Purpose of Report

To inform Members of the progress of the Authority’s public consultation and to propose revising the improvement and well-being objectives as part of the process of drafting its next Improvement and Well-being Plan.

Executive Summary

The Fire and Rescue Authority (the Authority) is required to publish improvement and well-being objectives and to have involved the public and other stakeholders in the process of developing those objectives.

This report provides an indication of the progress of the Authority’s ongoing public consultation, and proposes that following feedback from the Well-being of Future Generations Commissioner the Authority takes the opportunity to revise and expand its long-term objectives for 2020/21 onwards.

Recommendations

That Members:

• note the progress of the Authority’s ongoing public consultation seeking views on the development and adoption of an environmental strategy; and
• approve the proposal that Officers draft an expanded set of improvement and well-being objectives for consideration initially by the Executive Panel and subsequently by the full Authority at its next meeting in March 2020.

Observations From The Executive Panel/Audit Committee

At its meeting on 13 May 2019 the Executive Panel considered a report summarising the progress made by the Planning Working Group in developing the Authority’s improvement and well-being objectives for 2020/21. At that meeting the panel resolved to recommend to the full Authority that it should consult on developing an environmental strategy for adoption from April 2020. At its meeting on 21 October 2019 the Executive Panel also resolved to recommend a review of the Authority’s compliance with the Well-being of Future Generations Act.

Background

Fire and rescue authorities in Wales are required to publish improvement objectives in accordance with the Local Government (Wales) Measure 2009, and well-being objectives in accordance with the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015. For the purposes of the Authority’s planning processes these are treated as one and the same in that shorter term improvement objectives can also serve as steps towards achieving longer term well-being objectives.

By law the Authority must endeavour to improve its services in the short term and to consider the well-being of future generations of people in the area in the longer term. Its adopted well-being objectives must contribute to meeting Wales’s well-being goals, and the Authority must be able to demonstrate that it is taking all reasonable steps (in exercising its functions) to achieve its objectives.

The Authority’s current long-term objectives are:

• to support people to prevent accidental dwelling fires and stay safe if they do occur; and
• to facilitate high quality, responsive and better integrated fire and rescue services so that prevention activity and emergency response continue to be available when and where required, affordably, equitably and on the basis of risk.

The Authority must involve other people in the process of developing and setting its objectives, and report on progress towards achieving them.

Following a series of Planning Working Group meetings in 2019 Members considered the Authority’s objectives, and the Authority subsequently decided to consult publicly on the development and adoption of an environmental strategy.

As part of the Planning Working Group’s deliberations, Members considered the impact on the Service of climate change and extreme weather conditions, and the benefit of developing an environmental strategy comprising, for example:

• resource planning for dealing with extremes of weather-related activity such as widespread flooding and increased grassland fires;
• public education and collaboration to lessen the impact of weather-related incidents on local communities;
• monitoring and managing the Service’s own energy and fuel usage and waste management;
• revised procurement policies and accounting arrangements;
• making positive contributions to biodiversity.

Members acknowledged that having adopted environmental and energy policy statements several years ago, it would be appropriate to reinvigorate this work through the development of a new environmental strategy for the Authority that addresses the requirements of the Well-being of Future Generations Act 2015 more obviously, as well as the work being developed through the Public Services Boards in North Wales.

Information

Public Consultation 2019

The consultation continues to seek views from the public and stakeholders on the development and adoption of an environmental strategy. It comprises a range of engagement materials including:

• an explanatory information document; and
• an on-line questionnaire, with the option of submitting written responses if preferred.

Communication methods have included:

• a press release with a link to the consultation document and information about how to take part;
• letters to stakeholders with a copy of the consultation document and information about how to take part;
• supporting messages on social media directing people to the consultation, maintaining awareness using a short video and highlighting the closing date; and
• articles and reminders in staff publications.

 Officers have met with representatives from a number of county councils and town and community councils to explain what the consultation is about and to encourage them to respond to the proposed content of an environmental strategy for the Authority.

The on-line questionnaire presented three aspects of developing an environmental strategy:

• corporate responsibility including, for example, the impact of the Service’s own operations, its use of fuel, heating and lighting, its procurement policies and waste management procedures;
• prevention activity and the challenges of balancing the environmental impact of mileage travelled versus the Service’s responsibilities to prevent fires; and
• emergency response and the challenges of dealing with climate change resulting in e.g. an increase in flooding incidents during wetter winters and in outdoor fires during hotter, drier summers.

Responses to the consultation continue to be received and collated and will be taken into account when finalising the Authority’s Improvement and Well-being Plan for 2020/21.

A report on the overall response to the consultation will be presented for consideration to the Executive Panel at its next meeting in February 2020.

Improvement and Well-Being Objectives for 2020/21

Recent feedback from the Well-Being of Future Generations Commissioner suggests the need for the Authority to increase the number of objectives that it is pursuing.   This is based on an interpretation of Section 3(2)(a) of the Well-being of Future Generations Act 2015 that a public body must set and publish objectives “…that are designed to maximise its contribution to achieving each of the well-being goals”.

Members will recall that the well-being goals for Wales are to achieve: a prosperous Wales; a resilient Wales; a healthier Wales; a more equal Wales; a Wales of cohesive communities; a Wales of vibrant culture and thriving Welsh language; and a globally responsible Wales.

Consequently, it is proposed that officers draft an expanded set of improvement and well-being objectives for consideration by the Executive Panel at its next meeting in February 2020. The expanded set will take account of the Commissioner’s feedback and also consider how future reporting against the well-being goals and potentially against the National Fire and Rescue Framework can be improved. These revised objectives can then be incorporated within the final draft Improvement and Well-being Plan 2020/21 for approval by the full Authority at its next meeting in March 2020.

Implications