LGCC21 Supplementary Evidence 2
Legislation Committee No 2
Briefing Note to Independent Remuneration Panel From Councillor Anthony Ernest - Chairman South Wales Fire & Rescue Authority
May 2009
This report gives an overview of the role and activities during the last 12 months of the Chairman of the South Wales Fire & Rescue Authority. It is not intended to be fully inclusive of all tasks during the period, but indicates the depth and scope. I would be pleased to enlarge on any of these activities if required.
South Wales Fire and Rescue Service has a current Budget of around £70 Million, a staff of over 1,700 and operates 50 Fire & Rescue Stations, including 1 Technical Rescue Unit (Malpas, Newport). It operates from a headquarters at Forest View Business Park, Llantrisant and has 1 Training Centre (Cardiff Gate).
Its Operational Area covers the 10 Counties of South East Wales, extending from west of Bridgend to Chepstow, and Penarth to north of Abergavenny. It borders Hereford & Worcester, Gloucestershire, Avon and Mid & West Wales Fire Authorities.
The Authority has 24 Elected Members representing all political groupings, currently with a Conservative Chairman and Liberal Democrat Vice-Chairman. Each County sends a number of councillor members proportionate to the number of registered local government electors in each area.
The current administration decided following last year’s elections that it would pursue a more open and accountable administration, and introduce the concept of "Scrutiny and Overview”, which had been lacking under the previous controlling group. This has had the effect of bringing much wider responsibilities to a number of the Authority’s members, and has also resulted in additional meetings and responsibility for all members.
In line with this philosophy, a Finance Audit & Performance Management (FAPM) Committee was quickly established, with a different Chairman and Vice-Chairman from that of the Authority (in line with Wales Audit Office recommendations). Neither the Chairman nor the Vice-Chairman of the Fire Authority sit on that committee, nor do they sit on any of the relevant Sub-Committees. The FAPM reports to the Fire Authority, but its reports are accepted without modification, and this, effectively, is the "Scrutiny and Overview Committee” with a vital role to perform within the Authority.
During the past 12 months, a number of challenges have been faced and mostly resolved. The former Chief Fire Officer retired mid-year, and a long process of assessment and interview finally lead to the unanimous appointment of the former Deputy Chief Fire Officer, Andy Marles, in October 2008. This required the appointment of a new Deputy Chief Fire Officer earlier this year, and again after assessment and interview, Kevin Barry was unanimously appointed by the Member Panel chaired by myself. Whilst the Service operated very competently during this period, nevertheless a considerable amount of additional time was given by members serving on the Authority to the inter-regnum situation.
Additionally, the opportunity arose to purchase a new Headquarters for the Fire and Rescue Service, and many additional meetings were held to bring about the eventual purchase and occupation (from January this year) of Fire Service HQ at Forest View Business Park, Llantrisant. At the same time, an offer to purchase the former HQ at Lanelay Hall, Talbot Green, was withdrawn very late in the day, due to the recession, and the Authority has since had to grapple with the financial and practical consequences of owning two headquarters buildings, one of which is now empty.
The attendance of visiting Audit and Accounting staff at a number of meetings increased the amount of time needed for perusal of papers and questioning by every member of the Authority.
The opinion of the Wales Audit Office that we are not legally able to hold "Reserves”, unlike every other Local Authority and community council, led to several additional meetings by leading members of the Authority. The decision is being challenged both by the SWFRA and the WLGA as "unreasonable and unworkable.”
As Chairman, I usually meet every week with the Chief Fire Officer and one or more support officers, and am often joined by my Vice-Chairman. I regularly meet fortnightly (in addition) to clear points at issue and keep up to date with activity in the Service.
Unusually, the Fire Authority Chairs hold a regular meeting with the Assembly Minister, Dr. Brian Gibbon, every 3 months, to discuss issues of mutual interest, and I chair that panel. The Minister and his senior advisers have been very helpful to the Authority as a direct consequence.
Several times a year the Vice-Chairman and myself also meet with the Chief Executive and staff of the Welsh Local Government Association in Cardiff, to discuss issues pertinent to Fire Authorities in Wales, and as Chairman I also have a place on the WLGA Council which meets around Wales several times annually.
In addition, as Chairman, I sit on the Assembly’s Partnership Council, which is chaired by the First Minister, and meets a couple of times annually in Cardiff Bay. This is a vital link between the Government of Wales and the Welsh Local Authorities.
Fire Authority members are also invited to occasional one day training and Member Conferences, usually held in Mid Wales, and there are inevitably additional meetings, site visits and the like, which take every member’s time and commitment, let alone travel. Members have also had the opportunity of visiting the Fire Services College in Gloucestershire for familiarisation, as well as the Services’ recuperation home in Devon.
The Fire and Rescue Service is a 365, 24, 7 operation and major incidents, fatalities, etc can and do occur at any time. There is a process whereby Government Ministers ask to be told about fires and other incidents of special interest. I, as Chair of the Authority, and the Vice Chair are told about incidents of particular note so that issues which appear in the press and at Government level are handled both operationally and politically in a professional way. This can occur during unsocial hours and have to be dealt with quickly as the press do not wait.
Increasing burdens on Fire Authorities are considerable; the increased threat of terrorist activity in the UK, which has lead to enhanced response measures, National Resilience, the challenge of the Olympic Games from a Welsh perspective, the recently published Pitt Report with its call for further responsibilities for Fire & Rescue Authorities in the event of major flooding, the Community Safety programme, which with the annual Risk Reduction Programme, seeks to reduce the risks associated with domestic fires and commercial properties, coupled with a Business Recovery requirement.
In summary, I consider that the current Annual Allowance for an Ordinary Member of a Fire Authority does not even relate to the time and responsibility afforded by such members to the efficient administration and future development of a Welsh Fire Authority, and adequate reward also needs to be afforded to those members holding chairmanships and vice-chairmanships of Scrutiny and lesser committees, who play a substantial role in achieving these aims.
It is also requested that consideration is given to the issue of increases in Fire Authority Member allowances. Currently, the Combination Order requires a rather bureaucratic and time consuming process that a Fire Authority Member’s allowance may only increase by the average increase of each of its constituent authorities. Data therefore has to be gathered from 10 different sources and there are often queries over the accuracy of the data supplied. This also results in a considerable delay for Members. It is suggested that it would be more appropriate (and in line with their status as a local authority) that Fire Authority Member allowances were subject to the same maximum annual uplift as local authorities.
I am given to understand that there is a wide disparity in the Fire Authority Members Allowances payable in differing parts of the United Kingdom, and indeed with other similar emergency service authorities such as the police. It is therefore asked that the Remuneration Panel give due consideration to these anomalies, which are considerable, we believe.
Finally, although Fire Authority Members pay Income Tax and National Insurance contributions on their allowances, they are currently debarred from being able to contribute to the Local Government Pension Fund, unlike Local Councils where every Elected Member has the option of making payments into the fund to cater for their retirement. The Panel is asked to consider that anomaly.
Anthony M. Ernest
May 2009
