Scottish Government

INTRODUCTION

ANNUAL REPORT OF JEFF ORD
CBE, OStJ, QFSM, GIFireE, JP

Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Fire and Rescue Services
To: Cathy Jamieson
Minister for Justice

Madam
I have the honour to present my Annual Report upon the eight Fire and Rescue Services in Scotland for the financial year 01 April 2005 to 31 March 2006.

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS

1. I am pleased to report that, during this period, there is sustained evidence that the majority of stakeholders within the Scottish Fire and Rescue Services continue to demonstrate a commitment and an appetite to reform the Service with an emphasis upon a risk based approach to prevention and intervention. Whilst there will always be pockets of indifference towards change the majority of staff within the Service are engaged in the culture shift of balancing prevention with intervention through partnership and innovative working, much of which is already making our communities safer.

2. This continuous and inclusive method of service delivery is very much user focussed and personalised to the needs of individual communities and, therefore, fully compliant with the fundamental elements of the Scottish Executive's policy of transforming Public Services (further information available on:

www.scotland.gov.uk/publications/2006/06/15110925/0

LEGISLATIVE AND POLICY CHANGES

3. The Scottish Executive continued to play its part in providing Fire and Rescue Authorities and their staff with greater freedoms and flexibility in determining how resources should be utilised. This has been achieved through new legislation, removal of statutory instruments and the introduction of the risk based approach to all aspects of service delivery which is embedded within each Fire and Rescue Authorities' Integrated Risk Management Plans ( IRMP's). The Services are no longer required to have a Ministerially approved Establishment Scheme detailing the number of staff resources etc. Most importantly, the funding mechanisms which historically were inextricably linked to the Establishment Scheme have now been relaxed to provide Fire and Rescue Authorities' greater flexibilities within their budgets, whilst still maintaining utilisation of effective accountability. Once again, this is in keeping with the fundamental elements of transforming public services.

4. The removal of the Fire Service Discipline Regulations and the subsequent move to the Arbitration, Conciliation and Advisory Service ( ACAS) codes on employment issues is further evidence of the Scottish Executive's intent to assist the Services in the reform agenda. This particular move also enhances the equality of staff employment rights as all staff employed by Fire and Rescue Authority's are now encompassed by the ACAS code.

TRANSFORMING PUBLIC SERVICES

5. The Scottish Executive published the 'Fire and Rescue Framework for Scotland 2005' in September, setting out priorities, objectives and guidance to Fire and Rescue Authorities in carrying out their functions under the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005. This is the first such framework for the Scottish Fire and Rescues Services and is a key building block in the reform of the Service, ensuring that it is fit for the challenges of the 21st Century. It sets out what Ministers, on behalf of the people of Scotland, expect the Service to deliver, and the support that central government will provide to help the Service achieve these goals. This framework document is in keeping with the Scottish Executive's Vision on ensuring that our Public Services are amongst the most successful, effective and innovative in the world.

6. The replacement of the Scottish Central Fire Brigades Advisory Council has been agreed during this reporting period. The new structure ensures that Ministers are provided with the widest views of all stakeholders in the Service and from impartial advisors. This is achieved through the following structures;

• A Strategic Advisory Forum, Chaired by a Convention Of Scottish Local Authorities ( COSLA) nominee;
• A Service Delivery Forum ,Chaired by a Chief Fire Officers Association ( CFOA) nominee;

7. The Chairs of both of these Forums sit on the Ministerial Advisory Forum which also includes other Service stakeholders and non Fire and Rescue Service advisors.

8. While these new arrangements are in their infancy, the environment of the first meetings is encouraging. The structure will be reviewed as necessary to ensure that the fundamental elements of the public service reform agenda progresses at an efficient and effective rate.

9. This reporting period covers the first year of Fire and Rescue Authorities introducing IRMP, and although this will be the subject of further sections of this report, it is worthy of note that, even during this first year, there have been a number of improvements in efficiency and productivity created through the flexibilities that IRMP allows. An example of this is the risk based approach when responding to automatic fire alarms. Scottish Fire and Rescue Services are adopting CFOA good practice when responding to such alarms (the majority of these alarms are caused by system defects). This has resulted in a reduction in such calls and in fire appliance movements, thus reducing the potential for accidents occurring under 'Blue light' driving. Most importantly, this allows vital life saving resources to be kept available, serving the communities more effectively whilst still ensuring that automatic fire alarm calls receive the appropriate risk assessed response. Once again, this approach is in keeping with the fundamental elements of the public service reform agenda.

10. A major platform of the reforms has been the National Joint Council ( NJC) for Conditions of Service in Local Authority Fire and Rescue Services' decision to implement a 'Role Based System' into the Service. This sees the previously 'Rank and Hierarchical' based system being replaced by a functionally related role system with fewer tiers of management. Whilst this system has been agreed at national level it still requires local implementation. During this reporting period some of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Services completed this transition. Due to some protracted local negotiations there are still a number yet to finalise this move. This, coupled with the removal of the Ministerially approved Establishment Scheme and the fact that the 'Rank to Role' Agreement is not a simple 'like for like' numbers matrix, does mean that several of this year's statistical charts, reported upon later, may not yet be complete. In any event, they cannot form a direct comparison or benchmark with previous annual reports. Wherever possible, in order to ensure the appropriate monitoring of overall staff numbers and resources, this report will utilise the last Ministerially Approved Establishment Scheme (as at 31 March 2005) as a comparator.

11. The remainder of this report will cover in a great deal more detail the above areas and also other areas worthy of note during this reporting period. I reported last year that there were many reasons to be positive regarding the future of the Service and further improvements to the safety of Scotland's communities. I have been further encouraged by the evidence collated during this reporting period that the majority of those involved in implementing the change agenda are, more than ever, committed to delivering the reforms in this valued public service. There will always be some high profile issues which can create a somewhat different impression, but these must be considered in context and balanced against the wider progress.

12. The Service is to be congratulated for its performance during the first year of IRMP and in particular for the record low number of fire deaths and injuries recorded in this year. Undoubtedly, the positive manner in which the Service has embraced the move to balancing intervention with prevention has contributed to this achievement.

13. The same positive attitude and innovation will need to be extended into other vital areas of the Service over the coming months. In particular, the continuing failure to achieve a more diverse workforce is disappointing. Lessons must be learned from other organisations and other 'Blue Light Services' who are achieving much greater diversity across their workforce. The findings of the recently undertaken cultural audit of the Service should assist in identifying underlying issues within Fire and Rescue Services. This will provide evidence about the culture within Fire and Rescue Service and whether it is a major factor affecting the Services ability to attract and secure a more diverse workforce.

14. In addition, Services will need to apply a positive and innovative approach to using the extensive resources available to them in a much more flexible manner. Several Services have already begun to consider this. They are considering good practice identified through the Inspectorate. However, little is actually changing on the ground. The challenge will be to utilise resources even more effectively thus releasing capacity to address the challenges the Services will face in the future.

15. I remain confident that with encouragement, support and good leadership the Service will rise to the challenges ahead. The Inspectorate, along with the Scottish Executive, will continue the joint working approach to ensure that Scotland has Fire and Rescue Services which we will know to be amongst the most successful, effective and innovative in the world.

JEFF ORD

Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Fire Services for Scotland

FIREMASTERS AND FIRE AUTHORITIES

16. During the reporting period the following Chief Officers were in post:

17. I wish to record my thanks to Chief Officers and their staff for the co-operation and assistance given to members of Her Majesty's Fire Service Inspectorate during their visits and for the valuable contributions to the many discussions held throughout the year.

HONOURS AND AWARDS

18. The following persons received awards in the Queen's Honours List in the year under review:

19. The Fire Brigade Long Service and Good Conduct Medal was awarded to 211 members of the Scottish Fire and Rescue service between 01 April 2005 and 31 March 2006.

I offer my sincere congratulations to all those whose work within the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service who have been so justly recognised.

FIRE AUTHORITIES IN SCOTLAND