Scottish Government
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Highlands and Islands fire Inquiry ordered
The Scottish Government has commissioned HM Chief Inspector of Fire and Rescue Authorities to conduct an Inquiry into progress made by Highlands and Islands Fire and Rescue Service in addressing recommendations made by the Accounts Commission.
The Inquiry, by Steven Torrie, has been ordered by the Minister for Community Safety and Legal Affairs, Roseanna Cunningham, under Section 44 of the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005.
A Best Value report, published by the Accounts Commission in March 2012, listed a number of serious concerns and highlighted an urgent need for Highlands and Islands Fire and Rescue Service to establish an effective and sustainable service model which reflects the needs of the area.
While the Scottish Government is aware progress has been made to address these concerns, led by the Highlands and Islands Fire Board, Ministers have ordered the Inquiry to establish the extent of that progress and to identify what remains for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service to address when it commences on 1 April, 2013.
Minister for Community Safety and Legal Affairs Roseanna Cunningham said:
“I know every firefighter working for the Highlands and Islands Fire and Rescue Service is committed to doing the best job they can to protect people across the Highlands and Islands. Day in, day out, their work saves lives and keeps our communities safe.
“It is absolutely vital that proper structures are in place to maintain that safety. The Best Value report set out serious concerns across areas including staff training and risk management, which I know the Highlands and Islands Fire Board have been addressing through a Service Improvement Plan, with the help of colleagues from other services.
“Independent assessment of that progress, and any remaining priorities for action, will benefit all ahead of the launch of the single Scottish Fire and Rescue Service next year.
“This work will support the Board’s ongoing work to ensure our communities in the Highlands and Islands are served by a sustainable fire and rescue service, up to and beyond the introduction of the single service.”
The Chief Inspector has been instructed to provide a written report by 21 December, 2012. A copy of the report will be laid before the Scottish Parliament.
Minister for Community Safety and Legal Affairs Roseanna Cunningham has asked the Chief Inspector’s Inquiry to examine:
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whether a sufficient training programme, delivered by suitably qualified instructors, is now in place to ensure firefighters across Highlands and Islands Fire and Rescue Service have achieved and can retain the appropriate level of competency across a full range of required skills
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whether Highlands and Islands Fire Board has taken a stronger role in the scrutiny and challenge of how effectively the service is managing and monitoring the use of resources to ensure that a financially sustainable model is transferred to the single Scottish Fire and Rescue Service on 1 April, 2013
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whether there now exists a consistent framework, managed by appropriately trained and experienced staff across the districts for ensuring that legislative fire safety enforcement activity provides appropriate reassurance on the level of risk
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whether community fire safety initiatives are proportionate and sufficiently evaluated to identify their effectiveness against expenditure
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any other issues raised in the Best Value Report which you consider require to be addressed as a matter of priority.
The commissioning letter can be found here:
