PURPOSE OF REPORT

To present for approval the final draft Corporate Plan 2021-24.

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 presents for Members’ approval the final draft Corporate Plan 2021-24. The objectives within the plan were revised and expanded following feedback from the Well-being of Future Generations Commissioner.

RECOMMENDATIONS

That Members approve the final draft Corporate Plan 2021-24 for publication on the Authority’s website before the end of March 2021.

OBSERVATIONS FROM THE EXECUTIVE PANEL

This report has not previously been considered by the Executive Panel. However, at the November 2020 FRA meeting, Members agreed that the draft Improvement and Well-being Plan 2021/22 be developed based on a continuation of the Authority’s 2020/21 improvement and well-being objectives.

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 and are referred to as the Authority’s corporate 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’ 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 must also publish a statement explaining how meeting the objectives will contribute to achieving the national well-being goals and why it considers it has set well-being objectives in accordance with the sustainable development principle. This statement must set out the more immediate steps that the Authority proposes to take to meet those objectives.

INFORMATION

Feedback from the Well-Being of Future Generations Commissioner in 2019 suggested the need for the Authority to increase the number of objectives that it was pursuing. This was 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.

The attached Corporate Plan 2021-24 is based on the Authority’s long term objectives (retitled as ‘corporate objectives’ to accommodate anticipated legal changes to reporting requirements). This set of objectives was revised and expanded to reflect the Commissioner’s feedback and was approved by the Authority in March 2020.

Supporting the delivery of the seven corporate objectives is a suite of shorter-term steps that have been linked to the seven well-being goals for Wales using the resources provided on the Well-being of Future Generations website.

IMPLICATIONS

Well-being Objectives The Corporate Plan summarises the Authority’s well-being objectives, and details the actions that it proposes to take to pursue those objectives.
Budget The Authority’s plans for each financial year reflect the level of financial resources available to achieve them. Planned actions for 2021/22 have been taken into account when setting the budget for that year.
Legal Publishing the Corporate Plan by the end of March will support compliance with improvement planning and well-being legislation.
Staffing None identified.
Equalities/Human Rights/Welsh Language The impact of specific actions on these aspects will be assessed at the appropriate point in their development.
Risks Publishing the Corporate Plan reduces the risk of legal non-compliance and of failing to budget and plan appropriately.