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Statement of Assurance 2014-15

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Statement of Assurance 2014-15 Statement of Assurance 2014-15 www.glosfire.gov.uk Statement of Assurance 2014/15 Page Foreword by Councillor Will Windsor-Clive 2 Introduction by the Chief Fire Officer Stewart Edgar 3 The communities we serve 4 Our purpose 5 Overview of Fire and Rescue Service 6 Financial performance 11 Fire & Rescue Service Operational Business plan 13 Our challenges and priorities during 2014/15 13 Our performance 14 Our collaborative arrangements 17 How we secure business continuity 18 Audit and assurance 19 Our future challenges 20 How you can become involved 20 1 Statement of Assurance 2014/15 Foreword by the Cabinet Member with responsibility for the Fire and Rescue Service Councillor Will Windsor-Clive As the Fire and Rescue Authority, Gloucestershire County Council has a legal responsibility to ensure that a highly effective Fire and Rescue Service is provided for all our communities at all times. Gloucestershire Fire & Rescue Service (GFRS) is a high performing and integral part of the County Council. The Service is ambitious and delivers more than just an emergency response. It works with other organisations and County Council teams to offer a comprehensive prevention and protection service. This ‘joined-up’ approach helps the most vulnerable in our communities to gain access to the help and assistance they need. I am very proud of what we have achieved and of the quality of the service GFRS provides to our communities however, we all recognise that there is no place for complacency. I know that our communities can rely on Gloucestershire Fire & Rescue Service and its partner agencies to provide a truly excellent service to the people of Gloucestershire. Signature Signed on behalf of Gloucestershire County Council: ………………………………………… Date …………………….… Councillor Will Windsor-Clive Cabinet Member with responsibility for the Fire and Rescue Service 2 Statement of Assurance 2014/15 Introduction by Chief Fire Officer Stewart Edgar QFSM Welcome to the Gloucestershire County Council Fire Authority’s Statement of Assurance. We provide this statement for our local communities to show how we, the Fire and Rescue Service on behalf of the Fire and Rescue Authority (Gloucestershire County Council), have met and continue to meet our commitment to them. The Fire and Rescue National Framework for England (the Framework) sets out the Government’s expectations for Fire and Rescue Authorities, those expectations include a duty to provide an annual statement of assurance on financial, governance and operational matters. The statement explains how the Fire and Rescue Authority is meeting the requirements of the Framework and how it has progressed with the stated objectives in our Integrated Risk Management Plan. Gloucestershire Fire & Rescue Service (GFRS) is an integral part of Gloucestershire County Council. In common with all County Council services we strive to give the communities of Gloucestershire the best possible service and at the same time offer real value for money. Signature Signed on behalf of Gloucestershire Fire & Rescue Service: ………………………………………… Date …………………….… Stewart Edgar QFSM Chief Fire Officer 3 Statement of Assurance 2014/15 The Communities We Serve Gloucestershire is a diverse county covering 2653 square km and has a population of approximately 605,700. The county can be typically divided into three main areas, the Cotswolds in the east, the Forest of Dean in the west and the Vale of the River Severn situated between them, the main urban centres being Gloucester and Cheltenham where half the county’s population live. 4 Statement of Assurance 2014/15 Our purpose So that the whole of the Service can keep a very clear perspective on what exactly we are aiming to achieve we have set ourselves a clear Mission Statement and very clear Strategic Aims. We manage risk in Gloucestershire by being focussed on our Strategic Aims, everything we do builds towards achieving these aims. Our priorities are to: reduce risk in our communities respond quickly and effectively to emergencies when requested continue to develop a committed, skilled and safe workforce make the best use of the resources and provide an efficient Service 5 Statement of Assurance 2014/15 Overview of Fire and Rescue Service Statute and the Fire Framework The legislation governing the Fire and Rescue Service is covered by the following: the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004 the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 the Fire and Rescue Service (Emergencies)(England) Order 2007 Below are the primary legislative provisions which determine the functions of the Fire and Rescue Authority, which include: promoting fire safety extinguishing fires and protecting life and property rescuing people from road traffic accidents (and a large range of other risks determined through the Emergencies Order) respond to other emergencies enter into reinforcement schemes with other fire authorities for mutual assistance assess the risk of emergencies occurring and use this to inform contingency planning; and in this regard to: put in place emergency plans put in place business continuity management arrangements put in place arrangements to make information available to the public about civil protection matters and maintain arrangements to warn, inform and advise the public in the event of an emergency share information with other local responders to enhance coordination; and, cooperate with other local responders to enhance coordination and efficiency Gloucestershire County Council is the Fire & Rescue Authority in the context of the Fire & Rescue Services Act 2004 and is responsible for the provision of fire and rescue services throughout Gloucestershire. The County Council has 53 elected members and is structured around a ‘Cabinet’ of 8 councillors, each with a specific portfolio. The Fire and Rescue Service sits within the ‘Fire, Planning and Infrastructure’ portfolio which is held by Councillor Will Windsor-Clive. The performance of the fire and rescue service is overseen by the Environment and Communities Scrutiny Committee and the County Corporate Audit and Governance Committee. Details of how the community can attend meetings and access agendas and reports can be found at the following link: http://glostext.gloucestershire.gov.uk/ieListMeetings.aspx?CId=117&Year=0 6 Statement of Assurance 2014/15 The Gloucestershire County Council Civil Protection Team is an integral component of GFRS, promoting effective joint working between Civil Protection and GFRS. This is exercised with the activation of internal Fire ‘Gold Command’ but also externally in an emergency and non-emergency situation as part of the Gloucestershire Local Resilience Forum. The National Framework for England The National Framework for England was published In July 2012 by Government. The Framework is issued pursuant to Section 21 of the Fire and Rescue Act 2004; its stated purpose is to give Fire and Rescue Authorities the freedom and flexibility to deliver services to their communities, moving accountability away from central Government and placing responsibility with local communities. The document sets out the government’s priorities and objectives for Fire and Rescue Authorities in England; these are high level expectations and it does not prescribe operational matters which it says are best determined locally. The key priorities set out in the Framework include: identifying and assessing the full range of foreseeable fire and rescue related risks their area faces making provision for prevention and protection activities and responding to incidents appropriately working in partnership with their communities and a wide range of partners locally and nationally to deliver their service; and being accountable to communities for the service they provide through the ‘Statement of Assurance’. Integrated Risk Management Plan The Framework requires the formulation of an Integrated Risk Management Plan (IRMP) which captures and publishes the Fire and Rescue Authorities plans to meet those priorities. The Framework provides that the Fire & Rescue Authority must hold their Chief Fire Officer/Chief Executive to account for delivery of the fire and rescue service, also that the Authority must have in place arrangements to ensure that their decisions are open to scrutiny. The Integrated Risk Management Plan (IRMP) is Gloucestershire Fire & Rescue Service’s analysis of the county’s community risk profile, together with our strategic approach to effectively managing that risk over the period. The IRMP identifies and assesses all foreseeable fire and rescue related risks that could affect the communities, including those of a cross border, multi authority and/or national nature. As part of the development process for the IRMP an extensive, twelve week consultation was undertaken. At the end of the consultation period all responses were collated, analysed and the results included in a cabinet report where councillors endorsed the content of the IRMP 2015 - 18. The full document can be found here: http://www.glosfire.gov.uk/downloads/about_policy_irmp.pdf 7 Statement of Assurance 2014/15 Governance Arrangements Gloucestershire County Council (GCC) are responsible for ensuring that its business is conducted in accordance with the law and that public money is safeguarded, properly accounted for and used economically, efficiently and effectively. GCC is responsible for putting in place proper arrangements for the governance of its affairs, facilitating the effective exercise of
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