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Resources and Fire & Rescue Overview and Scrutiny Committee - Wednesday 2 July 2025 2.00 pm

July 2, 2025 View on council website Watch video of meeting
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Summary

The Resources and Fire & Rescue Overview and Scrutiny Committee met to discuss several key reports, including the principles of effective scrutiny, customer feedback, integrated performance, and treasury management. The committee endorsed the principles of effective overview and scrutiny. Members raised questions about fire service resources, staff support, and financial performance, with several items slated for further review and responses from portfolio holders.

Resource Risk Model and Fire Cover

A member of the public, Connor Edwards, raised concerns about the Resource Risk model used by Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service, stating that it was not created with the expertise of world-leading scientists as previously claimed, and that it does not accurately predict future risk. He also stated that Bedworth and Nuneaton had been left without fire cover under the new model.

Councillor Dale Keeling, Portfolio Holder for Fire and Rescue and Community Safety, responded that the project had been heavily scrutinised and that the questions had been answered previously.

Benjamin Brook, Chief Fire Officer, added that the approach was in line with national standards and had been reviewed by other fire and rescue services. He stated that the new model would guarantee the availability of two additional fire engines across the county at all times, and that response times were down to nine minutes.

Councillor Cliff Brown raised concerns about the fire plan, referring to several major fires in the UK where fire plans had failed. He stated that the plan was putting people in south-west Warwickshire at risk. Councillor Keeling responded that he believed in the plan and that reports would be kept up to date.

Questions to Portfolio Holders

Councillor Nicki Scott asked whether the portfolio holders could reassure councillors that officers would not be subject to bullying and harassment in the workplace, especially those from the LBGQT community. Councillor Keeling responded that the question needed to go to Cabinet.

Councillor Ketra McCullough asked what was being done to support staff during a period of change following the recent local elections and the resignation of the leader. An officer, Mr Powell, responded that staff were working closely with new councillors and that there was an extensive well-being offer for staff.

Councillor David Curtis commented that the purpose of the meetings was to hold the Cabinet to account and that this could not be achieved by asking officers to write responses on their behalf.

Principles of Effective Scrutiny

The committee endorsed the principles of effective overview and scrutiny, which had been agreed by the council a couple of years prior. These principles include working in partnership, being purposeful, willingness to challenge, seeking transparency, parity of esteem, performance holds the key, focus, behaviour, and progression and growth. Councillor Curtis welcomed the principles, stating that effective overview and scrutiny helps lead to better decisions and better policy.

Resources Directorate Customer Feedback Report

Ruth Rollings, Service Manager for Customer Relations, presented the Customer Feedback Annual Report, which provided an overview of compliments, complaints and comments received by the Resources Directorate and Fire Service. Key points included:

  • A new feedback system implemented in January 2024 has improved complaint handling, categorisation and reporting.
  • Complaints have decreased by 43%, compliments have increased by 43%, and comments have increased by 89%.
  • The top categories complained about were council service standards (43%), communication (14%), and staff conduct (14%).
  • 71% of Resources Directorate complaints were completed within timescale, and 50% of Fire and Rescue complaints.

Councillor McCullough asked about the reassignment of cases, and whether traffic of reassignment was mostly from complaint to comment. Ms Rollings responded that the traffic was in every direction.

Mr Powell added that the council was over-recording previously, and that the new system allowed for more accurate classification.

Councillor Scott asked what percentage of complaints related to staff. Ms Rollings said she would provide that information.

Councillor Morris asked what was being done to combat the trend of increasing complaints about service standards. Ms Rollings responded that this would need to be held locally by services.

Councillor Waine asked for examples of how comments and complaints had been used to improve services. Ms Rollings responded that training on neurodiversity had been from a complaint, and that cross-team working had now been identified as an area that had lessons learned.

Year-End Integrated Performance Report

Craig Cusack, Director of Inaiop and Services, introduced the Year-End Integrated Performance Report 2024/25, which evaluated progress against the Council Delivery Plan, performance against key business measures, and financial information and risk management. Key points included:

  • 89% of the 18 activities in the Council Delivery Plan were on track.
  • 68% of the 19 key business measures were on track.
  • A net revenue underspend of £2.6 million, which was circa 3% under budget.
  • 100% of savings delivery in the services covered.

Councillor Curtis asked about the over-underspend on the budgets. Mr Powell responded that the council had implemented a comprehensive financial recovery strategy, which had been successful in mitigating the pressures that they had.

Councillor Scott asked about absence levels. Mr Cusack responded that absence was monitored closely and that figures were moving in the right direction.

Councillor McAllister asked about resourcing at risk, and whether the percentage of times a fast appliance arrives at life risk of property incidents within agreed response standards was the old or new measure. Mr Brook responded that it was the old measure, and that the new measure would be available in the next reporting cycle.

Councillor Curtis asked about the management of finance table on page 59, and whether the figures added up correctly. Mr Cowell responded that the figure of the 2.9% negative variance was 2.608 divided by the budget, which was 90.805, and it was correct.

Treasury Management and Investment Outturn Report

Mr Powell introduced the Treasury Management and Investment Outturn Report 2024/25, explaining that treasury management involves managing the council's cash balances, and that the council prioritises security, liquidity, and then yield. He stated that the performance of the treasury management team was exceptionally strong last year, generating nearly £14 million above the £5 million budgeted amount.

Councillor Curtis thanked Mr Powell for the answer, stating that it was prudent to be more cautious given the circumstances.

Councillor Morris asked whether there were any reports of how much income the council's partnerships and liability companies generate, and where the money actually goes back to. Mr Cusack responded that a report would be brought to the committee in December.

Work Programme

The committee noted the contents of the work programme. Councillor McAllister commented that the resourcing to risk update was scheduled for April, which seemed a long time away. Mr Brook responded that he was very happy to provide any ongoing updates to the committee as required.

Councillor Crump suggested that if there were some really complicated questions, members would probably get more meaningful answers in the public domain from offices if they could be submitted.

Attendees

Profile image for Councillor Sarah Boad
Councillor Sarah Boad  Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group •  Liberal Democrats
Profile image for Councillor Cliff Brown
Councillor Cliff Brown  Liberal Democrats
Profile image for Councillor David Curtis
Councillor David Curtis  Liberal Democrats
Benjamin Brook
Craig Cusack
Sarah Duxbury
Rob Powell
Vanessa Belton
Profile image for Councillor Dale Bridgewater
Councillor Dale Bridgewater  Portfolio Holder for Fire and Rescue and Community Safety •  Reform UK
Caroline Gutteridge
Corrin Harding
Bal Jacob
Ruth Rollings

Topics

No topics have been identified for this meeting yet.

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