Agenda, decisions and minutes

Councillors Brian Dunn, Ian Dunbar, and Mike Reece declared a personal interest in agenda item 4 on the Phoenix Project as they were Members of the North Wales Fire & Rescue Authority

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the last meeting.

That the minutes be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman. 

The minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 20 January 2014, were submitted.

Presentation by the British Red Cross

The Member Engagement Manger advised that a meeting had been held with the Cabinet Member for Social Services, Chairman of the Committee, and the Director of Community Services, to raise awareness of the ‘Home from Hospital’ scheme and Red Cross preventative services.   He reported that information about the services would be included in local community newsletters/publications as soon as the necessary arrangements were in place.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman. 

That the presentation be noted.

The Chairman welcomed and introduced Mr. Eryl Owen, Phoenix Coordinator, and Mr. Brian Williams, Community Safety Team Manager, North Wales Fire & Rescue Service, and invited them to give a presentation on the Phoenix Project.

The Member Engagement Manager read out a prepared statement from Councillor Hilary McGuill, a member of the North Wales Fire & Rescue Authority, which communicated her support for the Phoenix Project.   

Mr. Owen provided background information and gave an overview of the aims, objectives and benefits of the Project to the Fire & Rescue Service and the general public.  The main points of the presentation were:

·        Phoenix 1 – Teamwork

·        Phoenix 2 – Leadership

·        Other Phoenix interventions

·        Figures for 2013/14

·        Criteria for potential Phoenix participants

·        All Wales Evaluations

·        Partnership Working

·        North Wales Police

·        Fixers

·        Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEETs)

The Chairman thanked Mr. Owen for an informative presentation and invited Members to raise questions.

Councillor Ian Dunbar referred to the Phoenix schemes and asked what measures were in place to support youngsters when they had completed their courses.  Mr. Owen explained that there was a 12 month period of evaluation for students following the course and referred to the opportunities for further development that were offered by the Service and in partnership with other bodies.

In response to the question concerning how youngsters gained access to the  Phoenix Project, Mr. Owen highlighted the work undertaken to engage with education in Primary and Secondary schools.  He also referred to the collaborative work carried out with North Wales Police to reduce arson related incidents and break down barriers, the Youth Justice Service, Welsh Ambulance Service, and local community Youth Clubs.  Mr. Owen explained that prior to commencement on the Phoenix courses Fire Officers met with students to provide background information and explain the expectations and aspirations of the Service.  He said it was exceptional for someone not to take up the opportunity and commented on the positive benefits for individuals in terms of improved self esteem and confidence, responsibility, discipline, respect, trust, command, control, and leadership skills.  He said students also gained greater awareness of health and safety issues and an understanding of the consequences of their own actions.

The Chairman thanked Mr. Owen and Mr. Williams for their detailed and informative presentation and responses to Members’ questions and also expressed his support for the Phoenix Project. 

That the presentation be noted.

(a)       That the report be noted; and

(b)       That Members be invited to submit written questions to the Member Engagement Manager, who will arrange for written answers to be provided.

The Member Engagement Manager introduced a report to note and consider elements of the 2013/14 Mid Year Improvement Plan Monitoring Report relevant to the Committee.  The report covered the period October to December 2013.  The Committee was asked to note the following:

• The levels of progress and confidence in meeting with Council’s Improvement Priorities and their impacts including the milestones achieved.
• The measures which evidenced achievement and the baseline data and targets.
• The baseline risk assessment for the strategic risks identified in the Improvement Plan and the arrangements to control them.

The Member Engagement Manager advised that the Improvement Plan sub-priority report on Community Safety was appended to the report for the Committee’s consideration.  The Chairman invited Members to raise questions.   

The Member Engagement Manager invited Members to forward any subsequent questions they wished to raise following the meeting directly to him.   

RESOLVED:

(a)       That the report be noted; and

(b)       That Members be invited to submit written questions to the Member Engagement Manager, who will arrange for written answers to be provided.

That the Forward Work Programme be agreed.

The Member Engagement Manager introduced the Forward Work Programme of the Committee.  He referred to the next meeting of the Committee to be held on 28 April 2014, and advised that following a suggestion put forward by Councillor Carolyn Thomas it had been agreed that an item on Post Office Modernisation be included on the agenda for the meeting.

Referring to the meeting of the Committee to be held on 9 June 2014, the Member Engagement Manager asked Members to note that the time of the meeting had been changed to 2.00pm to accommodate attendance of a representative of the Flintshire Credit Union.   He also asked that Members  agree to the meeting of the Committee to be held on 7 July 2014 being held at 2.00pm on Thursday, 10 July 2014.    

The Member Engagement Manager explained that there was no further information to report from the Welsh Government on the implementation of Section 59 Local Government (Wales) Measure 2011.

RESOLVED:

That the Forward Work Programme be agreed.

There were no members of the public or press in attendance.