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Fire and Rescue Services - Wales Programme for Improvement

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Consultation on the Local Government (Wales) Measure 2009: Publication of Fire and Rescue Authorities Improvement Plans

We are asking for your comments and observations on the proposed policy.

Local Government (Wales) Measure 2009: Consultation on Proposed Guidance for the Wales Programme for Improvement for the Fire and Rescue Authorities in Wales

This consultation is on the statutory guidance that Welsh Ministers can issue for Part 1 of the Measure in relation to Fire and Rescue Authorities.

W-FRSC(10)04 Local Government (Wales) Measure 2009 – Part 1 Guidance to Fire and Rescue Authorities

This circular present’s guidance which covers improvement under Part 1 of the Local Government (Wales) Measure 2009 as it specifically applies to Fire and Rescue Authorities (FRAs).

Part 1 Guidance to Fire and Rescue Authorities

Part 1 Guidance to Fire and Rescue Authorities
This document covers improvement under Part 1 of the Measure as it specifically applies to Fire and Rescue Authorities (FRAs).

The Local Government (Wales) Measure 2009 was passed by the National Assembly for Wales on 28th April 2009, approved by the Privy Council on 22 June 2009 and came into force 1 April 2010.

The Wales Programme for Improvement (WPI) was introduced on a non-statutory basis for Fire and Rescue Authorities (FRAs) in 2007-08. The Measure builds on the thinking behind the WPI by expanding the definition of improvement, requiring FRAs to determine their own improvement objectives under 7 wide ranging headings;-

  • Making progress towards its strategic objectives
  • Improving the quality of services
  • Improving the availability of services
  • Improving fairness by reducing inequality in accessing or benefiting from services, or improving social wellbeing
  • Exercising the functions in ways which contribute towards the achievement of sustainable development
  • Improving the efficiency of services and functions
  • Innovation and change which contributes to any of the above objectives.

FRAs are required to consult on and publish their improvement objectives on an annual basis, and to report on their performance against these. Reporting will include performance against statutory indicators and standards.

The Measure also creates a general power for authorities to collaborate to secure improvement, simplifies the role of regulation and inspection through co-ordination between regulatory bodies, and creates a general power for Welsh Ministers to support authorities in difficulty before using intervention powers.

Statutory guidance for FRAs has been issued under Circular W-FRSC(10)04.