Agenda and minutes

To elect a Chair to serve until the Authority’s Annual Meeting in 2022.

RESOLVED that Councillor Randall Johnson be elected Chair of the Authority until its next annual meeting.

To elect a Vice-Chair to serve until the Authority’s Annual Meeting in 2022.

(Note: in accordance with the Authority’s Standing Orders, the Vice-Chair must be from a different appointing constituent authority than the Chair).

RESOLVED that Councillor Thomas be elected Vice-Chair of the Authority until its next annual meeting.

Attached.

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Authority (Budget) meeting held on 19 February 2021 be signed as a correct record.

Attached.

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Extraordinary Authority meeting held on 20 April 2021 be signed as a correct record.

Report of the Director of Governance & Digital Services (DSFRA/21/12) attached.

The Authority considered a report of the Director of Governance & Digital Services (DSFR21/12) on the latest review of the Authority’s constitutional governance framework documents. The report identified each of the documents (e.g. Standing Orders; Financial Regulations; Scheme of Delegations) comprising the framework. While all the documents had been subject to minor, consequential amendments linked, for example, to more accurate alignment of responsibilities to roles (Monitoring Officer etc.), more substantial revisions had been made to some of the documents as identified in the appendices to the report.

RESOLVED

      (a).      that the minor, consequential changes to the Authority’s constitutional governance framework documents as indicated in paragraph 2.2 of report DSFRA/21/12 be endorsed;

      (b).      that the following be approved:

(i).       those changes to the constitutional governance documents as listed in Appendix A to the report, subject to:

A.     paragraph 3.4 (new) of the Corporate Governance Code being amended by the additional of a final sentence “This will be subject to regular review”; and

B.     paragraph 3.5 (new) of the Corporate Governance Code being amended by the addition of a final sentence “Performance will be monitored regularly by the relevant Committee”;

(ii).      the revised Committee Terms of Reference as set out at Appendix B to the report, subject to:

A.     the addition of the following, advisory, clause to the Terms of Reference of the Audit & Governance Committee:

“to keep under review the Authority’s governance structure, recommending changes to the full Authority as required”;

B.     replacement, in the Terms of Reference for the People Committee, Point 2, Advisory issues, of the words “equality and fairness” by the words “equality, diversity and inclusion”; and

C.     the addition, to Advisory issues Point 1 of the Terms of Reference for the Community Safety, People and Resources Committees of the words “and associated performance measures” after the words “Strategic Policy Objectives” in each case;

(iii).    the revised Members’ Code of Conduct as set out at Appendix C to the report;

(iv).    the document “Accountabilities, Roles and Responsibilities of Members and Officers of the Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Authority as set out in Appendix D to the report;

      (c).      that the Clerk be authorised to publish all revised constitutional governance framework documents on the website; and

      (d).      that the Clerk be authorised to make consequential amendments to the Authority's approved Pay Policy Statement 2021-22 arising from the approved changes in the constitutional governance documents and to publish the revised Statement on the website.

Report of the Director of Governance & Digital Services (DSFRA/21/13) attached.

The Authority considered a report of the Director of Governance & Digital Services (DSFRA/21/13) to which was appended a Schedule of proposed Authority appointments to committees etc. and outside bodies for the 2021-22 municipal year (i.e. until the next Authority annual meeting).

RESOLVED

      (a).      that the following appointments be made to Authority Committees etc. and outside bodies, the term of office to be until the Authority’s next annual meeting unless otherwise indicated:

Audit & Governance Committee (9 Members)

Councillors Brazil, Dr. Buchan, Healey MBE, Napper, Parker-Khan, Prowse, Roome, Thomas and Vijeh.

Community Safety Committee (7 Members)

Councillors Biederman, Chesterton, Corvid, McGeough, Parker-Khan, Radford and Redman.

People Committee (7 Members)

Councillors Best, Bown, Brazil, Clayton, Hannaford, Peart and Thomas.

Resources Committee (7 Members)

Councillors Coles, Drean, Long, McGeough, Peart, Radford and Shayer.

Appointments & Disciplinary Committee (4 Members)

Authority Chair and Councillors Best, Hannaford and Thomas.

Appeals Committee (4 Members)

Councillors Dr. Buchan, Napper, Scott and Vijeh.

Scheme Manager Appointments to Local Pensions Board

Councillor Thomas (to serve a four-year term of office in accordance with the Board’s Terms of Reference and subject to confirmation at subsequent Authority annual meetings and continued membership of the Authority).

Authority Treasurer (to serve a four-year term of office in accordance with the Board’s Terms of Reference).

Equality and Diversity Member Champion

Councillor Redman.

Climate Change and Sustainability Member Champions

Councillors Dr. Buchan and Clayton.

Local Government Association Fire Commission

Authority Chair and Coles.

Local Government Association General Assembly

Authority Chair (exercising one Corporate and one Service vote) and Councillors Bown, Redman and Thomas (each exercising one Service vote).

(NOTE:  The General Assembly is held annually. Actual attendance by an Authority Member, as an approved duty, is subject to the inclusion of fire and rescue specific items in the business to be discussed). 

South West Councils

Authority Chair

South West Provincial Council

Chair, People Committee.

      (b).      that, in accordance with Standing Orders, the following appointments be made to Committee Chair and Vice Chair positions until the Authority’s next annual meeting:

Audit & Governance Committee

Chair Councillor Healey MBE

Vice-Chair Councillor Prowse

Community Safety Committee

Chair Councillor Chesterton

Vice-Chair Councillor Radford

People Committee

Chair Councillor Bown

Vice-Chair Councillor Clayton

Resources Committee

Chair Councillor Peart

Vice-Chair Councillor Drean

Appointments & Disciplinary Committee

Chair Authority Chair

Appeals Committee

Chair Councillor Scott.

      (c).     that, in relation to the appointment of two Authority Member Non-Executive Directors to the Board of Red One Ltd.:

(i).    the Clerk be authorised to undertake an appropriate process to identify appropriate candidates; and

(ii).   the Appointments & Disciplinary Committee be delegated authority to determine the eventual appointment.

Report of the Director of Governance & Digital Services (DSFRA/21/14) attached.

The Authority considered a report of the Director of Governance & Digital Services (DSFRA/21/14) to which was appended a draft Authority Calendar of Meetings for the 2021-22 municipal year.

RESOLVED that the Authority Calendar of Meetings 2021-22 be approved subject to:

(a).  confirmation in due course of the revised time and date for the July 2021 meeting of the People Committee (indicative date: Friday 23 July 2021); and

(b).  consideration of bringing forward to April 2022 the meetings of the Audit & Governance and People Committees scheduled for May 2022.