedBodies and the Audit Commission.

A key role of the Relationship Managers willbe to forge effective linkages betweenregional delivery activities and AuditCommission wide policy and strategydevelopment. ODPM’s Business ChangeManagers and Relationship Managers willneed to work closely at local level to avoidduplication. Business Change Managersremain the lead on supporting theimprovement planning activities that Fire andRescue Authorities undertake whileRelationship Managers will assess the deliveryof that improvement.

16. The Audit Commission continues to beresponsible, under the Audit Commission Act1998, for the appointment of external auditorsto FRAs. See Appendix 2 for the role of theauditors.

Avoiding duplication

17. To avoid duplication of effort andambiguity, it is helpful to understand thedifferences in the nature and scope of theremit of each party as regards each party’swork concerning the Fire and Rescue Service.The table below gives a summary.





Activity Responsibilities

FRSIT HMFSI Audit Commission

Setting agenda forModernisation

Responsible for policywhich will be expressedthrough NationalFramework.

Provides professional advicerelated to policydevelopment.

Evidence from CPA mayoffer contributions to policymaking, through identifyinggood practice and areas forservice improvement.

Inspection Policy Advises Ministers on policy.Performance expectationsexpressed through theNational Framework.

Supports development ofODPM policy through CoreAdvisory Team.

Considers how best toundertake inspections of fireauthorities in accordancewith its statutory remit.

The Audit Commissionensures that inspectionpolicy is supported byappropriate information.

Delivery ofprocesses to followCPA

Advice to Ministers onpolicy. Provides advice,support and funding fordesign and delivery.

Business Change Managerssupport the improvementplanning processesadopted by Fire andRescue Authorities.

Provides operationalassessement for the serviceblock assessment andadvice and support onother issues.

Designs, leads and delivers.

Produces reports.

Appointed RMs assess thedelivery of improvement andsupports the delivery of theperformance Framework.

Best Value Review Determines policy. Provides strategic support. May consider theoutcomes, as part of CPAor audit.

Pursue and promotegood practice inservice delivery

Agrees and promotes.

BCMs lead/support andattend roundtable meetingswith the aim of capturingFRA good practice andsupporting improvement.

Identifies, agrees andpromotes.

CPA or audit may identifygood practice.

RM’s support improvement.

National Studies Identifies need. Agrees andcommissions activity.

Identifies need. Agrees andcommissions activity.

May carry out studies.

Professional supportfor FRAs

Identifies need. Identifies need. Helpsrespond to need inconsultation with FRSIT.

Not applicable.

Work through s35?



Activity Responsibilities

FRSIT HMFSI Audit Commission

Operational ServiceDelivery

Requires assurance. Provides operationalassessement to the AuditCommission.

Service assessment makesa judgement about theeffectiveness of the fire andrescue authority in meetingtheir operationalresponsibilities.

Use of Resources workprovides a judgement onmanagement and Value forMoney issues and Directionof Travel statements updateprogress made by Fire andRescue Authorities onimprovement since fire CPA

Advice andGuidance toMinisters onPerformance ofBrigades

Ministerial lead.

Direct by report.

In liaison with FRSIT and theAudit Commission. Direct byreport.

Reports in the publicdomain, from audit and arange of CPA follow-upassessment processes.

Require Informationfrom Authorities

Using existing powersunder the local governmentAct 1999 and new powersproposed in the Fire andRescue Services Bill.

As for FRSIT. Using existing powers.

Failing Authoritiesand Intervention

Advise Ministers on actionrequired. Support Teamwork with authorities tosecure improvement.

BCMs link between FRAsand LG Capacity Buildingprogramme.

Provide professional supportand guidance. Supportagreed intervention strategy.

Assesses and reports. Auditteams support improvementplanning as part of riskbased audit and inspection.

Can makerecommendations to theSecretary of State.

Arrangements for co-operation

18. In order to minimise overlap, maximisevalue, and reduce the burden of inspection onFRAs, FRSIT, HMFSI and the Commissionagree to the following standing procedures.

Communication

19. FRSIT, HMFSI and the AuditCommission shall meet regularly to sharecurrent thinking, review recent work done andconsider plans.

20. There shall be a nominatedcommunications officer in each of the threebodies, responsible for making sure themeeting agendas are up to date andcomprehensive, and for dealing with anyurgent communication outside the meetings.

21. The communications officers shall beresponsible for identifying any potentialoverlap or omission and for making sure it isbrought to the attention of the appropriatesenior officers concerned, whether by meansof the regular meetings or as may berequired.

As set out above, at a regional/local level,Business Change Managers and RelationshipManagers will establish effective liaisonarrangements to co-ordinate their work withindividual Fire and Rescue Authorities.

Shared planning and information exchange

22. FRSIT, HMFSI and the AuditCommission undertake to bring to the regularmeetings sufficient information on theirplanning as will facilitate the avoidance ofduplication.

23. In particular, FRSIT, HMFSI and theAudit Commission undertake to share:

• where practicable, information on FRAperformance and plans for visiting FRAs,in order to develop a co-ordinated

scheme of site visits so that only areasonable demand (consistent with goodquality work) shall be placed onmanagement and staff time, and properadvance notice can be given tomanagement, to help them plan their timeefficiently;

• plans for publications, to avoid any risk ofduplication and to keep all parties wellinformed, in advance, of any reports orother material to be put in the publicarena.

Terms of reference

24. FRSIT, HMFSI and the AuditCommission undertake to keep each otherinformed of new or revised terms of referencefor any project or assignment in time for theother parties concerned to consider anyimplications and to express a view. Jointworking and shared resources

25. To avoid difficulties arising as regardsindependence and statutory responsibilities,resources may be seconded from one bodyto another as required.

Reporting

26. It is important that reports produced bythe Audit Commission and the ODPM reachtheir primary audiences in the Fire & RescueService as promptly as possible.

27. FRSIT, HMFSI and the AuditCommission undertake to:

• discuss in advance any good practice tobe promoted to FRAs;

• share, at the earliest possible stage, anyinformation which provides evidence thatthe operational capacity of any FRA couldbe compromised;

• share draft reports concerning CPA forthe FRAs to the extent consistent with thedifferent requirements and statutory



limitations placed upon them, providedsuch sharing does not cause undue delay.

Other parties

28. FRSIT, HMFSI and the AuditCommission will have appropriate regard tothe work of the auditors appointed to eachFRA, and will co-operate with the auditors,subject to responsibilities and statutoryduties.



Appendix 1

Auditors appointed by the AuditCommission

The Audit Commission’s appointed auditorscan be an employee of the Commission or aprivate firm of accountants. Appointedauditors are statutorily independent of theCommission. In carrying out their statutoryresponsibilities they are required to complywith the Commission’s Code of AuditPractice, which is approved by Parliament atfive-yearly intervals.

The Code requires auditors to review andreport on:

• The financial aspects of the auditedbody’s corporate governancearrangements as they relate to:

– The legality of transactions that mighthave significant financialconsequences

– The financial standing of the auditedbody

– Systems of internal financial control

– Standards of financial conduct, andthe prevention of fraud and corruption

• The audited body’s financial statements

• Aspects of the audited body’sarrangements to manage its performance,as they relate to:

– Economy, efficiency and effectivenessin the use of resources

– The audited body’s arrangements forpreparing and publishing specifiedperformance information

– The audited body’s compliance withstatutory requirements in respect ofthe preparation and publication of itsbest value performance plan

Under the Code, appointed auditors arerequired to exercise their professionaljudgement independently and to comply withall current professional standards, bothtechnical and ethical.

Auditors’ work programmes are based ontheir assessment of the key business risksthat apply to the audited body, which arerelevant to their statutory responsibilities.

In planning and carrying out their work,appointed auditors are required to seek to co-operate with, and have regard to the work of,other auditors, inspectors and statutoryreview agencies, wherever appropriate. Theresults of audit work are summarised in anannual audit letter addressed to the fireauthority, which the auditor has a statutoryduty to publish. Auditors also have the powerto issue a public interest report on any matterthat comes to their attention in the course ofthe audit so that it can be considered by thebody concerned or brought to the attention ofthe public.

Relationship Managers (Role)

Key Responsibilities

To provide the delivery of a seamless localAudit Commission service, whilst being bothindependent, robust, and focuses on users.Working across organisational boundaries tohelp achieve service improvement. Workclosely with other Inspectorates andRegulators to accurately identify the keyissues which are relevant to the audited andinspected body.

Ensuring that the Commission’s annual auditand inspection programme meet all statutoryrequirements and promote the Commission’sstrategic objectives of service improvementand user focus.

Appendix 1 Auditors appointed by the Audit Commission


Ensuring that the agreed programme isdelivered to the right quality, on time andwithin budget. Ensuring that opportunities forcross-cutting work in a local context areidentified and taken, and that this informationis shared with others within the Commission.

Reporting the results of the work to theaudited and inspected body and the public,securing action as appropriate

Managing Knowledge

To understand the key knowledge andinformation needs of operational serviceusers, develop a strategy and workprogramme to enable client facing staff tomeet their needs.

To effectively manage knowledge at the locallevel and other intellectual assets byfacilitating, implementing and maintainingprocesses, standards and systems.

Ensuring knowledge and intelligence fromlocal audits and inspections are used tosupport wider Commission policydevelopment initiatives including work withothers to bring together knowledge for ourown benefit and that of clients.

Managing Relationships and Partnerships

Develop and sustain a wide network of keyindividuals and institutions concerned with thedevelopment and improvement of publicservices.

Build a professional relationship with topmanagers and members/non executives ofthe Audited and Inspected Bodies.

Appendix 1 Auditors appointed by the Audit Commission


Annex D

Annex D Best Value Peformance indicators


Best Value Performance Indicators

BVPI 142 ii) primary fires per 10,000 population;

iii) accidental fires in dwellings per 10,000 dwellings.

BVPI 143 The number of –

i) deaths;

ii) injuries (excluding precautionary checks), arising from accidental fires in dwellings per100,000 population.

BVPI 144 The percentage of accidental fires in dwellings confined to room of origin.

BVPI 146 i) Number of calls to malicious false alarms not attended per 1,000 population;

ii) Number of calls to malicious false alarms attended per 1,000 population.

BVPI 149 i) False alarms caused by automatic fire detection per 1,000 non-domestic

ii) Number of those properties with more than 1 attendance;

iii) The % of calls which are to a property with more than 1 attendance.

BVPI 150 Expenditure per head of population on the provision of fire and rescue services.

BVPI 206 i) Number of deliberate primary fires (excluding deliberate primary fires in vehicles) per 10,000 population;

ii Number of deliberate primary fires in vehicles per 10,000 population;

iii) Number of deliberate secondary fires (excluding deliberate secondary fires in vehicles) per10,000 population;

iv) Number of deliberate secondary fires in vehicles per 10,000 population.

BVPI 207 The number of fires in non-domestic premises per 1,000 non-domestic premises.

BVPI 208 The % of people in accidental dwelling fires who escape unharmed without FRA assistance at the fire.

BVPI 209 The % of fires attended in dwellings where:

i) a smoke alarm had activated;

ii) a smoke alarm was fitted but did not activate;

iii) no smoke alarm was fitted.

Annex D Best Value Peformance indicators


Corporate Health BVPIs

BVPI 2 i) The level of the Equality Standard for Local Government to which the authority conforms.

ii) The duty to promote race equality.

BVPI 8 % of undisputed invoices which were paid in 30 days.

BVPI 11 i) The percentage of top 5% of earners that are women.

ii) The percentage of top 5% of earners from black and minority ethnic communities.

iii) The percentage of top 5% of earners that are disabled.

BVPI 12 i) Proportion of working days/shifts lost to sickness absence by whole time uniformed staff.

ii) Proportion of working days/shifts lost to sickness absence by all staff.

BVPI 15 i) Wholetime firefighter ill-health retirements as a % of the total workforce.

ii) Control and non-uniformed ill-health retirements as a % of the total workforce.

BVPI 16 The % of employees declaring that they meet the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 disabilitydefinition compared with the percentage of economically active disabled people in theauthority area.

BVPI 17 % of ethnic minority uniformed staff of ethnic minority population of working age in brigade area.

BVPI 157 The number of types of interactions that are enabled for e-delivery as a % of the types ofinteractions that are legally permissible for e-delivery.

BVPI 210 The % of women fire-fighters.

Annex E

Annex E List of Acronyms


List of Acronyms

ACAS Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service

ADC ADC Assessment Development Centre

BVPI Best Value Performance Indicator

BVPP Best Value Performance Plan

CBRN Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear

CFOA Chief Fire Officers Association

CPA Comprehensive Performance Assessment

CPIG Crown Premises Inspection Group

FFWG FiReContol Finance Working Group

FRSIT Fire and Rescue Service Improvement Team

FSEC Fire Service Emergency Cover

GLA Greater London Authority

HMFSI Her Majesty’s Fire Service Inspectorate

HR Human Resources

HSE Health and Safety Executive

IdeA Improvement Development Agency

IPDS Integrated Personal Development System

IRMP Integrated Risk Management Plan

IST Implementation Support Team

LFEPA London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority

LGA Local Government Association

LPSA Local Public Service Agreement

LSP Local Strategic Partnership

NCFSC National Community Fire Safety Centre

NWDS National Workforce Development Strategy

ODPM Office of the Deputy Prime Minister

OJEU Official Journal of the European Union

PFI Private Finance Initiative

PSA Public Service Agreement

RDS Retained Duty System

SR Spending Review

Annex F

Operational and TechnicalGuidance

The current sources for Operational andTechnical Guidance are:

• Fire Service Manuals

• Technical Bulletins

• Dear Chief Fire Officer Letters

• Fire Service Circulars/Fire and RescueService Circulars

• Guide to Operational Risk Assessment

• Guides to Health and Safety Management

• Guides to Implementation of IRMP

• Guides to Implementation of IPDS

• HMFSI ‘Expectations’ Manual

• New Dimension – Training CD Roms,guidance documents and videos

• Community Fire Safety Toolbox andassociated publications

• Dangerous Goods – Emergency ActionCode List

It is anticipated that simplified, more easilyaccessible forms of guidance will be availablefrom Summer 2007 – see paragraph 3.31.Requests for information or advice on anyspecific topic should be directed to the FireInformation Centre 020 7944 5715.

Annex F Operational and Technical Guidance


Annex G

Draft Fire and Rescue ServiceCore Values

OUR VALUES

We value…

• Service to the community

• People

• Diversity

• Improvement

SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY

We value service to the community by…

• Working with all groups to reduce risk

• Treating everyone fairly and with respect

• Being answerable to those we serve

• Striving for excellence in all we do

PEOPLE

We value all our employees by practising andpromoting…

• Fairness and respect

• Recognition of merit

• Honesty, integrity and mutual trust

• Personal development

• Co-operative and inclusive working

DIVERSITY

We value diversity in the service and thecommunity by…

• Treating everyone fairly and with respect

• Providing varying solutions for differentneeds and expectations

• Promoting equal opportunities inemployment and progression within theservice

• Challenging prejudice and discrimination

IMPROVEMENT

We value improvement at all levels of theservice by…

• Accepting responsibility for ourperformance

• Being open-minded

• Considering criticism thoughtfully

• Learning from our experience

• Consulting others

Annex G Draft Fire and Rescue Service Core Values


The Fire and RescueNational Framework2006-08

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The Fire and Rescue National Framework