Agenda item

Scottish Fire & Rescue Service. 

A presentation on the Development of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service Strategic Plan for 2016 /19 was delivered to the Forum by Group Manager Andrew Girrity who emphasised that this was part of the community engagement and consultation that the SFRS was currently undertaking.  He explained that the 2015/16 resource budget for the Service was £259.221m, an 11% reduction on the budget in 2013/14 and the capital budget for the current financial year was £25.3m.  In terms of human resources, 8,315 people were employed in a range of roles – 3,875 whole-time operational staff, 2,952 staff within the Retained Duty System, 229 control employees, 864 in support roles and 395 volunteers – operating from 357 stations across Scotland.  Group Manager Girrity explained the operating context within which the SFRS functioned, including supporting delivery of the Government's programme, Public Sector Reform and the Community Empowerment Bill.  He also explained the process undertaken in the development of the SFRS Strategic Plan, noting the key timelines for this.  The stakeholder consultation period would conclude in June 2015 and the draft Strategic Plan would be presented for full consultation from October to December 2015.  The Plan would then be laid before Parliament in March 2016.  The presentation gave details of how the SFRS was moving forward and explained how this included a stronger outcome focused service that would be more integrated around partnership and public service reform, would provide a more effective and flexible national and local service with the focus on prevention, responsiveness and enhanced engagement.  Group Manager Girrity emphasised that the Strategic Plan was about providing equitable access to resources for those who required the service the most while operating under the current financial constraints.  The SFRS was not only a blue-light service, it had developed into a service which focused on prevention and not just intervention, with its key emphasis on people, public service, prevention and partnership.  Discussion followed and the Forum was advised that within the Scottish Borders, there were 80 whole-time and 150 retained personnel, the national figure for retained duty staff being 85%.  In terms of community events, Members noted that it was not always possible to provide personnel to attend summer fetes etc due to competing priorities although it was recognised that the SFRS attended a number of community safety events.  With regard to road safety, Members were advised that 19 motorcyclists had attended the SBC supported driver safety and awareness course and that further information would be circulated to Community Councils in due course.  The Chairman advised the Forum that a meeting had been arranged with Transport Scotland and Amey (see paragraph 19 below) at Reston on 23 June 2015 to discuss issues relating to the A1 and A1 junctions and that he would contact SFRS, Police Scotland and the Scottish Ambulance Service to notify them of the meeting.

DECISION

NOTED:

(a)     the report; and

(b)     that SFRS, Police Scotland and the Scottish Ambulance Service be notified of the  meeting at Reston on 23 June 2015 with Transport Scotland and Amey to discuss issues relating to the A1 and A1 junctions.