Present:
Martin Forde KC, Advisory Panel Chair & Barrister, 1 Crown Office Row (Chair)
Gareth Beeton, Regional Chair, FBU
Kathryn Billing, NFCC Lead for EDI & CFO Cornwall FRS
Alasdair Hay, Independent Operational Assurance Advisor
Kate Herbert, LGA London
Althea Loderick, Chief Executive, Southwark Council
Niran Mothada, Executive Director of Communications and Strategy, GLA
Ross Neal, Unison
Jaee Samant, Director General of Public Safety – Home Office
Sharon Warner, GMB
Michael Williams, Chair of LFB Community Forum
Roy Wilsher, His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services
In Attendance:
Andy Roe - LFB Commissioner
Jonathan Smith - LFB Deputy Commissioner and Operational Director for Preparedness and Response
Bijel Thakrar - LFB Chief of Staff to the Commissioner
Becky Chilton - LFB Programme Manager
Sabera Bhimani - LFB Governance Manager
The Chair welcomed members to the inaugural meeting of the LFB Advisory Panel and introductions were made.
The Panel discussed the means to ensure its transparency which could include the publication of Panel agendas, minutes and decisions as well as outreach events and attendance at staff and station briefings. It was acknowledged that the initial meetings of the Panel would be exploratory. The Panel discussed the need to demonstrate how it provided challenge and added value; and suggested some communications support would be welcome.
ACTION – Jerry Kirkby to give consideration to a communications plan to demonstrate the transparency of the LFB Advisory Panel and the value it adds.
The Commissioner, the Commissioner’s Chief of Staff and the Deputy Commissioner for Preparedness and Response joined the meeting.
The Commissioner provided some context and background to the establishment of the LFB Advisory Panel, as well as his aspiration that it would support the Brigade in making sustainable improvements. He described the progress that had already been made in budget management, understanding and mitigation of risks and establishment of an assurance framework.
The Panel asked how the large volume of recommendations that the Brigade had received, were being prioritised. The Commissioner acknowledged the value of all the recommendations received and the challenge of prioritisation. He anticipated a conversation with the inspectorate which would validate the progress made, and provide space and opportunity to consolidate and prioritise further.
The Panel suggested that the Terms of Reference include information on what support would be available for the Panel in terms of evidence and access to personnel, for example.
It was also suggested that the seven areas of responsibility for the Panel be extended to include advice on how change could be embedded and sustained, and that the Terms of Reference include information on how the work of the Panel was communicated.
Items for the forward programme look that emerged from the meeting included community engagement, disciplinary processes, training and resistance to change.
Due to a lack of time, the Chair asked that agreement of the Terms of Reference be the first item on the agenda of the next meeting. He also asked that members provide their thoughts on the Terms of Reference to the Chair via email in advance of the next meeting.
ACTION – Culture Programme Director to update Terms of Reference to include information on support available to the Panel, information on how the work of the Panel is communicated, and update areas of responsibility to include advice on embedding and sustaining change
ACTION – ALL to email the Chair with any additional comments on the Terms of Reference
The Deputy Commissioner gave an overview of the programme of change that the Brigade was looking to deliver, for which he is the Senior Responsible Owner. He noted that the strategic intent of the Community Risk Management Plan (CRMP) and recommendations received had been brought together within one space, supported by a programme approach.
He noted there were five key projects, under which stood 33 initiatives, some of which were already well established. He noted this was a huge amount of work, with significant activity contained within the initiatives, and a programme team in place to monitor and deliver. He welcomed challenge from the Panel to ensure that delivery was embedded.
In response to a question, he confirmed that the programme was translated into an action plan with deliverables that reported monthly to the Brigade’s Performance Risk and Assurance Board, along with 8 other Brigade change programmes. He agreed to share copies of these reports with the Panel.
The Panel noted that future meetings could prioritise delving into some of those initiatives, particularly where they had far-reaching impacts, and the Chair invited Panel members to identify areas of interest that they could offer particular advice or expertise, with the potential to lead on sub committees.
A Panel Member commended the Brigade’s desire to understand the issues it faced and adopt a programme management discipline, which provided a real hope of success.
ACTION – Programme Manager to share details of monthly report to PRAB with Panel.
ACTION – All to identify areas of interest in the Programme that Panel Members could offer particular advice or expertise, and communicate these to the Chair
Due to lack of time, this was not discussed but items for a forward look had emerged from earlier discussions and included community engagement, disciplinary processes, training and resistance to change.
ACTION – Programme Director to arrange items to consider at future meetings, including community engagement, disciplinary processed, training and resistance to change.
The Chair asked members to provide dates that they were unavailable in December to the Programme Manager. The Programme Manager agreed to circulate contact details for Panel members. The Chair agreed that in person meetings were preferable.
ACTION – All to email Programme Manager with dates to avoid in December