Issue - meetings

(a)       That the Committee supports the four objectives set out in the North Wales Fire & Rescue Authority consultation document; and

(b)       That the Member Engagement Manager be authorised to respond to the consultation accordingly. 

The Member Engagement Manager introduced Councillor Peter Lewis (Deputy Chair), Simon Smith (Chief Fire Officer) and Ruth Simmons (Assistant Chief Fire Officer) from the North Wales Fire & Rescue Authority.

                        Mr. Smith explained that instead of a powerpoint presentation, a short video had been prepared, which was played for the Committee, to provide information on the issues that the Authority was consulting on.  The proposed objectives from the video were:-

·         Objective 1 – Keep people and communities safe by preventing deaths and injuries from accidental fires in living accommodation

·         Objective 2 – develop a three year financial strategy in which freezing the budget will be a central principle

·         Objective 3 - rebalance our resources to match risk

·         Objective 4 – we will explore opportunities to diversify and offer additional services to the public of North Wales

In providing background to the consultation, Mr. Smith said that in 2006/07, more than ten people died in fires in domestic dwellings and in 2014/15 there had only been two fatalities, both of whom were at the same incident.  In October 2006, North Wales had been at the bottom of a league table and was the least safest place to live in but since then, there had been a shift over the last ten years to put resources into the prevention of fires, and as a result the number of fire calls had reduced by 50%.  Mr. Smith advised that prevention did work but cost money and both National Government and Welsh Government had commented that there was 50% less demand but the service had the same resources as ten years ago.  He commented on a pilot project through the National Joint Council for the Fire & Rescue Service to co-respond to certain categories of incident alongside the Ambulance Service and the pilot scheme was due to commence in December 2015.      

The Chairman thanked Mr. Smith for the presentation.

Councillor Paul Shotton spoke of the admiration of the public for the Fire Service in North Wales.  He spoke of the concern of a suggestion by National Government that the Police & Crime Commissioners in England take over the Fire & Rescue Service, which he hoped would not be replicated in Wales.  Councillor Shotton spoke of the issue of flooding and commented on ways to expand the service and the importance of fire prevention.  He felt that £46 per resident for the service was good value.  He welcomed the suggestion to freeze the budget for three years but queried whether recruitment was an area of concern.  He also welcomed the proposals for certain number of ‘crewing groups’ depending on times of lower or higher risk and felt that this would be an improvement.  Councillor Shotton also looked forward to the official opening of the new fire station in Deeside. 

In response, Mr. Smith explained that it had been suggested that the Police & Crime Commissioners in England take over the governance of the Fire & Rescue Authority and in Wales, it would be for the Welsh Government Ministers to decide if  ...  view the full minutes text for item 48