Agenda and minutes

To elect a Chair to serve until the Authority’s Annual Meeting in 2023.

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 2023.

(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 Cook-Woodman be elected Vice-Chair of the Authority until its next annual meeting.

of the previous, budget, meeting held on 21 February 2022 attached.

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Authority (Budget) meeting held on 22 February 2022 be signed as a correct record.

Report of the Director of Governance & Digital Services (DSFRA/22/10) attached.

The Authority considered a report of the Director of Governance & Digital Services (DSFRA/22/10) 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. The Authority had approved substantial changes to several of the documents at its last annual meeting (Minute DSFRA/21/4 refers).

The latest review had not identified any substantial changes albeit that a clarificatory amendment to Financial Regulations (dealing with approvals delegated to the Chief Fire Officer in relation to pensions schemes) was proposed.

It was also acknowledged that the recently published White Paper “Reforming our Fire and Rescue Service” could have implications requiring further amendment to certain of the documents (e.g. Scheme of Delegations) in due course.

RESOLVED

(a).     that the clarifying revision to Financial Regulations as set out at Section 3 of report DSFRA/22/10 be approved;

(b).     that, subject to (a) above, the Authority’s constitutional governance framework documents as listed at paragraph 1.1 of the report be endorsed; and

(c).     that the Clerk be authorised to publish the documents (revised as necessary) on the Authority website.

Report of the Director of Governance & Digital Services (DSFRA/22/11) attached.

The Authority considered a report of the Director of Governance & Digital Services (DSFRA/22/11) to which was appended a Schedule of proposed Authority appointments to committees etc. and outside bodies for the 2022-23 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)

Community Safety Committee (7 Members)

People Committee (7 Members)

Resources Committee (7 Members)

Appointments & Disciplinary Committee (4 Members)

Appeals Committee (4 Members)

Equality and Diversity Member Champion

Councillor Trail BEM

Climate Change and Sustainability Member Champions

Councillor Clayton.

Local Government Association Fire Commission

Authority Chair and Councillor Coles.

Local Government Association General Assembly

Authority Chair (exercising one Corporate and one Service vote) and Councillors Cook-Woodman, McGeough and Roome (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 Brazil

Vice-Chair Councillor Partridge

Community Safety Committee

Chair Councillor Chesterton

Vice-Chair Councillor Biederman

People Committee

Chair Councillor Hannaford

Vice-Chair Councillor Clayton

Resources Committee

Chair Councillor Peart

Vice-Chair Councillor Drean

Appointments & Disciplinary Committee

Chair Authority Chair

Vice-Chair Councillor Best

Appeals Committee

Chair Power

Report of the Director of Governance & Digital Services (DSFRA/22/12) attached.

The Authority considered a report of the Director of Governance & Digital Services (DSFRA/22/12) to which was appended a draft Authority Calendar of Meetings for the 2022-23 municipal year.

RESOLVED

(a).  that, for the Audit & Governance Committee meeting proposed for Friday 22 July 2022, the Clerk be delegated authority to amend the time of the meeting from 14.00 to 10.00, subject to this being viable;

(b).  that, subject to (a) above, the Authority Calendar of Meetings 2022-23 be approved.