Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Mr C Hogg, Mr W McEwan, Mr T Markley and Mrs M Rae.

It was noted that the Mr P Turner had replaced Mr A Kennon as a member of the Board.

There were no declarations of interest made at this meeting.

There were no items of business that required the exclusion of the press and public.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Board held on 2 September 2021 (copy enclosed).

RESOLVED,that the minutes of the meeting held on 2 September 2021 be agreed as an accurate record.

To consider a report by the Chief Fire Officer (copy enclosed).

The Board received a report from the Chief Fire Officer which summarised the current approach to Performance Management within the Fire Service.  The report also outlined details of the wide range of performance information produced and provided several examples of good performance and areas where a development need had been identified.

The Chief Fire Officer gave a short presentation to support his report which covered the following:

·         How performance is measured

·         Public Performance

·         HMICFRS Performance

·         Internal Performance Products

·         Areas of Good Performance

·         Areas for Development

The Chief Fire Officer commented on some challenges faced by the service due to the COVID 19 pandemic.

Following a member question on whether he felt that the performance indicators set by HMICFRS were appropriate for Cumbria, the Chief Fire Officer commented on how some were challenging due to Cumbria’s demographics and geography. He made comparisons with response times in urban areas in the Country to those in Cumbria, adding that he thought performance indicators were appropriate  with the caveat that not all of the demands on the small Service were understood. He commented positively that HMICFRS did listen if he challenged the performance indicators.

A member welcomed the support of the Service for the ‘Safer Lakes’ project and commented positively on the Chief Fire Officer’s offer to support it in 2022. The Chief Fire Officer talked about the Service’s priority of joint working with partners on water safety and wildfire prevention in the county.

After talking about the local information used by firefighters, one member suggested that this be shared with local members so they were fully informed when attending Community Association meetings. The Chief Fire Officer commented on the importance of local information and noted how important it was that the Service’s voice was heard in the right forums. He stressed the Service’s commitment to sharing information with local members.

Discussion ensued on the improved training and equipment now available to firefighters since the 2015 floods in Carlisle. The Chief Fire Officer pledged the Service’s commitment to the climate change agenda by the use of electric vehicles but advised that responses to large scale flooding would always be challenging.

Members requested that in future, the Chief Fire Officer included the figures on which the performance report was based.

The Chief Fire Officer was asked if the Blue Light Hub at Ulverston was serving the requirements of the Service. He talked to members about the positive feedback that he had received about the Hub. A member referred to an issue with traffic lights near the building. The Chief Fire Officer undertook to investigate this issue.

The member who was Fire Champion for Copeland Local Committee expressed the difficulties he had encountered when trying to engage with a local fire station. He wanted to engage effectively in order to report fully to Local Committee meetings. The Chief Fire Officer undertook to ensure that the member would have improved access and welcomed his support.

Discussion turned to the diversity of the Service. The Chief Fire Officer  ...  view the full minutes text for item 92.

To consider a report by the Executive Director – Economy and Infrastructure (copy enclosed).

Members received a briefing paper on the role and responsibilities of the Regulatory Services team (part of the Environment and Regulatory Services).  The paper gave assurances and provided examples to members on the delivery of key statutory responsibilities of the Council.

The Assistant Director - Environment and Enterprise introduced the briefing paper. He talked to members about the role and responsibilities and the services within the Economy and Infrastructure directorate. He wanted members to have assurance and examples on the delivery of key statutory responsibilities of the Council.

The Assistant Director - Environment and Enterprise handed over to the Senior Manager - Environment and Regulatory Services who gave a presentation on the services covered by the Environment and Regulatory Services Team and identified key issues which would impact on the future of the service. Members were informed of some of the legislation that the Environment and Regulatory Services Team worked with.

Discussion ensued on the impact of Local Government Reform on Regulatory Services. The Senior Manager - Environment and Regulatory Services advised members on the work being undertaken with District Councils to identify their services and what they did. It was acknowledged that this this was a vast piece of joint working but that some work was already undertaken in conjunction with District Councils. A member commented on the tremendous amount of work undertaken by officers and thanked them for it.

The Assistant Director - Environment and Enterprise undertook to provide a version of the Regulatory Services Annual Report specifically for the Board so it could review the statistics and work of the Team.

Members discussed whether there were functions undertaken in the District Councils which were a good fit with the County Council which could result in the establishment of one department. The Assistant Director - Environment and Enterprise explained how critical the next three months were in identifying services and how they could be streamlined.

Following a member question on the checks in place to ensure the Team’s work was being undertaken correctly, the Senior Manager - Environment and Regulatory Services talked members through the checks and balances in place in Trading Standards, statistical data returns to be completed in Waste and work programmes in place elsewhere in the service.

A member suggested that an external review of planning at the County Council, district councils and LDNPA was timely and provided his reasons why he thought this was the case. The Assistant Director - Environment and Enterprise explained how robust the Planning service area was and the work underway identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the service area.

In referring to the DEFRA Treescapes Fund and the money received in Barrow in Furness, a member congratulated the Senior Manager - Environment and Regulatory Services and Councillor McEwan for their work on the matter.

RESOLVED,that the briefing paper be noted.

To consider a report by the Executive Director – Economy and Infrastructure (copy enclosed).

Board members received an interim update report following on from the Scrutiny paper received at their meeting on 2 September, entitled Independent Planning Review Outcome Report: Energy from Waste Facility, Kingmoor, Carlisle (Section 73 Planning Application). The interim update report outlined progress identified and made since the last meeting of the Board.

The Assistant Director - Environment and Enterprise presented the report. He reported on the work undertaken with officers and members since the Board’s last meeting.

The Senior Manager - Environment and Regulatory Services gave a presentation which covered the following:

·         Background

·         We said we would

·         So far we have

·         Next steps

Members were given the timeline in which the work had taken place, informed about the significant number of stakeholders who had being involved and about the number of ideas that had been taken forward.

A member referred to the Planning Improvement Workshop held in October 2021. He welcomed how positive the workshop was but thought that more members would have attended had it been promoted in a different way. The Assistant Director - Environment and Enterprise acknowledged this but noted that he had found the workshop insightful.

The Senior Manager - Environment and Regulatory Services talked members through how the Council’s Development Control and Regulation Committee was involved in the Independent Planning Review and the Chair commented on the role of Scrutiny in the planning process.

RESOLVED, that the action taken since the last meeting of the Board be noted.

To consider a report by the Executive Director – Corporate, Customer and Community Services (copy enclosed).

This report informs members of new and updated items of significance to the Board (including relevant aspects of the Council’s Forward Plan and Key Decisions).

A report was received by members on the Board’s work programme, together with the Council’s Forward Plans of key decisions.

The Strategic Policy and Scrutiny Advisor advised on the referral to the Board from the Performance Working Group relating to the implementation of the new Highways Information Management System (HIAMS). Members agreed the referral and the Chair talked about members’ HIAMS, welcoming that officers developing the system were listening to member feedback.

In terms of the Forward Plan of Key Decisions, a member asked that there was provision for disabled children included in the Bikeability Contract 2022-2026.  The same member advised that in relation to the Barrow Active Travel Cycling Scheme contract award, an associated Traffic Regulation Order had recently been agreed by Barrow Local Committee so work would commence shortly.

A short discussion took place on whether the award of a two-year contract was appropriate given that the County was currently undergoing Local Government Reform. The Assistant Director - Environment and Enterprise explained that the contract would be flexible so the new Local Authorities in Cumbria could decide on what was appropriate going forward.

A member raised his concerns about the asset stripping of County Council premises and their subsequent sale. The Assistant Director - Environment and Enterprise reassured members about the safeguards which would be in place to avoid this which would be part of future contracts.

RESOLVED,that

(1)  the Board’s current work programme be noted, to include the items raised at the meeting;

(2)  the Forward Plan of Key Decisions for 1 December 2021 – 21 January 2022 be noted;

To note that the next meeting of the Board will be held on 10 March 2022 at 10.00 am in County Offices, Kendal.

It was noted that the next meeting of the Board would be held on 10 March 2022 at 10.00 am at County Offices, Kendal.