Agenda item

(To receive a report by Tim Joyce, Group Manager, Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue, which provides an update on the progress made to date with the Blue Light Collaboration Programme and also gives an indication of work which has been or is planned to be undertaken)

It was reported that in December 2015, the three blue light services agreed a programme of collaboration and formally started the 'Lincolnshire Blue Light Collaboration Programme'.  The full programme management structures which initiated the programme were formally agreed by a steering group in May 2016.  The following key elements were defined:

·         A shared Fire and Police Service Headquarters (SHQ) project

·         A shared Fire and Police Service Control Room (SCR) project

·         A combined Lincoln Police/Ambulance/Fire Station (South Park Project)

·         A Wider Estates (WE) review project

·         A Wider Interoperability and Integration (WII) Project

It was noted that the programme had a number of specific milestones, although given the rolling nature of the last two elements which were being considered on a case by case basis, there was no specified end date.  The Committee received a presentation which gave an update on progress made to date as well as an indication of work which had been or was planned to be undertaken.

Members were provided with an opportunity to ask questions to the officers present in relation to the information contained within the report and presentation, and some of the points raised during discussion included the following:

·         In relation to the South Park site, it was noted that the project was running to schedule on costs.  Members were also advised that this was a brand new type of building, and during the design phase there had been regular stakeholder meetings involving all three services to ensure the building would be fit for purpose.  Some of the operational police and security measures were new to Fire and Rescue and EMAS.

·         It was queried whether it was thought that the traffic congestion in Lincoln would have an impact on the ability of the services to respond to situations.  Members were advised that there would be no difference in staff levels on site in terms of Fire and Rescue and EMAS, and it was also reported that a lot of in depth work had been carried out on the times when people would be occupying the site, including staffing models, and it was expected that there would be a steady flow of vehicles to and from the site due to shift patterns etc.

·         In relation to the joint use of existing building by the other services, it was noted that in relation to fire stations, retained fire fighters were required to live within 5 minutes journey time of the station.  Therefore, it was likely that other services would look to co-locate in fire stations.   It was noted that EMAS was engaged in this process.

·         It was part of the process by EMAS to dispose of sites no longer required.  If EMAS was directed to dispose of a site then they would look at options for moving.

·         Members commented that they were very pleased to see the progress that had taken place and that this project could offer opportunities that had never been seen before.

·         It was clarified that the control room software currently being used by Fire and Rescue was Vision 3, but under the East Coast collaboration project would be updated to Vision 4.

RESOLVED

            That the progress made in relation to the programme be noted by the Committee.