Issue - meetings

To consider a proposal to change the governance of the fire and rescue service in Cambridgeshire.

(Portfolio Holder: Cllr Mrs A Dickinson)

That Option 3, the governance option, of the Police and Crime Commissioner’s (PCC) Fire Governance Consultation be supported: The Fire Authority is replaced by the Police and Crime Commissioner who becomes the new Fire Authority as a corporation sole. This is referred to as a “PCC style FRA”. The PCC would become the “Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner”.

The Chairman announced that he proposed to admit the following urgent item in accordance with Section 100B (3) (b) of the Local Government Act 1972 given there was a need an urgent decision being required.

Executive Councillors were invited to consider a report by the Head of Community to which was appended the Consultation on Fire Governance, Background Information provided by the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) and Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Fire Authority’s Response (copies of which are appended in the Minute Book). The Cambridgeshire Police and Crime Commissioner had been consulting on the proposal to change the governance of the fire and rescue service in Cambridgeshire. This follows Government legislation to promote greater joint working between emergency service organisations.

The Chairman of the Fire Authority County Councillor K Reynolds was invited to address the Cabinet on the matter after which the Cambridgeshire Police and Crime Commissioner District Councillor J Ablewhite was further invited to address Cabinet. Having heard arguments from both parties, a number of questions were put forward to both representatives.

The Cabinet considered that it was appropriate to respond to the Consultation on behalf of the Council as recommended by Overview and Scrutiny, whereupon it was

RESOLVED

that Option 3, the governance option, of the Police and Crime Commissioner’s (PCC) Fire Governance Consultation be supported: The Fire Authority is replaced by the Police and Crime Commissioner who becomes the new Fire Authority as a corporation sole. This is referred to as a “PCC style FRA”. The PCC would become the “Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner”.

Jason Ablewhite, Cambridgeshire Police and Crime Commissioner, will be in attendance to discuss the Fire Governance Consultation.

The Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), Jason Ablewhite, was in attendance to addressed the Panel and inform them of his Fire Governance Consultation. Members were informed that the Government have amended legislation to allow Police and Crime Commissioners to take on the governance of the Fire Service. The legislation provides four options relating to fire governance: the no change option, the representation option, the governance option and the single employer option.

The PCC stated that he has been working closely with the Fire Authority on governance and they have been fully involved with the process. The Panel was informed that the PCC and three members of the Fire Authority decided to hire PA Consulting in order to put together a Business Case. The consultant recommended option three, the governance option.

An eight week consultation is now in progress and in the opinion of the Police and Crime Commissioner there are significant benefits of fire governance coming under the remit of the PCC.

The PCC highlighted the potential savings from the better use of the fire and police estates by explaining to Members the current collaboration over the location of the Fire Service Headquarters and the relocation of the Fire Service’s training facility to the Police training centre at Monks Wood.

The PCC expects that there will be opposition from Cambridgeshire County Council, however he believes that change is required. Every other PCC with the exception of Bedfordshire is pursing the governance option.

In response to the question, what risks that had been identified, the Panel was informed that the biggest risk was lack of staff buy in. There is an option to have one Chief Officer across both services however the PCC believes that the option is not practical and that the staff wouldn’t buy into it.

Concern was raised that the Parish Councils are not receiving the information on the Fire Governance consultation, however the PCC stated the Parish Councils are receiving the information however the consultation has only just begun.

Following a question, Members were informed that if the Fire Authority was abolished it would save £108k per annum. The PCC recognised that his office does cost more than the previous Police Authority however he has more responsibility. In response to the question, would he take on a deputy for the governance of the Fire Service, the Panel was informed that he wouldn’t but he would appoint an assistant commissioner on a part time basis.

In response to the criticism from the Fire Authority, the PCC stated that it is not surprising they are criticising the plans as they are not keen to give up their allowances and responsibilities.

Following concerns that the governance will be in the hands of one individual and that the PCC wasn’t elected at the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, the Panel was informed that the current PCC stood on the platform of taking on the governance of the fire service and that the next PCC election will be in 2020. The PCC  ...  view the full minutes text for item 24