Memorandum by Cumbria Fire & Rescue
Authority (FRS 32)
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 At this time of unprecedented change,
Cumbria Fire & Rescue Authority welcomes the opportunity that
the Select Committee is taking to examine progress on Fire &
Rescue Service reform.
1.2 Cumbria has embraced the modernisation
agenda and believes that its Fire & Rescue Service has been
at the forefront of a range of initiatives. However, the sheer
scale and pace of reform is of concern. That concern is increased
when you consider the different starting position of many individual
fire and rescue authorities and particularly the issues surrounding
the differing governance models that exist. That different starting
point will, in a number of cases, affect the ability to move both
resources from intervention to prevention and achieve the level
of efficiency savings required by Government.
2. REGIONAL CONTROLS
AND FIRELINK
2.1 The Fire & Rescue Authority acknowledges
the clear requirement within the National Framework document to
deliver the Regional Control project. There are, however, genuine
concerns over several aspects of the project, not least the public
belief that the rural nature of Cumbria has not been adequately
addressed. This is exacerbated by the distance of the proposed
Control from Cumbria and which has undoubtedly raised real fears
in the minds of ordinary people.
2.2 The full business case has not yet been
made available to individual fire and rescue authorities, which
add to those genuine concerns outlined above. At no stage yet
has it been demonstrated that this project represents value for
money for the people of Cumbria.
2.3 There is already slippage within the
project and if the timescale for the North West of 2008 is to
go back further, then Cumbria Fire & Rescue Authority will
be unable to maintain its existing Command & Control system.
An approach has been made to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister
(ODPM) asking that if this does happen then could the costs of
a replacement Command & Control system be considered under
New Burdens funding. If we are to finance a replacement Command
& Control system ourselves, then it would not deliver best
value simply because the lifespan that we would obtain from it
would be extremely limited due to the move to a Regional Control.
We understand that this request has been refused following replies
to individual Members of Parliament who had supported out submission.
2.4 There are increasing concerns following
the announcement by Government that the preferred governance model
for the new Regional Fire Control is to be a local authority company
and that this must be established by Spring 2006. There are a
number of risks in doing this for individual authorities, particularly
in relation to financial obligations and aspects of the European
Procurement Directive.
2.5 The Human Resource aspects of this project
are also ambiguous and there is a distinct lack of clarity. This
Authority is committed to its staff but it is impossible to provide
them with any information. Now that the location of the North
West Control is known and, taking into account the distances involved,
there is a realistic possibility of redundancies.
2.6 The Authority is also greatly concerned
about the continuing slippage to the Firelink project. The decision
by Government to procure a national system is to be commended.
However, the continuing delays with this project will now result
in this Authority having to incur the financial burden of investing
in the existing radio infrastructure which is becoming increasingly
unreliable. The existing system was shared with Cumbria Police
who have now moved to Airwave and the entire cost of that existing
system have now fallen to this Authority. That will result in
additional costs of around £100,000 per annum for the next
three years together with the whole costs of decommissioning in
Year 3. Again, this was submitted to the Office of the Deputy
Prime Minister to be considered under New Burdens and we understanding
that request has been refused. These additional costs, together
with the potential costs of replacement elements of the Command
& Control system (para 2.3) are not one that this Authority
has brought about and it is extremely difficult for Members to
justify in terms of best value this additional expenditure for
local Council Tax payers for what are obsolete systems. The Government
should give greater considerations to New Burdens funding for
where these two important projects of a Regional Control and Firelink
are impacting financially on individual authorities.
2.7 There must be greater consultation and
clarity from Government with individual authorities. If these
vital projects are to be delivered in a timely and cost effective
manner, then the Government must recognise this position and should
not impose additional costs at a local level.
3. GOVERNANCE
3.1 The differing governance models do not
best serve the needs of the Fire and Rescue Service in this country.
3.2 Cumbria County Council, as the Fire
& Rescue Authority, are acutely aware of the difficulties
of adequately funding its Fire & Rescue Service against the
need to passport Education funding, the requirement to establish
Childrens and Adult Services at this time, together with other
competing demands of the County Council.
3.3 Those competing demands are not faced
by stand-alone fire and rescue authorities. To an extent the outcome
of the recent Fire Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA)
reflected that capacity and funding are real issues for some fire
and rescue services who are still part of a County Council.
3.4 That position also impacts upon the
Regional Management Board and the ability of a County Council
Service to play a full role in certain aspects of joint working.
If we take the example of procurement, Cumbria Fire & Rescue
Service is part of a much larger organisation than all of the
remaining fire and rescue authorities within the Region put together.
Through being part of a County Council, the fire & rescue
service is tied to corporate contracts which deliver best value
to the organisation as a whole. Other than joining with the other
fire & rescue services for the procurement of specialist equipment
it is not cost effective to step outside of those County Council
contracts.
3.5 That is also the position in relation
to the provision of Legal Services, Human Resources, ICT and Property.
This effectively leaves us as the only County Council Fire &
Rescue Service within the Region on the periphery of some aspects
of joint working within the Regional Management Board.
4. FINANCE
4.1 The funding formula for the Fire &
Rescue Service in this country has, to a degree, disproportionately
rewarded the more urban services at the expense of largely rural
retained services. To an extent the current formula rewards similar
aspects twice over whilst aspects of sparsity are not included.
4.2 That position is exacerbated for a Service
such as Cumbria who, as part of a County Council, have to compete
for scarce resources and who unlike the majority of fire &
rescue authorities are not a precepting authority in their own
right.
4.3 The Audit Commission made reference
during the recent CPA for Cumbria Fire & Rescue Authority
that it had to operate within tight financial constraints and
meagre resources. A largely retained service does not have a similar
ability to move resources from intervention to prevention or to
achieve the level of efficiency savings required by Government
as a more urban fire and rescue service with large numbers of
Regular firefighters.
4.4 Reference was made in the opening paragraphs
of this submission to the different starting points of individual
fire and rescue services in relation to the modernising agenda.
Where authorities started from a low financial base and had already
embarked upon aspects of modernisation and the re-direction of
efficiencies prior to the industrial action, then they are as
a consequence at a disadvantage when additional efficiencies are
now required.
4.5 That financial position has been significantly
worsened by the recent changes to the funding of both existing
and the new pension schemes for the fire and rescue service.
4.6 It is acknowledged that changes had
to be made to the pension scheme and the ability finally for retained
firefighters to join the new scheme, is to be applauded.
4.7 What should have been a cost neutral
change to the funding mechanism has resulted in potential oncosts
to this authority in the revenue budget for 2006-07 of up to £1
million.
4.8 Verbal assurances had been provided
by the ODPM that the impact of retained firefighters joining the
new pension scheme would be reflected in the funding mechanism.
That impact, together with the changes to the existing scheme,
have undoubtedly not been reflected in the grant settlement for
this Authority and will have to be borne by local Council Tax
payers with no visible improvement to levels of service.
4.9 These unprecedented oncosts will clearly
affect a service that the Audit Commission stated was already
operating within tight financial constraints. In light of what
can only be described as a financial hammer blow, it is difficult
to see how this Authority can possibly invest further resources
in its Fire & Rescue Service at this time in order to improve
service delivery and to take forward the reform agenda. Unlike
many urban fire and rescue services, there is little scope that
these costs can be offset through reducing the number of Regular
firefighters. In financial terms the reform agenda has impacted
disproportionately on the citizens of Cumbria.
5. RETAINED
5.1 The reform agenda and the demands upon
the Service in terms of community safety, civil contingencies
and additional statutory duties for the fire and rescue service,
have immense implications for the retained service.
5.2 Around 60% of fire cover in this country
is provided by retained firefighters. Yet the basis of their employment
and reward mechanism remain an anachronism.
5.3 There has to be recognition by Government
of the vital role of the retained service and the extent that
large areas of this country is dependent upon them. If the Fire
& Rescue Service is increasingly expected to fulfil a civil
protection role, then increased levels of investment in recruitment,
retention and training must be provided.
5.4 Cumbria, as many other rural fire and
rescue services, are experiencing real difficulties in recruiting
and retaining retained firefighters. Increasing levels of commitment
required to meet training and health and safety requirements of
a modern emergency service, a changing culture away from intervention
to prevention are placing significant demands upon our part time
workforce and their conditions of service have not kept pace with
the reform agenda.
5.5 A number of services are looking at
alternative methods of payment for their retained firefighters
and are looking to move to a salaried scheme which rewards cover
provided rather than being based on response to incidents. Such
a move will also reflect the change in society where greater emphasis
is now placed upon leisure time and where people do not want to
be tied for significant periods of time and which at present form
a fundamental element of any retained firefighter contract. Such
changes of employment have to be a priority if the cultural change
from intervention to prevention is to be achieved and if we are
to ensure the basic provision of fire cover in many areas.
5.6 The ability to bring that about has
not been assisted in the changes to the funding mechanism of the
pension scheme. As a result the people of Cumbria will see additional
oncosts for no improvement in service delivery.
6. JOINT WORKING
WITH OTHER
EMERGENCY SERVICES
6.1 The recent Government announcement for
the restructuring of the Police and Ambulance Services in this
country will have undoubtedly moved their focus away from areas
of joint working. It is hoped that the Government can complete
this process as quickly as possible to allow partnership and collaboration
between the emergency services to again move forward. The advent
of Local Area Agreements gives even greater impetus to that joint
working.
7. CONCLUSION
7.1 The terms of reference of the Select
Committee, as set out, is to examine the implications for citizens
and the Fire & Rescue Service of the reform agenda and to
gauge progress at this time of unprecedented change. We would
ask that the Government recognise and address the issues included
within this submission and that in moving this agenda forward
also recognise that there is a fundamental difference between
the governance models of fire and rescue authorities in this country
and the financial basis upon which they operate. We believe that
there is a growing understanding by Government of those issues
and of the unique difficulties facing many retained rural fire
and rescue services and for the citizens they serve. We also believe
that if the reform agenda is to succeed then there has to be more
openness and consultation between all parties.
Only through partnership and an open dialogue
will we achieve the level of change required.
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