Agenda and minutes

Venue: Conference Rooms, Service Headquarters, Exeter

Contact: Steve Yates 01392 872329  Email: syates@dsfire.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

DSFRA/25

Minutes pdf icon PDF 103 KB

of the previous meeting held on 30 July 2018 attached.

Minutes:

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting held on 30 July 2018 be signed as a correct record.

DSFRA/26

Minutes of Committees

DSFRA/26a

Chief Fire Officer's Appraisals Panel pdf icon PDF 58 KB

The Chair of the Panel, Councillor Randall Johnson, to MOVE the Minutes of the meetings held on 30 July 2018 (attached) and 24 October 208 (to follow).

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

Minutes:

The Chair of the Panel, Councillor Randall Johnson, MOVED the Minutes of the meeting held on 30 July 2018 which had undertaken a mid-year appraisal of Chief Fire Officer GA.  The Chair of the Panel also informed the Authority that the Minutes of the meeting of the Panel held on 24 October 2018 would be submitted for adoption at the next full Authority meeting.

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

DSFRA/26b

Resources Committee pdf icon PDF 129 KB

The Chair of the Committee, Councillor Coles, to MOVE the public Minutes of the meeting held on 5 September 2018 (attached).

RECOMMENDATIONS

(i).       that the recommendation at Minute RC/3 (Financial Performance Report 2018-19 – Quarter 1) relating to budget transfers be approved; and

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

(See also item 10 below).

Minutes:

The Chair of the Committee, Councillor Coles, MOVED the Minutes of the meeting held on 5 September 2018 which had considered, amongst other things:

·       A report on Treasury Management performance for the first quarter of the current (2018-19) financial year;

·       A report on financial performance for the first quarter of the current (2018-19) financial year;

·       A proposed response to the Technical Consultation on the Local Government Financial Settlement 2019-20; and

·       A report on the financial performance of Red One Ltd. for the first quarter of the current (2018-19) financial year.

RESOLVED

(i).         That the recommendation at Minute RC/3 (Financial Performance Report 2018-19 – Quarter 1) be approved; and

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

(SEE ALSO MINUTE DSFRA/29 BELOW).

DSFRA/26c

Human Resources Management & Development Committee pdf icon PDF 73 KB

The Chair of the Committee, Councillor Bown, to MOVE the Minutes of the meeting held on 21 September 2018 (attached).

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

 

Minutes:

The Chair of the Committee, Councillor Bown, MOVED the Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 21 September 2018 which had considered, amongst other things:

·       A report on the proposed extension of the secondment of Chief Fire Officer Lee Howell to the Avon & Somerset Constabulary as Senior Responsible Officer for the Home Office funded Multi-Agency Integrated Service Analytics Hub (Office for Data Analytics);

·       A report on progressing the development of apprenticeship opportunities with the Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service;

·       A report on absence management; and

·       A quarterly update on work being taken on culture, diversity and inclusion in the Service in support of the new Integrated Risk Management Plan and national guidance.

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

DSFRA/26d

Treasurer's Appointments Panel pdf icon PDF 61 KB

The Chair of the Panel, Councillor Randall Johnson, to MOVE the Minutes of the meeting held on 19 October 2018 (attached).

RECOMMENDATIONS

(i).       That, having appointed to the post of Director of Finance (Treasurer), the Panel be disbanded; and

(ii).      That, subject to (i) above, the Minutes of the meeting held on 19 October 2018 be adopted in accordance with Standing Orders.

Minutes:

The Chair of the Panel, Councillor Randall Johnson, MOVED the Minutes of the Panel held on 19 October 2019 which had undertaken an appointments process for the post of Director of Finance (Treasurer and Proper Officer for the Authority in accordance with Section 112 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988).

RESOLVED

(i).         That, having appointed to the post of Director of Finance (Treasurer and Proper Officer for the Authority in accordance with Section 112 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988), the Panel be disbanded; and

(ii).       That, subject to (i) above, the Minutes of the meeting held on 19 October 2018 be adopted in accordance with Standing Orders.

DSFRA/26e

Community Safety & Corporate Planning Committee pdf icon PDF 68 KB

The Chair of the Committee, Councillor Redman, to MOVE the Minutes of the meeting held on 22 October 2018 (attached).

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

 

Minutes:

The Chair of the Committee, Councillor Redman, MOVED the Minutes of the meeting held on 22 October 2018 which had considered, amongst other things:

·       A report and presentation on community risk mapping in support of the Integrated Risk Management Plan (IRMP); and

·       A report on the proposed timeline for the delivery of work as set out in the Change & Improvement Programme (which would address those issues identified in both the community-facing Integrated Risk Management Plan and the organisational Fire & Rescue Plan).

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

DSFRA/26f

Standards Committee pdf icon PDF 79 KB

The Vice-Chair of the Committee, Councillor Ellery, to MOVE the Minutes of the meetings held on 24 and 26 October 2018 (to follow).

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

Minutes:

The Chair of the Committee, Councillor Ellery, MOVED the Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 24 October 2018 which had considered a pre-hearing process in relation to allegations of breaches by Subject Member X of the Authority’s Approved Code of Members’ Conduct.

RESOLVED that the Minutes be adopted in accordance with Standing Orders

DSFRA/27

Proposed Revision to Standing Orders on Election of Authority Chair and Vice-Chair pdf icon PDF 89 KB

Report of the Director of Corporate Services (DSFRA/18/22) attached.

Minutes:

The Authority considered a report of the Director of Corporate Services (DSFRA/18/22) on a request by Councillor Healey, made in accordance with Standing Order 20, for the Authority to consider revising its Standing Orders to provide for the positions of the Authority Chair and Vice-Chair to be rotated amongst constituent authorities on a four-year cyclical basis.  Councillor Healey considered that this would promote cohesiveness for the Authority and reduce/remove any actual or perceived dominance by any one or more of the constituent authorities.

The report set out a potential revision to Standing Orders but also identified, under constitutional considerations, that – in light of the anticipated legislation that would enable Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) to become voting Members of the Authority (which the Authority had already approved in principle – Minute DSFRA/11 of the meeting held on 12 June 2017 refers) – it would be necessary to allow for a PCC to be eligible for election as Chair of the Authority as otherwise this would be contrary to the relevant provisions as set out in the statutory Combination Scheme Order for the Authority.

The issue was then debated at some length, with some Members expressing support for the proposal while others considered that existing Standing Orders currently reflected the provisions of the Combination Scheme Order and provided for any Authority Member to become Chair on the basis of merit.

Councillor Coles MOVED, with Councillor Clayton seconding:

that the matter be deferred for further work by Officers on potential models, with a report back to a future meeting of the Authority”

The Motion was put to the vote and declared LOST, with 10 votes for the Motion to 12 against.

Councillor Wheeler then MOVED, with Councillor Hannaford seconding:

“that the existing arrangements for the election of Authority Chair and Vice Chair, as currently set out in the Authority’s Standing Orders and which are consistent with the provisions of the Combination Scheme Order, be maintained.”

The Motion was put to the vote and declared CARRIED, by 14 votes in favour of the motion to 8 against, whereupon it was:

RESOLVED that the existing arrangements for the election of Authority Chair and Vice Chair, as currently set out in the Authority’s Standing Orders and which are consistent with the provisions of the Combination Scheme Order, be maintained

 

 

DSFRA/28

Exclusion of the Press and Public

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 item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of  Part 1 of Schedule 12A (as amended) to the Act, namely information relating to the financial and business affairs of any particular person – including the authority holding that information.

Minutes:

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 item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of  Part 1 of Schedule 12A (as amended) to the Act, namely information relating to the financial and business affairs of any particular person – including the authority holding that information.

 

DSFRA/29

Restricted Minutes of the Resources Committee meeting held on 5 September 2018

The Chair of the Committee, Councillor Coles, to MOVE the restricted Minutes of the meeting of the Resources Committee held on 5 September 2018 (attached).

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

Minutes:

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

(Councillors Thomas and Saywell each declared a personal interest in this matter.  Councillor Thomas spoke to this item and both Councillors Thomas and Saywell left the meeting during the relevant vote to adopt the Minutes, in accordance with the terms of the dispensation granted by the Authority at its annual meeting on 8 June 2018 (Minute DSFRA/5(a) refers).

Councillor Coles MOVED the restricted Minutes of the meeting of the Resources Committee held on 5 September 2018 which had considered a report on the financial performance of Red One Ltd. for Quarter 1 of the current (2018-19) financial year.  Several Members sought to raise questions on the Minutes.  It was noted that the Authority had delegated the monitoring of the financial performance of Red One Ltd. to the Resources Committee and Councillor Coles assured the Authority that all pertinent questions would be raised at the next meeting of the Resources Committee.

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