Agenda item

The Council shares the concerns of the North Wales Fire and Rescue Authority to protect both the preventative and responsive services as far as possible.  The Council requests the Fire Authority to review further the scope for efficiency savings and reductions in non-statutory services expenditure, to be open to financial scrutiny and challenge towards maximising ‘Value for Money’ and reduction of overhead costs whilst providing the same or better level of protection to the residents of Flintshire, to offset any increase in the levy to be met by the constituent North Wales Councils.

The Chief Executive presented the report for Council to determine its response to the consultation document of the North Wales Fire and Rescue Service Your Services, Your Choices.  He provided background information and advised that the consultation paper outlined three options for the future.  The first was a continued ‘freeze’ in the Authority’s annual budget; the second was a reduction in the Authority’s annual budget at a level similar to the reductions being felt by the constituent councils themselves; the third was a gradual increase in the Authority’s budget to protect services.  Council was invited to review the options and provide feedback to the Fire Authority.  The deadline for response to the consultation was 9 January 2015.

            Councillor Aaron Shotton proposed the following hybrid option. The proposition was seconded by Councillor Bernie Attridge. 

“That the Council shares the concerns of the North Wales Fire and Rescue Authority to protect both the preventative and responsive services as far as possible.  The Council requests the Fire Authority to review further the scope for efficiency savings and reductions in non-statutory services expenditure to offset any increase in the levy to be met by the constituent North Wales Councils”.

            Councillor Shotton spoke of his concerns on the unprecedented financial challenges facing local government and acknowledged the financial pressures on the Fire Authority.  He said there was a need to ensure that everything possible was done to find internal efficiencies and that one of the purposes of the informal Council session held on 9 September 2014 was for senior officers of the Fire and Rescue Service to demonstrate how the Fire Authority had maximised the opportunities for making cost efficiencies and to evidence that there was no scope for further efficiencies prior to reviewing station cover and ‘front line’ and preventative services.  Councillor Shotton expressed the view that there was not sufficient evidence this had been exhausted.  He suggested that the Fire Authority provided further information regarding the internal efficiencies achieved and commented that it may be possible to gain further reductions in operational management.     

            Councillor Richard Jones spoke in support of the hybrid option but asked that the following additional wording be included in the proposition: “To be open to financial scrutiny and challenge towards maximising ‘Value for Money’ and reduction of overhead costs whilst providing the same or better level of protection to the residents of Flintshire”.  Councillor Shotton agreed that the additional wording could be incorporated.  Councillor Jones also asked that the item be submitted for consideration by scrutiny before the budget was set by the Fire Authority.

            Councillor Mike Peers supported the views expressed by Councillor Shotton.  He referred to the Consultation document which was appended to the report and the examples of support services undertaken by staff ‘behind the scenes’.  He commented on the need to look “closely” at the cost of all services and consider if any opportunities existed for collaborative working.

Councillor Colin Legg emphasised the need not  to pursue financial efficiencies to the detriment of protecting the services provided by the Fire Authority.  He commented on the need to be prepared for any eventuality concerning fire and praised the role and responsibilities of firefighters who put their lives at risk when called upon to deal with serious events.  Members concurred with the sentiments expressed by Councillor Legg in praise of firefighters.    

Councillor Owen Thomas said the North Wales Fire and Rescue Authority had already undertaken phases of efficiencies and cost reduction in recent years to avoid seeking increases in its levy.  He referred to the valuable work undertaken by the Fire Authority to raise awareness and educate people about keeping safe and fire prevention, and the emergency response services.  He said he would not wish to see a loss in any of those services. 

Councillor Hilary Isherwood emphasised the importance of maintaining Fire Authority services in rural areas. 

Councillor Hilary McGuill referred to the range of  services provided by the Fire Authority as outlined in the consultation document.  She commented on the assistance provided by the Fire Authority in response to road traffic collisions and said that other emergency services made a charge against insurance companies to recover their costs. 

            Members were asked to vote on the proposition put forward by Councillor Aaron Shotton incorporating the additional wording of Councillor Richard Jones.  On being put to the vote the proposition was carried.

RESOLVED:

The Council shares the concerns of the North Wales Fire and Rescue Authority to protect both the preventative and responsive services as far as possible.  The Council requests the Fire Authority to review further the scope for efficiency savings and reductions in non-statutory services expenditure, to be open to financial scrutiny and challenge towards maximising ‘Value for Money’ and reduction of overhead costs whilst providing the same or better level of protection to the residents of Flintshire, to offset any increase in the levy to be met by the constituent North Wales Councils.