The following questions were received from Members of the Public.  The questioner attended the meeting and asked their question in person, they will also receive a written copy of the response to their question.

The question and response are included in these minutes as a matter of public record.

Public Question from Leo Cacciatore, Fire Brigades Union Rep. of Hastings, Bohemia Road:

“It is understood that the service has to legally deliver a balanced budget.  Therefore, do the proposed changes and re-distribution of resources satisfy our operational, moral and legal obligation in delivering a functioning service that is in accordance with what a public expect and where does it leave us if not?”

Response:

The requirement to deliver a balanced budget falls on the Fire Authority, as the properly constituted body discharging all responsibilities under the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004, and other relevant legislation.  The current Integrated Risk Management Plan (IRMP) 2020-25 is prepared against the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004, and the current Fire and Rescue National Framework.  It sets out clearly our operational model, developed following a comprehensive modelling of risk and vulnerability in 2019.  The IRMP was approved by this Fire Authority in September 2020 following extensive public consultation, which was carried out in accordance with government guidelines, but also with advice from an external consultancy specialising in public consultation.

Our moral obligation is set out clearly in our purpose, commitments, and values.  Our purpose, which drives our Service, is that ‘We make our communities safer.’  This purpose is enabled by our commitments, to:

Deliver high performing services

Engage with our communities

Have a safe and valued workforce, and

Make effective use of our resources.

Fundamental to our purpose and commitments, and underpinned by our adoption of the Fire and Rescue Service Code of Ethics, are our values, against which we are all accountable:

We are PROUD of the service we provide, we are ACCOUNTABLE for our actions, we show INTEGRITY in our work, and we RESPECT our colleagues and members of the community.

We provide assurance to the public through our regular financial and performance reporting.  Independent assurance is also provided through our internal audit service and the work of EY our external auditors in their audit of our financial statements and our arrangements for value for money.  Following an extensive inspection by HMICFRS, during the summer last year, we were judged as ‘good’ for both effectiveness and efficiency.

In summary, the Fire Authority continues to provide a service which keeps our communities safe and we aim to continue to do so.

In response to a supplementary question regarding whether the Fire Authority was concerned with how quickly the financial situation facing all Fire & Rescue Services, especially ESFRS, was changing and developing.  On behalf of the Fire Authority, the Chairman confirmed that it continued to provide a good service, compliance with the Authority’s attendance standards was good and it had not failed the public.  It would, of course, prefer a more secure budget and it had lobbied Government for more sustainable finances.  The Authority has a reputation for sound financial management and sought to provide a balanced budget for 2023/24 and a plan for the same in 2024/25.