Agenda and minutes

of the meeting held on 30 September 2016 attached.

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting held on 30 September 2016 be signed as a correct record.

Report of the Director of Corporate Services (Clerk to the Authority) (DSFRA/16/23) attached.

The Authority received, for information, a report (DSFRA/16/23) of the Director of Corporate Services (as Proper Officer) summarising – without disclosing exempt information - those proceedings of the Extraordinary Meeting of the Authority held on 31 October 2016 during which the press and public were excluded from the meeting.

The summary had been prepared in accordance with the requirements of Section 100C(2) of the Local Government Act 1972. 

The Minutes of the Extraordinary Meeting, for signature as a correct record, were set out elsewhere on the agenda for this meeting.

(SEE ALSO MINUTE DSFRA/44 BELOW).

The Chair of the Panel, Councillor Dyke, to MOVE the Minutes of the meetings of the Panel held on 17 August, 26 September and 4 October 2016 (attached).

RESOLVED

(a)       that the Minutes be adopted in accordance with Standing Orders; and

(b)       that, having discharged its function of appointment of an Assistant Chief Fire Officer, the Panel be formally dissolved.

The Chair of the Panel, Councillor Dyke, MOVED the Minutes of the meetings held on 17 August, 26 September and 4 October 2016 which had considered the process for and appointment of an Assistant Chief Fire Officer.

RESOLVED

(i)         that the Minutes be adopted in accordance with Standing Orders; and

(ii)        that, having discharged its function for the appointment of an Assistant Chief Fire Officer, the Panel be formally dissolved.

The Chair of the Committee, Councillor Eastman, to MOVE the Minutes of the meeting held on 28 September 2016 (attached).

RECOMMENDATION that the Minutes be adopted in accordance with Standing Orders.

In the absence of the Committee Chair (Councillor Eastman), the Committee Vice-Chair, Councillor Leaves, MOVED the Minutes of the meeting held on 28 September 2016 which had considered, amongst other things:

·         an update report on the review of the Corporate Planning framework;

·         a report on a refocus of the work of the Community Safety Fire Protection Team and the subsequent retitling of that team as the Business Safety Team;

·         a presentation on Service activities in relation to road traffic collisions.

RESOLVED that the Minutes be adopted in accordance with Standing Orders.

The Chair of the Committee, Councillor Dyke, to MOVE the Minutes of the meeting held on 16 November 2016.

RECOMMENDATION that the Minutes be adopted in accordance with Standing Orders.

NOTE:  The Authority’s approved Treasury Management Strategy (as underpinned by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy’s (CIPFA) Treasury Management in Public Services Code of Practice) provides, amongst other things, for the Authority to receive an annual Treasury Management Strategy Statement (including the Annual Investment Strategy and Minimum Revenue Provision Policy) for the year ahead, together with a mid-year review and an annual stewardship report covering activities during the previous year.

Report RC/16/13 (Treasury Management Performance 2016-17:  Quarter 2), as referred to at Minute *RC/10 of the Minutes of the Resources Committee meeting held on 16 November 2016, represents the mid-year review report and is appended to the Resources Committee  Minutes for information.

The Chair of the Committee, Councillor Dyke, MOVED the Minutes of the meeting held on 16 November 2016 which had considered, amongst other things:

·         a report on Treasury Management performance for the organisation up to and including the second quarter of the current (2016-17) financial year.  (NOTE:  a copy of the report [RC/16/13] as considered by the Resources Committee was appended to the Minutes of the meeting for information);

·         a report on financial performance for the second quarter of the current financial year as against the approved revenue and capital budgets for that year; and

·         an update report on progress with the Estates Development Review.

RESOLVED that the Minutes be adopted in accordance with Standing Orders.

The Chair of the Committee, Councillor Randall Johnson, to MOVE the Minutes of the meeting held on 28 November 2016 (attached).

RECOMMENDATIONS

(a)       that the recommendation at Minute DDC/4 relating to a review of the Code of Conduct and subsequent provision of training for the Authority be approved; and

(b)       that, subject to (a) above, the Minutes be adopted in accordance with Standing Orders.

The Chair of the Committee, Councillor Randall Johnson, MOVED the Minutes of the Committee held on 28 November 2016 which had conducted a hearing into an alleged breach of the Authority’s approved Member Code of Conduct.

RESOLVED

(i)         that the recommendation at Minute DDC/4 relating to a review of the Code of Conduct and subsequent provision of training for the Authority be approved; and

(ii)        that, subject to (a) above, the Minutes be adopted in accordance with Standing Orders.

The Chair of the Committee, Councillor Bown, to MOVE the Minutes of the meeting held on 14 December 2016 (TO FOLLOW).

RECOMMENDATION that the Minutes be adopted in accordance with Standing Orders.

In the absence of the Committee Chair (Councillor Bown), the Committee Vice-Chair, Councillor Chugg, MOVED the Minutes of the meeting held on 14 December 2016 which had considered:

·         a report on requests, in accordance with the Authority’s approved Pay Policy Statement for 2016-17, for retirement and re-employment;

·         a report on the health of the organisation (including absence management).

RESOLVED that the Minutes be adopted in accordance with Standing Orders.

Report of the Director of Corporate Services (Clerk to the Authority) (DSFRA/16/24) attached.

The Authority considered a report of the Director of Corporate Services (DSFRA/16/24) on the provisions in the Policing and Crime Bill for Police and Crime Commissioners to be appointed, with voting rights, to fire and rescue authorities and on a proposal to invite, prior to enactment of the Bill, the Police and Crime Commissioners for Devon & Cornwall and Avon & Somerset to attend and speak at future Authority meetings.

RESOLVED that a formal invitation be extended to the Police and Crime Commissioners of Devon & Cornwall and Avon & Somerset to attend and speak (but, at present, not vote) at future Authority meetings.

Report of the Treasurer (DSFRA/16/25) attached.

The Authority considered a report of the Treasurer (DSFRA/16/25) on external audit options available to the Authority on expiry, at the end of the 2017-18 financial year, of the current contract.  The report detailed the advantages and disadvantages of each available option, namely:

·         Option 1 - to make a stand-alone appointment of external auditor;

·         Option 2 - to set up a joint Auditor Panel/joint procurement process; or

·         Option 3 - to opt-in to a sector led body appointed by the Secretary of State and with the ability to negotiate contracts with firms nationally.

Option 2 was not considered feasible are there were unlikely to be many partners.  Of Options 1 and 3, the latter was felt to offer greater benefits in terms of maximising an efficient and economic approach to the procurement of external audit and given that it was understood that this option would be adopted by most other fire and rescue authorities.  If the Authority wished progress this option, however, it was required to indicate this to Public Sector Audit Appointments (approved by the Government to make future audit appointments on behalf of principal local authorities) by mid-March 2017.

RESOLVED that Option 3 be adopted i.e. the Authority “opts in”  to Public Sector Audit Appointments Ltd. (PSAA) for the procurement of future external audit provision.  

Report of the Director of Corporate Services (DSFRA/16/26) attached.

The Authority considered a report of the Director of Corporate Services (DSFRA/16/26) on the proposed Scheme of Members’ Allowances to apply for the forthcoming (2017-18) financial year.  The relevant Regulations required the Scheme to be approved and publicised prior to the commencement of the financial year in question.

RESOLVED

(a)       that the Scheme of Members’ Allowances to operate for the 2017-18 financial year, as set out in paragraphs 2.2 and 2.3 of report DSFRA/16/26, be approved;

(b)       that the Clerk to the Authority be authorised to publicise details of the Scheme in one or more newspapers circulating in the area served by the Authority.

The Authority received, for information, a list circulated by the Chairman detailing activities undertaken on behalf of the Authority since its last meeting.

The Chief Fire Officer reported for information on:

·         a visit to the Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service by Home Office Permanent Secretary Mark Sedwill on 6 December 2016;

·         the forthcoming Blue Light Carol Service to be held at Exeter Cathedral in the evening of 19 December 2016;

·         success by the Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service in winning the “Best Blended Learning Project – Public and Non-Profit Sector” in the Learning Technologies Awards 2016.  Additionally, the Service Academy and Fire Control had been short-listed in the Training Provider of the Year and Team of the Year categories, respectively, in the Excellence in Fire and Emergency Awards 2016.

RECOMMENDATION that, in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the following Paragraph(s) of  Part 1 of Schedule 12A (as amended) to the Act:

FOR ITEM 15

·         Paragraph 1 (information relating to an individual);

·         Paragraph 2 (information likely to reveal the identity of an individual);

·         Paragraph 3 (information relating to the financial and business affairs of any particular person [including the authority holding that information]).

FOR ITEM 16

·         Paragraph 1 (information relating to an individual);

·         Paragraph 2 (information likely to reveal the identity of an individual).

RESOLVED that, in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business as they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined:

·         for Minute DSFRA/44, in Paragraphs 1 (information relating to an individual), 2 (information likely to reveal the identity of an individual) and 3 (information relating to the financial and business affairs of any particular person [including the authority holding that information]) of Part 1 of Schedule 12A (as amended) of the Act; and

·         For Minute DSFRA/45, in Paragraphs 1 and 2 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A (as amended) of the Act.

Attached.

RECOMMENDATION that the Minutes be signed as a correct record.

(An item taken in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 during which the press and public were excluded).

(Councillors Healey, Thomas and Woodman each declared, in accordance with the Authority’s Approved Code of Members’ Conduct, personal interests in this item by virtue of being Authority-appointed non-executive directors on the Board of Red One Ltd.  Additionally, given this interest, Councillor Healey vacated the Chair, with Councillor Greenslade [Authority Vice-Chair] presiding for this item).

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Extraordinary Authority Meeting held on 31 October 2016 be signed as a correct record.

(SEE ALSO MINUTE DSFRA/36 ABOVE).

Report of the Director of Corporate Services (DSFRA/16/27) attached.

(An item taken in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 during which the press and public were excluded).

(Councillors Healey, Thomas and Woodman each declared, in accordance with the Authority’s Approved Code of Members’ Conduct, personal interests in this item.  Additionally, given this interest, Councillor Healey vacated the Chair, with Councillor Greenslade [Authority Vice-Chair] presiding for this item).

The Authority considered a report of the Director of Corporate Services (DSFRA/16/27) on a staffing issue and proposed establishment of a small Committee to expedite the resolution of this.

RESOLVED that a General Purposes Committee comprising the Authority Vice-Chair (Councillor Greenslade) together with Chairs of the Audit & Performance Review, Community Safety & Corporate Planning, Human Resources Management & Development and Resources Committees (Councillors Radford, Eastman, Bown and Dyke respectively) and Councillor Randall Johnson be established with delegated authority to determine the staffing issue identified in report DSFRA/16/27.

(NOTE:  in accordance with Standing Order 24(3), Councillors Healey, Thomas and Woodman requested that their abstentions from voting on this matter be recorded).