Agenda item

The Leader provided Members with background information to this item explaining that he had been contacted by the West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) in respect of a consultation on proposed changes to the governance arrangements for both Shropshire and the Hereford and Worcestershire Fire and Rescue Services.  Whilst the Council was not a statutory consultee and Members were able to respond individually in their own right, the Leader suggested it would be appropriate for Council to debate the proposals and provide a formal response to the PCC.  There were three options highlighted within the papers before Members:

1.         To sustain the current trajectory, whereby existing governance arrangements remain in place.

2.         A single employer model, whereby the two Fire and Rescue Services would be merged with the West Mercia Police to create a single organisation that would be subject to its own governance arrangements.

3.         Joint governance arrangements, whereby the PCC would become the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner (PFCC) for both the Fire and Rescue Services and the West Mercia Police and the Fire and Rescue Authorities would cease to exist.

The Leader expressed the view that option 1 was the only viable option available due to a lack of detailed information within the documentation, particularly in respect of the business case and the suggested savings.  There was also the possibility of staff redundancies and the added pressure on existing staff to maintain full services should the other options be considered. 

Councillor Hartnett therefore proposed and Councillor Chance seconded the following recommendation:

 “having considered the document Council recommends to the PCC to sustain the current trajectory, whereby existing governance arrangements remain in place.” 

Councillor Brunner put forward a proposal requesting that the item be deferred until the Council was in receipt of further information to enable Members to make an informed decision.  Worcestershire County Council had deferred the item and had agreed with the PCC for a submission to be made after the deadline and it was suggested a similar approach could be adopted in Redditch.  It was also proposed that the Audit, Governance and Standards Committee be asked to grant those Members with an other disclosable interest in respect of this item a dispensation to allow them to participate in any debate in respect of this matter. 

The Leader highlighted that the Members concerned had made the decision to not take part in the debate following earlier discussions and advice from Officers.  The Council was not a statutory consultee but the item had been brought forward to allow Council to debate the subject and put forward a collective view.  Members were still able to respond to the consultation individually.  The proposal to defer the matter was therefore rejected.

Councillor Brunner subsequently proposed an amendment which was then tabled for Members’ information.  This was seconded by Councillor Mike Chalk:

“This Council requires more information to make an informed response to the consultation on the Police and Crime Commissioner’s proposed changes to governance arrangements for the Hereford and Worcester and Shropshire Fire and Rescue Authority and West Mercia Police.

This Council will,

1.    Request from Hereford and Worcester and Shropshire Fire and Rescue Authority a copy of the independent consultant’s paper they have commissioned reporting on the impact of the PCC’s proposed changes to governance for the Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Authority and West Mercia Police.

2.    This Council, as a non-statutory respondent in this consultation, delegates to the Executive to respond on behalf of Council at its next meeting in September.

3.    Request that the PCC accept a response from this Council after the close of the consultation.

4.    This Council shares the Shire leaders’ concerns regarding the lack of detail of the proposed savings in the Police and Crime Commissioner’s business case.”

In bringing forward her proposal Councillor Brunner informed Members that there was insufficient information within the papers provided for Council to make a decision.  Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Services had commissioned their own consultants in light of the proposals and it was suggested that it would be helpful for Members to consider this before agreeing a response.

A vote was taken on the proposed amendment and it was declared lost.

Following further debate the substantive recommendation was considered.

RESOLVED that

having considered the West Mercia Fire and Rescue Governance consultation Pack Council recommends that the West Mercia PCC sustains the current trajectory, whereby existing governance arrangements remain in place.

(Prior to consideration of this matter Councillors Tom Baker-Price, Brandon Clayton, Andrew Fry and Jane Potter declared an other disclosable interest and left room for this time taking no part in the debate or the voting thereon.)