Agenda item

Purpose of report: For members to consider and comment on the services performance and report on the outcomes from the most recent Inspection carried out by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMIC).

Witnesses:

Kevin Deanus - Cabinet Member for Fire and Rescue, and Resilience

Dan Quin – Chief Fire Officer

Sally Wilson – Assistant Chief Fire Officer

Elizabeth Lacey – Head of Change

Key Discussions:

1. The Chairman asked if the Chief Fire Officer was surprised by the outcome of the inspection, specifically that seven out of eleven areas were graded by the inspectorate as requiring improvement. The Chief Fire Officer expressed disappointment but conceded that it was a fair reflection of the service. The Service had been very open and honest in briefings with the inspectorate about issues and areas for improvement and these issues were reflected back in the HMICFRS report. The Cause of Concern in protection had come as a surprise. The Chief Fire Officer offered to send the Committee a link to a BBC Surrey radio interview relating to the inspection report.

2. A Member asked what organisational or structural changes would take place following the inspection. The Head of Change noted that there no big organisational or structural changes were needed to deliver the improvements. Project management resources had been allocated to deliver the Inspection Improvement Plan. An area commander had been allocated to both protection and prevention areas, to provide enhanced strategic leadership (previously one area commander covered both protection and prevention). The Service was looking to cultivate a shared understanding and collectively work to deliver improvements. The Service was also looking to align individual performance goals with corporate performance goals.

3. A Member asked of the 24 areas identified as areas of improvement, to what extent had they been addressed. The Head of Change noted many of those actions had been identified for months and some actions even completed. Following feedback, monthly leadership forums and weekly engagement sessions to regularly discuss the outcomes of the inspection report had taken place. The Senior Leadership Team had also conducted weekly site visits to listen to feedback. The Chief Fire Officer noted that many things had been addressed and completed but that culture changes would be a long-term journey.

4. The Chairman asked if improvements on culture had come at the expense of other areas highlighted in the report. The Chief Fire Officer answered that commitment to improving culture would always remain a top priority for the service.  It was critical to retaining staff and making the Service somewhere people wanted to stay. The Service was now experiencing a lower turnover rate compared to 2020. This was a success. The Chief Fire Officer outlined improvements in the majority of KPIs in 2023 compared to previous years and noted that the Inspection Improvement Plan had had a galvanising effect on the force.

Cause of Concern

5.  A Member asked if there was a mechanism to reduce buildings in the high-risk category and if there was a national policy to reduce the level of risk. The Chief Fire Officer noted that there was not an intent to build buildings that would be classified as high risk. Risk was sometimes raised due to the level of risk to firefighters responding to the building. Premises that had higher levels of prohibition notices or eviction notices would also be classified higher.

6. A Member asked if the inspection programme had been reprioritised to focus on premises identified as high risk. The Chief Fire Officer answered yes. Premises categorised as very high risk would receive an annual visit. Over 6000 locations had been prioritised. The Member asked about the relationship between SFRS and trade union partners. The Chief Fire Officer provided reassurance that the relationship was positive. The Member noted the positive reviews of new recruits and apprentices. The Chief Fire Officer noted that there were over 100 apprentices working as part of the frontline service at SFRS.  This compared favourably to neighbouring services and was something to be proud of. 

7. A Member asked if new ways of working was required to shift from the Risk-Based Inspection Programme model to the geographic hub model. The Chief Fire Officer noted that there was slight changes to the ways of working. The Geographic model would provide inspectors with the necessary facilities to conduct their work and would enable inspectors to spend more time in communities. Inspectors had vans with mobile offices in the back so that witness statements or interviews could be conducted on the go. Mobile office options for inspectors were also being explored.

Inspection Improvement Plan

8. Chairman asked how risk sharing information was being communicated to staff. The Assistant Chief Fire Officer noted that a new Prevent and Protect IT solution was being delivered to ensure firefighters had easy access to the most up-to-date operational risk information available plus remote access via mobile laptops.

9. A Member asked how best practice was discussed between other fire services. The Assistant Chief Fire Officer noted that SFRS had very good relationships with Fire and Rescue Services in the Southeast and had opportunities to share best practices including at industry conferences.

10. A Member asked how there had only been one prosecution in the last five years and how this compared to other services. The Chief Fire Officer noted the dataset used by HMI was a year out of date and the criteria of prosecution was very high and everything must pass the ‘public interest test’. There were 5 prohibition notices active in 2022, if breached, these would lead to prosecutions.

11. The Chairman asked how the prosecution record compared to other services. The Chief Fire Officer answered that there had been 1 within since March 2022 and if it had gone up to 5 it would be in the upper second quarter of prosecutions nationally.  The Chairman noted that being on top of enforcements was a priority issue for this Committee.

12. Member asked how SFRS fell under HMI’s expectation of ‘out of hours’ (OOO) provisions. The Chief Fire Officer answered that the issue around the number of less qualified workers during out of office hours had now been rectified. The Service had also adopted an interim arrangement with East and West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service to address the gap.

13. Discussion of the recommendations. The Cabinet Member for Fire and Rescue, and Resilience commended the recommendation to recognise the efforts of SFRS staff who put their lives on the line. Following discussion of the draft recommendations it was resolved that:

RESOLVED:

That the Communities Environment and Highways Select Committee:

1. Expresses appreciation of the efforts of Surrey Fire and Rescue Service and notes

ongoing public support for the service and improvements that have been made to bring about a positive working culture.

2. Expresses concern over the number of areas for improvement identified in the

HMICFRS inspection and in particular the general lack of performance management

and oversight within protection that is identified. This affects productivity and

effectiveness. The Select Committee urges Officers to ensure there is clear direction

and guidance to staff on prioritising risk and targeting activity; better performance

management and quality assurance to ensure high risk premises are inspected in

agreed timeframes; and audits carried out to a consistent and acceptable standard,

whilst also maintaining the good progress that has been made in other areas.

3. Echoes the concern of HMICFRS that only one prosecution was carried out in the five years from 1 April 2017 to 31 March 2022 and that the service doesn’t consistently use its full range of enforcement powers or take appropriate opportunities to prosecute those who don’t comply with fire safety regulations. The Select Committee notes that prosecution rates have improved since April 2022 and urges the Cabinet Member for Fire and Rescue, and Resilience to keep this issue under review; to ensure that the service’s relationship with the Council legal team is effective and that adequate support is provided to enforce fire safety legislation.

4. Notes that HMICFRS identifies a number of areas where poor ICT systems are limiting productivity and operational effectiveness (e.g., where records cannot be adequately updated due to system constraints) and even outdated reliance on several paper based systems which are inefficient and hinder productivity. The Select Committee urges a review of the adequacy of existing systems in supporting and maximising operational efficiency and effectiveness and a check on deliverability of the ICT Strategy to determine whether it remains fit for purpose and whether the Service has the capacity and capability to complete these projects.

Break for lunch at 12:37

Meeting resumed at 13:16

Actions/requests for further information:

5. Chief Fire Officer (Dan Quin) will share the BBC Surrey Radio interview relating to the latest Fire Inspection Report.