Agenda item

Report of the Assistant Chief Fire Officer – Service Delivery (CSC/23/8) attached.

The Committee received for information a report of the Director of Service Delivery (CSC/23/8) on performance by the Service in Quarter 1 of the 2023-24 financial year against those Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) associated with the following two Strategic Priorities:

Strategic Priority 1: “Our targeted prevention and protection activities will reduce the risks in our communities, improving health, safety and wellbeing and supporting the local economy”; and

Strategic Priority 2: “Our operational resources will provide an effective emergency response to meet the local and national risks identified in our Community Risk Management Plan”.

The performance status of the Service KPIs was based on the following criteria:

Performance in Quarter 1 of 2023-24 was as summarised below:

The KPIs with a status of “needs improvement” were:

·       KPI 1.2.2.2 – Number of non-domestic fire fatalities; and

·       KPI 2.1.4.2 – Percentage of operational risk information in date - level 4 tactical plans.

The report identified the main factors behind the ability to deliver the expected level of performance together with actions intended to secure improvement in both areas.  Exception reports were also included within the appendix to report CSC/23/8.

In debating the report, the following points were raised:

·       KPI 1.2.2.2. - fire fatality non-domestic – this involved a fire in outbuildings so it was classed as non-domestic but it was an unusual situation;

·       KPI 2.1.4.2. – it was noted that this was a legacy situation arising from the Covid. Pandemic but that good progress was being made to bring this back on target;

·       The Assistant Chief Fire Officer – Service Delivery – would be submitting details of revised KPIs that had been discussed recently by the Executive Board to the Committee for consideration.

The Committee enquired as to whether there was a full list of KPIs available.  The Assistant Chief Fire Officer – Service Delivery - stated there were additional KPIs not listed in this report.  As indicated above, a full list of the revised KPIs would be submitted to the Committee at the next meeting. 

Reference was made to the targets for Emergency Response (ERS) times and whether issues such as rurality had been factored in.  The Assistant Chief Fire Officer – Service Delivery - responded that there used to be national standards for response times which changed in 2005 when such matters were devolved locally for consideration in accordance with risk factors.  The University of Exeter had undertaken research on behalf of Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service some years back which indicated that a 10-minute response for urban areas and 15 minutes for rural areas was appropriate.  This was being reviewed, however, and the Committee would be apprised of  the revised measures being considered.  The Committee welcomed the work being undertaken on a review of the ERS.  The Assistant Chief Fire Officer – Service Delivery - stated that he hoped to elicit more root level data to inform the response as a result of the work being undertaken that would then be utilised to improve performance.  The Committee asked if there could be a comparison with similar rural fire and rescue services when considering response standards.  The Assistant Chief Fire Officer – Service Delivery -  advised that this work had been undertaken and would be shared with the Committee in due course.

RESOLVED

          (a).     That the work on Emergency Response Standards be                               considered at a future meeting of the Committee;

          (b).     That a report on the revised Key Performance Indicators be                     submitted to the next meeting of the Committee; and

          (c).     Subject to (a). and (b). above, the report be noted.

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