PURPOSE OF REPORT

To confirm the basis of the Fire and Rescue Authority’s Improvement and Well-Being Plan for 2021/22.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Every March the Fire and Rescue Authority (the Authority) publishes a Plan for the following financial year, setting out its agreed improvement and well-being objectives and outlining its contribution towards achieving them during the year.

Although current legislation does not stipulate how often a public body’s strategic objectives should change, there is an expectation that they are reviewed annually and changed or amended if necessary.

Over the coming weeks officers will be preparing the Authority’s Improvement and Well-Being Plan 2021/22 for final approval by Members in March 2021. To this end the Authority needs to confirm whether it wishes to continue to pursue the objectives that it adopted in March 2020, or a revised set.

In view of how recently the Authority adopted its current set of objectives, the inevitable limiting effect of the Covid-19 pandemic on progress during this year, and the likely change of Authority membership after Local Government elections in May 2022, it is recommended that the Authority carries over its existing objectives into 2021/22.

RECOMMENDATION

That Members approve the development of a draft Improvement and Well-being Plan 2021/22 that is based on a continuation of the Authority’s current set of improvement and well-being objectives as listed in paragraph 12.

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.

By law the Authority must endeavour to improve its services in the short term and consider the well-being of future generations of people in the longer term. The Authority’s adopted well-being objectives must contribute towards 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 stated objectives.

Guidance issued in relation to the Well-being of Future Generations Act states that public bodies may decide to change one or more of their well-being objectives, but any new objectives should be based on the extent to which they maximise the public body’s contribution to the well-being goals for Wales.

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

In response to feedback from the Future Generations Commissioner in 2019 the Authority adopted a revised and expanded set of objectives from 2020/21 onwards that was more explicitly aligned to the well-being goals for Wales.

The Authority’s revised improvement and well-being objectives are:
Objective 1: to work towards making improvements to the health, safety and well-being of people in North Wales.
Objective 2: to continue to work collaboratively to help communities improve their resilience.
Objective 3: to operate as effectively and efficiently as possible, making the best use of the resources available.
Objective 4: to continue to identify opportunities to encourage greater engagement with people, communities, staff and stakeholders.
Objective 5: to maintain a suitably diverse, resilient, skilled, professional and flexible workforce.
Objective 6: to develop ways of becoming more environmentally conscious in order to minimise the impact of our activity on the environment.
Objective 7: to ensure that social value and sustainability are considered, including during procurement processes.
There is flexibility in the Well-being of Future Generations Act for public bodies to set their well-being objectives in a way that suits their role and functions, but the Act does require annual assessments of whether or not those well-being objectives are still appropriate. The full review of the Authority’s current seven objectives is therefore not required until after the end of the 2020/21 year.

INFORMATION

At Planning Working Group meetings in early 2020 Members discussed areas for possible future direction, and focused on two subject areas: developing an environmental strategy; and the potential implications of anticipated changes to the Authority’s fire safety enforcement role.

Aspects of environmental strategy development at national, regional and local levels were interrupted this year by the Covid-19 pandemic. These are now gradually recommencing, and the Welsh Government’s policy commitment to achieving a carbon-neutral public sector by 2030 remains.

The Authority’s environmental work is already covered by Objective 6, so there is no requirement to develop a new objective.

Although the Authority’s future fire safety enforcement role is as yet unconfirmed, the Welsh Government has undertaken to introduce comprehensive changes to the law in relation to fire safety, building regulation and housing. A written statement by the Minister for Housing and Local Government on 23 October 2020 confirmed that the proposed changes will be set out in a White Paper early next year.

The Authority’s fire safety enforcement role is already covered by Objective 1 (public safety) and Objective 5 (workforce skills) and consequently there is no requirement to develop a new objective.

The Authority’s contribution to the achievement of the well-being goals for Wales can be reported through its existing objectives, therefore, without creating new objectives.

Bearing in mind:

• how recently the Authority adopted a new set of improvement and well-being objectives (following feedback from the Well-being of Future Generations Commissioner);
• the inevitable slowing effect of the Covid-19 pandemic on planned activity this year, despite good progress being made; and
• the likely change of membership of the Fire and Rescue Authority following Local Government elections in May 2022;

there is no compelling reason at this time to fundamentally revise or expand the Authority’s set of long-term objectives.

Consequently, it is proposed that Members approve the development of a draft improvement and well-being plan 2021/22 based on a continuation of the Authority’s current improvement and well-being objectives for approval by the full Authority in March 2021.

IMPLICATIONS

Well-being Objectives - Direct implication for agreeing the Authority’s long-term objectives and the associated short-term steps towards their achievement.
Budget - There is a relationship between the Authority’s plans for 2021/22 and its financial resources. The draft budget for 2021/22 will be approved in November 2020 and confirmed by mid-February 2021.
Legal - Supports compliance with improvement planning and well-being legislation.
Staffing - No known impact on staffing levels.
Equalities/Human Rights/Welsh Language - The impact of specific actions on these aspects will be assessed at the appropriate point in their development.
Risks - Reduces the risks of legal non-compliance and of failing to budget and plan appropriately.