Agenda and minutes

As noted above.

To receive any declaration of interest from a Member or Officer in respect of any item of business.

None received.

To receive a presentation by the Community Safety Manager, North Wales Fire and Rescue Service.

The Chair welcomed Mr Gwyn Jones, Community Safety Manager (Gwynedd & Anglesey) – North Wales Fire and Rescue Service to the meeting.

Mr Gwyn Jones gave a presentation to the Committee on the functions of the North Wales Fire & Rescue Service as regards to fire safety, firefighting, attending road traffic accidents and emergencies (water rescue/flooding) in accordance with the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004.   He said that ten years ago statistics showed that North Wales had the highest proportion to population of deaths from accidental fires in dwellings in England and Wales which was considered unacceptable.  The Chief Fire Officer’s Task Group was established to examine the Service’s strategy and policies for preventing accidental death from fires within homes together with reviewing performance management process and profiling of victims and incidents.  He noted that to date, one person has died this year due to accidental fire within the home.  Mr Jones said that contributory factors to accidental death from fires were being alone; age (over half were 60+); having a disability, rented accommodation, fire interaction (smoking, cooking left unattended); alcohol and drugs and having no working smoke alarm.  He said that profile of the Fire & Rescue Service was reviewed with joint working undertaken with services within local authorities, police and other local agencies to share information and identify venerable persons to avoid possible accidental fires.  

The Chair thanked the Community Safety Manager (Gwynedd & Anglesey) for his presentation.  The Committee considered the information presented and made the following points:-

·      Clarification was sought as to whether the Fire Service is continuing to be able to erect fire alarms, without charge, within residential dwellings.  The Community Safety Manager (Gwynedd & Anglesey) responded that a grant is received by Welsh Government which enables the Fire Service to purchase the equipment but it is the Fire Service who funds the erection of the fire alarms in dwellings.  He further said that Fire Officers are able to give advice to residents when visits are undertaken as regards to fire safety and the prevention of fires within the home environment.  He noted that working in partnership and sharing information with local authorities and other statutory agencies, the Fire Service is able to target the most vulnerable persons within the local communities to prevent possible fires within the home;

·      Questions raised as to whether the Fire Service continues to attend local events and Agricultural Shows to promote the service offered to residents as regards to fire prevention.  The Community Safety Manager (Gwynedd & Anglesey) responded that the Fire Service attends such events but strives to share facilities with other emergency services to enable budgetary savings;

·      Concerns were raised that local highways have been closed due incidents of flooding/accidents/bridge closures recently and the effect it has on congestion of vehicles and the potential delay for the emergency services.  Members of the Committee expressed that local communities are not informed of road closures and considered that Town/Communities Councils should be informed of any local road closures/incidents.  The Assistant Chief Executive (Partnership, Community  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

To submit a report by the Regional Manager of the Regional Planning and Emergency Service.

The Chair welcomed Mr Neil Culff, Regional Manager, North Wales Councils Regional Emergency Planning Service and Mr Gwyn Hughes, Emergency Planning Officer to the meeting.

The Head of Democratic Services reported that the purpose of the report is to provide an update regarding both regional priorities and Council work programme.

Mr Neil Culff, Regional Manager, gave a presentation on the North Wales Councils Regional Emergency Planning Service (NWC-REPS) setting out legislative requirements, the structure of the regional services and governance arrangements.  He said that local authorities have duties for emergency planning and response under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, the Radiation (Emergency Preparedness and Public Information) Regulations 2001, and the Pipeline Safety Regulations 1996.  The Council meets its obligations by collaborating with the other North Wales local authorities through the North Wales Councils Regional Emergency Planning Service, for which Flintshire County Council is the lead authority.  He noted that the NWC-REPS reports to an Executive Board, comprising an Officer representative of each of the North Wales local authorities that are partners to the service.  This service has been in place since 2014 and the NWC-REPS provides a primary link between the Council and North Wales Local Resilience Forum with the contributions from service staff being fundamental in multi-agency groups, events, processes and plans.  Within the Council, responsibilities for emergency planning and response are shared across services and nominated service representatives. 

The Regional Manager reported on work streams undertaken by the Emergency Planning Service :-

·      Pandemic Flu – work is undertaken across the region together with Health Service and local authorities Social Services Department as regards to preparedness arrangements for pandemic flu which is classed as ‘very high’ on the National and Community Risk Registers; 

·      Kerslake Report – the report was produced following a review of the Manchester Arena attached in May 2017 and the NWC-REPS have compiled a Gap Analysis on the recommendations that have implications for all Councils.  The NWC-REPS Learning & Development programme will include training for elected members on dealing with major incidents;

·      Community Resilience Strategy –implementing a 2017-2020 Community Resilience Strategy when dealing with local emergencies and seeking greater local resilience. Details will be reported to the Town and Community Council Forum in due course;

·      Data sharing – working closely with emergency services and local authorities to  identify vulnerable persons if incidents occur i.e. flooding situations when evacuation is needed;

·      Learning and Development – a designated Officer leads on training and exercising within the Emergency Service Team.  The role is to work closely with local authorities to identify persons who have a role within emergency response and identify training needs.

The Head of Democratic Services said that through establishing a regional arrangement for emergency planning it has been possible to increase resilience and specialist support for local authorities across North Wales.  He noted that emergency services, as a service function was part of Council Business and an internal group of Officers from each department meet on a quarterly basis to address Emergency Planning matters and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

To submit a report by the Scrutiny Manager.

Submitted – a report by the Scrutiny Officer on the Committee’s Work Programme to June 2019.

It was RESOLVED to note the Work Programme to June 2019.