Agenda item

(To receive a report from Mark Baxter, Chief Fire Officer, which invites the Committee to consider and note the contents of the Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Authority’s Statement of Assurance 2020-21)

Consideration was given to a report from Mark Baxter, Chief Fire Officer, which invited the Committee to consider and note the contents of the Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Authority’s Statement of Assurance for 2020-2021.

Appendix A to the report provided a copy of the Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Statement of Assurance 2020-2021 document for the Committee to consider.

The Committee was advised that the Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Authority was satisfied that the systems and measures it had in place with respect to financial, governance and operational matters for the period 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2021 were fit for purpose and were effective.  It was further highlighted that its business had been conducted in accordance with the law and proper standards and that public money had been properly accounted for and used economically, efficiently, and effectively; and that the National Framework requirements had been met.

During consideration of this item, the Committee raised some of the following comments: -

·       Thanks were extended to Lincolnshire Fire & Rescue (LFR) and East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) staff for their professionalism and support during the pandemic; particular reference was also made to the Horncastle Fire Station;

·       When the IMT strategy review would begin and how frequently would reviews be carried out.  The Committee was advised that the services continually received software updates to the bespoke packages used; and that the IMT strategy would be updated continually;

·       Definition of the SHERMAN vulnerabilities.  The Committee was advised that as a result of working closely with the Integrated Risk Team, the service had been able to profile risk and identify known vulnerabilities within communities The Committee noted that the definition of SHERMAN was: smoker, hoarder, elderly, reduced mobility, mental health, alcohol misuse, and needs care and support;

(Councillor S P Roe (Executive Support Councillor Children’s Services, Community Safety and Procurement) joined the meeting at 10.18am).

·       Collaborative working arrangements.  The Committee noted that the service worked with other fire services who had a similar makeup to Lincolnshire; and that agreements were in place with fire and rescue services bordering Lincolnshire to augment the services operational resources when required.  It was noted that the service maintained a collaborative partnership with Norfolk, Humberside and Hertfordshire fire and rescue services as part of a project to develop an integrated and resilient joint mobilising service;

·       Support was extended to the collaborative work with the Local Flood Authority and LFR operation of the two-trailer mounted flood pumps, which provided extra pumping capacity to deal with high volumes of water in a flooding event;

·       An explanation was provided relating to the difference between the number of calls received by the service 17,836 in 2020/21 and the number of calls attended  in 2020/21 which was 8,039.  The Committee noted that the shortfall would comprise of hoax call, false alarm calls; calls that did not need a 999 response, and malicious calls.  The Committee was advised that breakdown data relating to the shortfall could be provided to members of the Committee after the meeting;

·       An explanation was sought as to which service would respond for example, to an overturned lorry in a field.  The Committee was advised that the main responders would be the police and highways; and that the fire service would only be called if there was risk to life i.e. a driver being trapped, or if any other risks were present i.e. the removal of contaminants; and

·        A question was asked whether the service was ready to support the ambulance service, should the support be required in the coming months.  Reassurance was given that the service working with the Lincolnshire Resilience Forum; and was engaging with partners on a daily basis, to help with the vaccine rollout and to provide support to EMAS when required. 

The Chairman extended thanks on behalf of the Committee to the Chief Fire Officer for his presentation.

RESOLVED

That the Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Authority’s Statement of Assurance for 2020-2021 be received and noted.