Issue - meetings

Report attached.

Steve Smith (Assistant Director, Commissioning Support Unit) introduced the report. He drew attention to the KBM performance figures located in Section 2.3 of the report, as well as the sections which provided an analysis of the wider narrative affecting the Authority’s performance in key areas.

In response to Councillor Cooke, Barnaby Briggs (Assistant Chief Fire Officer) advised that fire-related injury figures were collated on a quarterly basis and aggregated in the year-end report. He advised that five fire-related injuries had been recorded between 1 April 2020 and 30 June 2020. This contrasted with seven fire-related injuries during the equivalent period last year (Quarter 1, 2019-20).

Barnaby Briggs reported that a reduction in serious incidents had been observed during the period of the pandemic. He stated that it was difficult to establish cause and effect, but the data suggested that fires were being spotted more quickly, enabling a prompt response by the Fire Service.

In response to Councillor Boad, Barnaby Briggs agreed that the emergence from lockdown had prompted specific challenges during the period covered by the report. These included an increased number of road traffic collisions, which could be attributed to drivers being out of practice, or vehicles being compromised by a prolonged period of disuse. Incidences of fire at manufacturing plants had increased as production restarted; this could be ascribed to the ‘mice in the wiring’ effect. He commented that the year-end report would provide more insight into the effect of the pandemic on the Fire & Rescue Service.

Resolved:

That the Committee notes the progress of the delivery of the Council Plan 2020 – 2025 for the period as contained in the report.