Agenda and draft minutes
PDF 202 KBVenue: Ashcombe Suite, County Hall, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey KT1 2DN
Contact: Victoria White or Rianna Hanford
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APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE AND SUBSTITUTIONS
Additional documents: Minutes: Apologies were received from Jan Mason, Denise Saliagopoulos, Yvonna Lay and Chris Pitt.
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MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING: 18 May 2015
To agree the minutes as a true record of the meeting. Additional documents: Minutes: The minutes were agreed as an accurate record of the meeting.
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DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
To receive any declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests from Members in respect of any item to be considered at the meeting.
Notes: · In line with the Relevant Authorities (Disclosable Pecuniary Interests) Regulations 2012, declarations may relate to the interest of the member, or the member’s spouse or civil partner, or a person with whom the member is living as husband or wife, or a person with whom the member is living as if they were civil partners and the member is aware they have the interest. · Members need only disclose interests not currently listed on the Register of Disclosable Pecuniary Interests. · Members must notify the Monitoring Officer of any interests disclosed at the meeting so they may be added to the Register. · Members are reminded that they must not participate in any item where they have a disclosable pecuniary interest. Additional documents: Minutes: None received.
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QUESTIONS AND PETITIONS
To receive any questions or petitions.
Notes: 1. The deadline for Member’s questions is 12.00pm four working days before the meeting (Tuesday 12 May 2015). 2. The deadline for public questions is seven days before the meeting (Monday 11 May 2015). 3. The deadline for petitions was 14 days before the meeting, and no petitions have been received. Additional documents: Minutes: None received.
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RESPONSES FROM THE CABINET TO ISSUES REFERRED BY THE SELECT COMMITTEE
There are no responses to report. Additional documents: Minutes: No responses to report.
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RECOMMENDATION TRACKER AND FORWARD WORK PROGRAMME
The Committee is asked to monitor progress on the implementation of recommendations from previous meetings, and to review its Forward Work Programme. Additional documents: Minutes: Key points raised during the discussions: 1. The Committee noted the Recommendations Tracker and Forward Work Programme. |
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EMERGENCY SERVICES COLLABORATION PROGRAMME
Additional documents: Minutes: Witnesses: Ian Thomson, Area Commander, Surrey Fire and Rescue Service Russell Pearson, Chief Fire Officer, Surrey Fire and Rescue Kay Hammond, Cabinet Associate for Community Safety Services
Key points raised during the discussions: 1. The Area Commander (AC) updated the Committee on the progress of the Emergency Services Collaboration Programme (ESCP) advising Members that the scope of the programme includes all emergency services operating in Surrey and Sussex as well as South East Coast Ambulance Service’s (SECAmb) operations in Kent. It was highlighted that the ESCP encompasses a number of initiatives designed to join up the work of the emergency services and reduce instances of duplication to save resources and includes the Blue Light Collaboration project. Members were informed that Surrey emergency services have received over £9 million from central government and Surrey County Council (SCC) in order to put in place the systems and infrastructure to support the delivery of the ESCP.
2. Further detail was provided on efforts to integrate Surrey and Sussex emergency services contact, control and dispatch functions including a reduction in the number of contact centres operated by the six partner agencies involved in the collaboration project. On the Surrey Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) specifically, it was highlighted that a Direct Electronic Information Transfer system (DEIT) has been implemented which will reduce the amount of time it takes to dispatch the SFRS when reports about a fire come through to another emergency service. In addition work has also been done to improve the flow of information about a fire to SFRS when reported to another agency so that firefighters take the correct equipment to tackle the fire.
3. The possibility of also linking Telecare with the new DEIT system was suggested by the Committee as a way of further improving the performance of control and dispatch services. The Cabinet Associate for Community Safety Services confirmed that discussions are taking place with the Strategic Director of Adult Social Care and the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care to explore how SFRS can better support the work of Adult Social Care services.
4. The Committee was also updated on the progress of the ongoing Blue Light Collaboration project and Members were advised that a plot of land has been purchased in Crawley as a site for the co-location of emergency services across Surrey and Sussex. It was advised that construction is currently underway on the development of the building that SECAmb will be moving into and that discussions are taking place with Surrey and Sussex Police Forces as well as with Sussex Fire and Rescue to explore the possibilities of also locating the control and dispatch of these agencies at the Crawley site. More information was requested on the decision to purchase this site and how the capital costs of acquiring the land were met. The AC stated that the land was purchased speculatively by SCC after being identified as a potential site for the Blue Light Collaboration project. The Cabinet Associate highlighted that this was ... view the full minutes text for item 27/15 |
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UPDATE FROM THE CHIEF FIRE OFFICER
Additional documents: Minutes: Witnesses: Russell Pearson, Chief Fire Officer, Surrey County Council
Key points raised during the discussions: 1. The Chief Fire Officer (CFO) provided an update on some of the recent developments with SFRS. In particular, information was provided on two major fires which have occurred in Surrey since the last meeting of the Communities Select Committee on 19 March 2015. The CFO advised that new training and resources had been used effectively to ensure that firefighters were able to tackle a major wildfire outside of Pirbright efficiently and without any damage to property.
2. The Committee was provided with details of the fire which took place at Clandon Park House and efforts which have been taking place to rescue as much of the interior of the building as possible. It was, however, advised that damage to the inside of the house is extensive although much of the external structure remains intact. Moreover, SFRS have managed to recover a number of Clandon Park House’s most significant artefacts although there is a need to ensure that the structure of the building is intact before any further salvage operations can take place. Members were further informed that the CFO and Cabinet Associate for Community Safety Services have met with the Director General of the National Trust and that they are writing a joint article on the recovery and restoration of historic buildings after a major fire.
· The CFO was asked whether there was any scope to use aircraft to drop water on fires such as that which took place at Clandon Park House. It was highlighted that SFRS doesn’t currently have the capability to do this but conversations are taking place with a private company that does provide this service to assess whether SFRS can add this facility to its arsenal. It is, however, extremely expensive and could cost as much as £2 million a year just to have a helicopter and its crew on standby in case of a major fire.
3. Information was provided on a host of new equipment purchased by SFRS to provide them with more flexibility in tackling different types of fire. This equipment includes 26 new Landrover Defenders with one situated at each Fire Station in the county. These can be used to respond to different types of incident, have the capability to reach locations that can’t be accessed by fire trucks, and can also reach some fires more quickly. This means that they can start tackling the fire, and ensuring the safety of the public, before the truck arrives.
4. Attention was also drawn to the refreshed Public Safety Plan being drawn up by SFRS which outlines steps to cut waste in the fire service. Members were told that the aim is to publish a first draft of Public Safety Plan by the autumn. The CFO emphasised the importance of getting the plan right and consulting widely, to ensure that SFRS is able to save money and resources without compromising public safety.
Recommendations: None Actions/ further information ... view the full minutes text for item 28/15 |
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MAGNA CARTA PROGRAMME UPDATE
Additional documents: Minutes: Witnesses: Susie Kemp, Assistant Chief Executive Peter Milton, Head of Cultural Services
Key points raised during the discussions:
Revised budget papers are attached as Appendix 1 to the minutes.
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DATE OF NEXT MEETING
The next meeting of the Committee will be held at 10.00am on Wednesday 22 July. Additional documents: Minutes: The next meeting of the Committee will be held at 10.30am on Tuesday 21 July.
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EXCLUSION OF THE PUBLIC
That under Section 100 (A) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information under the relevant paragraphs of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act. Additional documents: |
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CONFIDENTIAL VERBAL BRIEFING ON MAGNA CARTA EVENT
Additional documents: Minutes: THE FOLLOWING ITEMS OF BUSINESS WERE CONSIDERED IN PRIVATE BY THE COMMUNITIES SELECT COMMITTEE. SET OUT BELOW IS AN OVERVIEW OF THE POINTS DISCUSSED:
The Assistant Chief Executive introduced the report and tabled an updated budget which provided Members details of the costs in association with specific aspects of the event to date. Discussions took place around the set up of the venue, entertainment and the order of service for the event as well as security arrangements.
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PUBLICITY FOR PART 2 ITEMS
To consider whether the item considered under Part 2 of the agenda should be made available to the Press and public. Additional documents: |