Information

Welcome and introductions.

 

Attendees:

PFCC Danielle Stone (DS)

Marianne Kimani (MK)

Jonny Bugg (JB)

Vaughan Ashcroft (VA)

Louise Sheridan (LS)

Paul Fell (PF)

Paul Bullen (PB)

Nick Alexander (NA)

CFO Nikki Watson (NW)

DCFO Simon Tuhill (ST)

ACFO Rob Porter (RP)

ACFO Phil Pells (PP)

 

Apologies:

 

 

Minutes and decisions of previous meeting

 

• DS welcomed everyone to the meeting.
• Minutes of the previous meeting were circulated with the meeting papers.

 

Internal Audit Report

 

The Commissioner requires a report relating to all internal audits completed in the financial year 2023/2024.

 

The paper needs to provide an overview of these, with grades and recommendations.

 

It should identify whether the Chief Fire Officer accepts such recommendations, demonstrate activity that has taken place to address recommendations, when completed and where not yet completed the anticipated timescales for doing so.

 

• The paper was taken as read with Chief Fire Officer Nikki Watson providing additional commentary.
• The 2023/24 internal audit is the first to be carried out by Mazars.
• Key personnel from NFRS and the OPFCC agree the areas to focus on.
• Some of the audits were joint audits with Northants Police and the OPFCC others were NFRS specific.
• Limited compliance was identified in two of the audits.
• Where weaknesses have been identified through the internal audit review, appropriate corrective actions and a timescale for improvement have been agreed.
• The Service Assurance Board manages progress of any outstanding audit actions.
• The Commissioner commented that having only one or two areas of limited judgement was reassuring.
• The Commissioner asked if some of the timescales were appropriate given that some of the recommendations in some audits have not yet been signed off.
• The Chief Fire Officer confirmed that actions are reassessed every quarter and changed if there is a rationale to do so. A system delay for example.
• There was a discussion about some of the terminology used in the audit assessments provided.
• ACO Bullen explained that it is due to the terminology used by two different auditors (MKIA – the previous auditors and Mazars – the new auditors) (Good versus moderate terminology).
• There was a discussion about the IT Service Management Tool.
• A number of steps have already progressed. An Information Auditor will be in place later this year with the tool being delivered in 2025.
• The Chief Fire Officer confirmed that she is assured by the audit and that good monitoring processes are in place to track.
• There was a discussion about expense receipts.
• Line managers are not required to sign off expense receipts prior to the expense claim being submitted.
• NA explained this gets audited by his team retrospectively as they are the subject experts.
• In addition, VA and NA do a high-level monthly check on payroll to ensure salary payments are as expected with no anomalies.

 

Assurance statement:

The Commissioner when receiving this paper asked the Chief Fire Officer how subjects for audit were identified and explored. She was reassured that this process involved Chief Fire Officer Team, Finance, Business Planning Team, risk register issues, as well as the auditors themselves as was content that emphasis was placed on areas where there was potential high risk or reassurance required.

She welcomed the fact that there were no high-risk actions identified by the auditors in the 8 audits completed last year.

Due to a discrepancy in the paper she asked to be informed outside the meeting whether the grades reported in the report for the audits relating to ICT network infrastructure security and ICT privileged access management was satisfactory or good.

The Chief Fire Officer provided assurances to the Commissioner that she was content that appropriate and robust processes were in place to facilitate the audit process from the identification of areas to be examined, through receipt of reports and recommendations and oversight, management and governance of any required actions and interventions.

 

 

HMICFRS Inspection “Standards of behaviour – The handling of misconduct in the fire and rescue service”

 

On 1^st August 2024 HMICFRS published their thematic inspection report into the handling of misconduct in the fire and rescue service.

This report contains 15 recommendations for Fire and Rescue services.

 

The Commissioner requires a report to the accountability board that outlines the recommendations and key issues made in this inspection report, It should indicate clearly whether the Chief Fire Officer accepts these recommendations and articulate the processes and governance and management structures that will see these implemented locally, as well as making it clear how these link with the ongoing Serving with Pride work.

 

• The paper was taken as read with DCFO Simon Tuhill providing additional commentary.
• Following negative publicity within the sector, the thematic report was commissioned in July 2023 by the then Home Secretary to examine how FRSs deal with misconduct.
• Between October 2023 and January 2024 HMICFRS carried out their inspection on 10 FRSs
• The services were selected randomly to be a representative sample of FRSs across England in terms of size, location, governance structures and performance.
• Northants was one of the FRSs selected.
• During the inspection HMICFRS reviewed relevant policies and processes linked to discipline, grievance, whistle-blowing and public complaints.
• Following the inspections a report was published on 1^st August with 15 recommendations for the sector.
• Some of the recommendation will sit within the Service, others with national bodies like the NJC and NFCC.
• The Chief Fire Officer has read the report and accepted the recommendations.
• DCFO Tuhill advised that NFRS is in a more advanced position in relation to the recommendations compared to some FRSs, partly because of the inspection and the work that has already been done as part of Serving With Pride culture review.
• During the inspection the Service was able to self-evidence and use internal learning to identify any gaps and make changes
• Serving with Pride was recognised by HMICFRS in its recent inspection of the Service
• The chief officer team is using the final report to undertake a gap analysis against the recommendations.
• The Commissioner acknowledged the important journey NFRS is on and requested they capture the journey and changing behaviours and feed these back to staff, so they don’t feel that they are being done to.
• There was a discussion about staff surveys, how often they are updated and the frequency.
• The DCFO advised that the survey will have mostly the same questions as last year on Serving With Pride so they can see what has changed.
• The Commissioner commented that she is keen to see the Service engage more with the diverse community it works in.
• She would like to see them move away from just being experts at putting out fires. (Enter as a neighbour rather than firefighter).
• In addition, she would like firefighters to revisit and engage in areas that were impacted by the recent threats of disorder.
• The Chief Fire Officer spoke about the recent open day at Wellingborough Fire Station where members of the Hindu community came along.
• There was a discussion about firefighter welfare and OH support in any misconduct process.
• The DCFO advised that there are several actions within the recommendations where the Service is now compliant.
• He assigns an independent welfare SPOC with guidance on what do and what not do, in cases of alleged misconduct.
• The Investigating officer in a complaint speaks to the SPOC regularly.
• The process can take time and whilst it is not always possible to provide a full update the SPOC can update the person under investigation on progress.
• There is a difference between welfare and wellbeing.
• The Service have an external provider who picks up complex MH issues.
• JB asked how we make sure the process is permeating throughout workforce as the audit mention a training the workforce recommendation.
• The Chief Fire Officer advised that they are looking at the training for front line managers to check in earlier so that if someone’s behaviour changes, it can be spotted and dealt with at the lowest level before it escalates.
• The DPFCC asked if there were any noticeable trends in behaviours or grievances.
• The DCFO confirmed that the number of grievances is low.
• PB advised that the current Case Management System that is used for the police is being looked at to see if it is suitable for NFR. If it is, it will be a quick win as it will just require a change to the existing contract. If not, will have to procure a new CMS which will take longer.
• The DCFO advised that the Customer Charter has been agreed – This is what you can expect from us, this is what we can expect from you and then can hold each other to account.
• There was a discussion on the complaints process – Whilst numbers are low and as such trends are difficult to identify, if there was a trend it would probably be in relation to driving standards.
• PF advised that the OPFCC has oversight so can highlight and respond to any trends.
• With regard to how chief officers ensure consistency on how allegations of misconduct are handled, the DCFO advised that they have picked up several actions. Consistency is key.
• Currently looking at existing cases and timescales and organisational learning with Suzanne McMinn.
• On appeals, the DCFO advised these are heard internally due to the constraints of The Grey Book which doesn’t allow for hearing to be done by non-uniformed officers.
• Need to explore how can work with other services to create a panel.
• On this, PF confirmed that as the Commissioner is the Fire Authority, it is sensible that the DCFO looks for a workaround, but it is important that the Commissioner agrees that she does not have a role in appeals. Therefore, as an OPFCC we need to take a view if comfortable with this or not.
• The DCFO confirmed that a level 3 ‘gross misconduct’ hearing is heard by a Area Commander and any appeal will sit with a level 4 which is an ACO/AFCO.
• Following that, the individual can take any disagreement to an external employment tribunal if they wish.
• Senior HR support is always available and present in all hearings.
• ACFO Rob Porter added that HMI identified in the most recent report that the Service takes a firm stance on misconduct.
• The action to improve the training of managers is being progressed.
• The Commissioner agreed that the OPFCC does not need to be on a disciplinary appeal panel and is assured that there is a robust process in place that is fair and proportionate.
• It is also aligned with ACAS best practice.
• It was noted that the FBU will not always represent someone if the misconduct does not fit the code of ethics. This is also reassuring.
• JB asked if these was anything the OPFCC should be doing better or be closer too.
• The DCFO suggested it just requires regular assurance that the process is fair and consistent.
• JB advised that models of governance will be a focus in the next round of inspections, so it is timely to look at that – Are NFRS getting what they want from the OPFCC and vice versa.
• There is a requirement to notify HMICFRS of any misconduct cases that meet public interest test.

 

Assurance statement:

The Commissioner stated that she had requested this report, following publication of the recent HMICFRS thematic inspection into the handling of misconduct in Fire and Rescue Services because she thought that this was one of the biggest challenges currently faced and stressed the importance of this in making the workplace inclusive, safe and welcoming for all.

The Deputy Chief Fire Officer reported that he felt that Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service was better placed than many to respond effectively to this report for two reasons. First it was one of the 10 services who took part, so they have learnt as the inspection process progressed and secondly the service locally had already started significant work on its serving with pride program and many of the issues identified were the same.

The Commissioner was pleased that the service was revisiting the serving with pride work in light of this report to see if additional work was required as a result and was pleased and assured that the inspection team recognised this serving with pride work.

There was a discussion about how the Chief Fire Officer sense checks the actions being delivered to make sure that change is taking place. This is done through things such as regular surveys using a core set of identical questions so any improvements can be measured against a baseline set of data.

The Deputy Chief Fire Officer assured the PFCC and Deputy PFCC that things were on track for the delivery of all the recommendations that had a 2024 implementation date.

The Commissioner believed that the service had responded positively to this report.

 

 

A.O.B

• There was a discussion about lithium-ion batteries which is an emerging risk.
• Seeing more cheaply made scooters and hover boards (made in China with no British standard safety kite mark)
• No further business was raised.