Agenda item

Report of the Deputy Chief Fire Officer (PC/21/2) attached.

The Committee considered a report of the Deputy Chief Fire Officer (PC/21/2) that set out a proposal for a suite of measures to assist the Committee in its focus on monitoring performance against the Strategic Policy Objectives.

There were three Strategic Policy Objectives applicable to this Committee which were:

·         3(a) – ensure that the workforce was highly trained and had the capability and capacity to deliver services professionally, safely and effectively;

·         3(b) – increase the diversity of the workforce to better reflect the communities we serve, promoting inclusion and developing strong and effective leaders who ensure that we have a fair place to work where or organisational values are a lived experience; and

·         3(c) – recognise and maximise the value of all employees, particularly the commitment of on-call firefighters, improving recruitment and retention

The Deputy Chief Fire Officer advised that the measures had been mapped across to Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) strategic areas but if the Committee wished to scrutinise other areas, the Service could build this into the forward plan.

The Committee raised the following points in considering the proposed performance measures:

On strategic policy objective 3(a):

·         whether the health and safety reporting on accidents at 25% was suitable as this seemed high and the Committee may benefit from seeing the raw data;

·         if mental health associated with the Covid-19 pandemic was being looked at in the Service;

·         on operational core competence, whether the Service would be able to respond and demonstrate compliance through the performance measures set out (monitor at 95%) if asked specific questions by HMICFRS.  It was suggested that the Committee should see trends coming along so that it could ensure compliance perhaps to a higher level; and

·         whether benchmarking of sickness absence against other fire and rescue authorities was undertaken and how the Service was performing currently compared to others especially in light of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

The Deputy Chief Fire Officer replied that the Service could include the monitoring of near misses within the health and safety reporting but that this may increase numbers which was a positive step if there was a consequent reduction in accidents.  He advised that 25% was the level set by HMICFRS as to when a report would be needed.  The Service was happy to consider another figure though.  He referred to the monitoring of health and safety issues through the Strategic Safety Committee which was chaired by the Chief Fire Officer.  A full report would be submitted to the next meeting of the Committee.

In terms of core competence, the Deputy Chief Fire Officer clarified that the Service was not just reporting at 95% but, if performance fell below this, it would trigger a full report to the Committee as to why this had happened.  The Service monitored core competence at 98% in practice.

In terms of the monitoring of sickness absence, the Deputy Chief Fire Officer suggested the submission of a report to the next meeting of the Committee.  He confirmed that the Service was monitoring the positon on sickness absence closely with the Covid-19 pandemic ongoing currently.

RESOLVED

(a)        that, with the inclusion of the monitoring of near misses within       the Health and Safety reporting, the performance measures       identified in Section 2 of report PC/21/2 be approved for       monitoring progress against Strategic Priority 3 and its       associated policy objectives; and

(b)        That the proposal at paragraph 2.2 and 2.3 of report RC/21/2 for       presenting this information to future meetings be approved.