Agenda item
Further Responses to the Welsh Government White Paper - Reform of Fire and Rescue Authorities in Wales
- Meeting of Cabinet, Wednesday, 13th February, 2019 9.31 am (Item 10.)
- View the background to item 10.
Report of the Assistant
Chief Executive and Chief Digital Officer
Minutes:
Decision:
That
a response be forwarded to Welsh Government by the Assistant Chief Executive
and Chief Digital Officer, highlighting the concerns raised by Members at the
meetings of both Cabinet Scrutiny Committee and Cabinet, as below:
Elected
Members considered the comments made in the consultation document regarding the
competency of existing fire and rescue authority members to be insulting and
disgraceful. The Members who serve on fire and rescue authorities bring
considerable experience and skill to the roles they carry out.
Elected
Members felt the existing fire and rescue authority membership provided robust
challenge to the Chief Fire Officer and his team. Furthermore, they believed
the diverse membership of the existing fire and rescue authorities ensured the
community impact of the work of the fire and rescue service was fully
considered in decision making processes.
Elected
Members strongly disagreed with the proposal that the existing membership be
replaced by members of council executives. This was not considered to be
practical or in the best interests of democracy.
Members
felt there was a case for reviewing the way the Fire Service was funded to
ensure the funding model reflected the work of the modern day fire and rescue
service – in particular the growing role the service plays in supporting the
NHS in Wales.
Elected
Members did not consider models such as those in place to support Local Health
Boards to be a suitable basis for democratic oversight of an important public
service like the fire and rescue service. There was no case made out to replace
elected councillors with appointees.
Reason for Decision:
To
ensure a response from Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council was submitted
to the Welsh Government on the proposed reforms to Fire and Rescue Authorities
in Wales.
Implementation of Decision:
The
decision is for immediate implementation, the Chairperson of the Scrutiny
Committee had agreed to this course of action and there would therefore be no
call-in of this decision.
Supporting documents: