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PRINCIPAL INSPECTION REPORT HIGHLAND AND ISLANDS FIRE BRIGADE

STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT

Strategic Management is concerned with leadership direction and effective performance of desired outcomes.

Activities include management and planning of all resources and assets together with financial and performance monitoring. Consultation and information management are also important aspects with this activity.

Overview

10. Senior management within the Brigade has remained constant during the past year so helping provide a stable platform for further service consolidation and improvement. Emphasis has remained with the development of the extensive programme of upgrading of existing Volunteer Units and work on the Private Public Partnership has advanced. There are concerns about the overall impact of internal and external pressures on the small team of senior staff and a number of unresourced demands continue to exist. Key issues are:

• Resolve of organisational structure and management capacity.
• Conclusion of the first stage of the Public Private Partnership investigation.
• Review of staff resourcing in fire control, the use of flexible duty officers and the status of part-time staff.
• Introduction of comprehensive Management Information Systems.
• Conclusion of emergency fire cover arrangements.

Management Structure

11. The Fire Board has recently considered a proposal from the Firemaster that the existing management arrangements be enhanced to better meet the Brigade's evolving needs. Central to these requirements are a more sustainable strategic leadership and refined support mechanism together with divisional reorganisation. The proposal was accepted subject to adequate funding being obtained, the additional annual cost representing about 300,000.

12. The arrangements proposed received cursory review at the time of the inspection and do appear to reflect a more robust system of management with a stronger functional basis and a better supported divisional structure. In addition, the appointment of an Assistant Firemaster is judged most appropriate given the continuing pressures placed upon individual Brigade strategic managers. Such a post will also help enhance operational response, an important factor in the developing context of meeting an extended role to compensate for increased public risk which brigades are now seeking to address.

13. It is important, however, that in introducing any structure there is a general avoidance of individuals simply being appointed as deputies to other managers. Rather, the Inspectorate's preferred approach is that each individual should hold specific responsibilities within their own personal accountabilities. The mechanisms to support any new postholders, in the co-ordination and delivery of their responsibilities, are a further key feature. It is also highly likely to be necessary to introduce further cultural and developmental training if the restructuring is to offer real subsequent benefit. Adequate arrangements should be made to address these issues. The Inspectorate is generally, therefore, supportive of what the Brigade is trying to achieve, particularly in regard to strategic and functional management, provided adequate accountability, support, training and business processes are also put in place.

Service Planning

14. Considerable information has been supplied by the Brigade to illustrate its current service planning approach. This approach has been developed over a period of some years and now shows integration between strategy, resource allocation and output monitoring. Consultation arrangements exist between internal and external stakeholders and there are frequent exchanges between the Fire Board, Brigade management and those engaged in service delivery. The process may therefore be described as more refined and better integrated than previously.

15. It was emphasised by Brigade managers that the planning intention and approach now recognises the essential feature of trying to keep outcomes to realistic achievement levels and there is evidence that this approach has been followed within departments. The detailed Service Plan therefore clearly shows actions with key managers and milestones, together with resource allocations in terms of management time. Service planning outcomes are subsequently reported as achievements following the conclusion of each year's activities, so enabling the Fire Board and senior management to track progress. Where actions cannot be completed within the timescale originally allocated, or other priorities demand substitution of activities, the Service Plan Achievement Report illustrates these changes. This integration of the planning process therefore does incorporate a far better defined area of resource, both human and financial, which is an important factor given that the Brigade currently expends around 1 million above GAE.

16. The organisation of the planning process is designed to meet SMART criteria and the Performance Management Team undertake an informal SWOT analysis prior to the inclusion of any item within the Service Plan. It is also to be noted that the service planning process has incorporated recommendations previously made by HM Inspectorate in terms of improvements to the overall planning process.

17. It was identified that local circumstances do drive the fire service agenda. A particular example is the current activity being undertaken as part of the Public Private Partnership (PPP). This PPP initiative is now fully engaging a range of individuals and particularly the Deputy Firemaster, who is spending a considerable amount of his working time progressing this initiative. The PPP initiative is to be reported upon to the Fire Board later this autumn, but it is apparent that considerable lessons and information has already been gathered, and ultimately a great deal more information will be available regarding the Brigade's assets. This is therefore a positive outcome regardless of the decision that is made in terms of implementation, partial implementation, or no implementation, of any PPP approach. The planning approach adopted for capital consent will also reflect this situation with either a PPP option or not, depending on the final decision.

18. Overall, the service planning process appears to be meeting the defined needs of the Brigade. Formal devolution to managers of aspects of the planning process is now occurring to departmental level. In addition the Brigade has introduced a five-year service review schedule, which horizon scans important issues and is now fully integrated within the three-year Service Plan. One modest improvement would be the use of less generic titles within the service review schedule so as to enable them to be identified more easily as activities within the subsequent Service Plan.

Managerial Commitment

19. The Brigade does not have a comprehensive or dedicated continuous development process for personnel, although it is considering both the use of employee surveys and the EFQM Model. Essentially the relationship between senior management is fairly informal, given the relative scale of the Brigade Management Team and routine feedback information is therefore expressed routinely and openly. It is apparent that the Firemaster has determined to create a more open inclusive style of working which should further facilitate a better exchange of information by helping increase managerial access at first hand to quality information.

20. It is important that a process be adopted or developed that does allow evaluation of individual performance and recognition of contribution within a structured framework. It was advised that the Deputy Firemaster currently disseminates information on a structured basis. This does enable individual managers to give consideration to both the benefits and resource implications of attending external learning activities. It was advised that senior management do consider the relative learning needs of individual managers to ensure that there is overall corporate capacity within the Brigade to meet managerial requirements.

21. The changes being made within the management structure are a clear indication the Brigade does understand the difficulties of management performance and the recent proposals will help achieve greater effectiveness.

22. The Brigade has sought to further expand its external liaison role, in a formal way within the community, through the Wellbeing Alliance. This Alliance, which is based around the Community Planning Alliance administered by Highland Council, includes a community safety steering group to which the Firemaster has now been appointed as Chairman. It is interesting to note that, although the Brigade was not mentioned in the strategic plan developed nearly three years ago and is not one of the stated key partners, its activities in community safety form part of the strategic plan. It is to be hoped that in future, stronger recognition of the Brigade's role will find its way into the reported strategic planning process of the Wellbeing Alliance so that the Brigade contribution to the wider public need will thereby be recognised.

23. It was also advised that officers are routinely briefed twice a year on significant Brigade matters. Many of these officers hold functional responsibilities and this is one of the meeting's benefits, offering all the opportunity to influence, as a key component in how the Brigade organises and demonstrates its commitment to good practice. The Brigade seeks to learn from other organisations and routinely contributes to the wider fire service agenda. Placing this commitment in a more structured format would be helpful in showing that there is systematic development of key people and recognition exists of all staff and their contribution to the organisation.

24. Considerable external involvement has also been undertaken in the general area of Best Value. The Brigade is active in all organisational aspects of the fire service related to this important initiative and has established itself as a key player in the overall performance management process. Typically, internal reviews are on a quarterly basis, with a series of local, statutory and Scottish performance indicators set as a series of defined benchmarks.

25. The contribution of senior managers within the overall CACFOA (Scotland) Best Value working arrangements is positive and well recognised. Defined processes therefore exist to ensure that Best Value review work, when undertaken, fully meets the criteria established by the Best Value recommended approach. Evidence was seen of a Best Value Review (BVR) undertaken by the Brigade into staffing arrangements within the Administrative Department, which illustrated this level of commitment.

Resource Management

26. As already mentioned, the Brigade has developed over recent years its capacity to meet new demands, such as review of fire cover and legislative change linked to issues common across the fire service in Scotland. As part of this review process the Brigade has determined that the management structure needs revision on a more functional basis to help it meet these demands. In addition, the majority of administrative staff are currently subject to single status review, which is being undertaken by the Highland Council. Already outlined and linked in part to these arrangements is the approach of a more inclusive management system and the inclusion of more extended partnership working arrangements through CACFOA (Scotland).

27. Whilst there has been no formal adoption of the EFQM Model, it is clear that the Brigade does adopt, together with the Board, a clear strategy which sets out to conduct Best Value Reviews in accordance with the generally accepted methods. These reviews are introduced into the five-year service review schedule previously mentioned. Scheduling in this way helps provide early alert of situations which are likely to require planning effort.

28. Already mentioned in this report are the demands placed upon the Deputy Firemaster arising from the Brigade's engagement in the PPP Initiative. The service review schedule will need to recognise both a positive and negative outcome to this review as part of its planned future actions.

29. The Performance Management Committee of senior managers reviews routinely progress against all defined milestones using the mechanism previously described for performance indicators. The resourcing of each part of the process is considered as each action is adopted within the formal Service Plan. There is synergy, therefore, between the horizon scanning process and the actual introduction of service objectives and their ultimate measurement. Identification of components for inclusion within the service review schedule is undertaken by the Performance Management Committee, which provides advice to the Brigade Management Team who may amend the strategy accordingly.

30. Little work has been able to be undertaken in terms of cost cutting BVRs due to the resource capacity of the organisation, although there is commitment to this approach. There are indications of a strategic consultation within the process of establishing resource issues and the Senior Management Team, together with the Fire Board, are actively engaged in the overall process. BVRs, when undertaken, do follow the currently accepted CACFOA Service Review Model, which has been adopted throughout Scotland. Staff, where necessary, are supported, to enable them to carry out reviews and the review reports themselves do contain most of the elements that are expected within a BVR.

31. Of significant importance within the Brigade is the resourcing of fire cover and this is a matter referred to later in this report. An illustration of the complications that arise from this programme is the need to fund additional training for Auxiliary Firefighters. Again this is an area in which the Brigade is trying to be realistic about its target setting, given that it will require considerable additional external funding if it is to be successful. Fire cover was last reviewed in the year 2000 and will require to be updated subsequently in five years' time, during which period it is likely a new method of risk assessment will be suitably defined.

32. The Brigade has undertaken an employee survey but did not carry through the public opinion survey as originally intended. The employee survey concluded in May 2002 provides an indication that there is support for training and development of individuals and a Performance Management Committee works with the internal Training Department to help identify individual and group training needs. The Brigade also operates a role related policy in which training is given specifically to those who require it for their operational or managerial role. The Brigade Training Officer is required to undertake a systematic review of all learning outcomes as part of the training audit process. In addition, as already mentioned, individual officers are briefed on Brigade objectives and performance expectations and progress is monitored against local departmental plans. The Brigade also supports external learning opportunities, including degree level education, where appropriate, for senior staff. The overall ethos that the Brigade aspires to is that of a learning organisation and the corporate statement in desired management style illustrates this commitment.

33. Operational resources are also subject to review, primarily through the Fire Cover Review process referred to later. Agreement has also been reached with neighbouring brigades where necessary, with the exception of Strathclyde, on mobilising mutual aid and support. On the Island of Unst the RAF are also involved in a formal agreement relating to fire cover. Highland and Islands Brigade remains the only brigade in Scotland to maintain an offshore capability, operated from four locations - at Invergordon, Benbecula, Orkney and Shetland.

34. The current attendance to property fires of two pumps is undertaken against a criterion of a minimum of three riders on any appliance. A risk assessment is conducted, where necessary, to permit this level of availability and use of minimum staffed crews. All major pumping appliances have been equipped with some road traffic accident equipment. The current ridership factor is 5.8 riders per rider position.

35. Routine performance management data are collated by Fire Control on all operational activities. Control Room staffing remains a difficult area, with a minimum complement of two staff being on duty. There are also concerns about the availability of heavy rescue equipment, given the large geographic area of the Brigade and, although use is made of helicopters for forest firefighting, this facility is not generally available due to cost and other practical considerations for routine operations. This is an issue of some importance and is illustrated by the fact that responses to hazardous material incidents are reliant upon resources from Inverness and, through non-formalised mutual aid arrangements, Strathclyde Fire Brigade.

36. In addition, officer command at incidents relies on the goodwill of officers to respond off-duty. This is a situation, which would not materially change, even with increased resources at the more isolated locations, such as islands. It does occasionally give concern that the Brigade is so reliant upon a very flexible approach by its key managers.

37. The Brigade has recently indicated to the Scottish Executive that it believes all its Auxiliary part-time firefighters should be upgraded to the status of Retained. It is accepted that this is a mechanism which would enable, in the Brigade's view, further resources to be obtained and then deployed to help mitigate some of the practical constraints and difficulties outlined. It is, however, a matter that would require the widest discussion led by the Scottish Executive, given its impact on other brigades.

38. Overall performance by part-time staff remains high, with the availability being indicated at 99.1%. This availability does, of course, reflect in part the low numbers of calls occasioned at some fire stations.

39. The Brigade relies on special appliances based at Inverness, which include a hydraulic platform and rescue tender. It has conducted a review of requirements throughout its area and does not propose any increases in aerial appliances, although it would wish to introduce a rescue tender in the south of the Brigade area at some time in the future. It has not reviewed the actual location of road traffic accidents throughout its area, which should be a precursor to any further provision of a rescue tender.

Consultation

40. The Brigade has a defined process for consulting key stakeholders, which was reviewed in 1998. The process has identified those key organisations and individuals, particularly within the community, that should be consulted and various mechanisms are introduced to enable this to be taken forward. In addition the Firemaster produces an Annual Public Performance Report. A range of usual methods are used to inform staff of ongoing issues. The Brigade website is currently being redesigned and routine performance data are widely distributed. As already mentioned, an employee survey has been conducted and an external survey will be commenced. Together with a number of other Scottish brigades, Highland and Islands does utilise the services of a consultant to assist in the development of its consultation process. The results of consultation are utilised in the development of the Service Plan and service review schedule.

41. There is no formalised media plan, but senior staff do release routine information to the media when required with politically sensitive statements also being routinely issued by the Firemaster or Convener. The wide range of information on outcomes reported through the service plan is also distributed to all members of the Fire Board and therefore generally accessible.

42. Opportunity was taken during the Inspection to meet with a senior official of the Fire Brigades Union. He confirmed that consultation did occur on strategic issues contained within the Service Plan and that, generally, the Union was aware of the developing policies of the Brigade.

43. He confirmed that internal consultation arrangements were generally businesslike and members of the Fire Brigades Union had been invited to join management on a number of occasions during discussions on service policy. Internally there did not appear to be serious difficulties in terms of the dissemination of information, although it was accepted that individual stations were not always clear as to the overall direction of some of the service policy. Attempts were, however, clearly made to try, at a local level, to improve the situation. In general industrial relations were stated to be satisfactory, although mediation proceedings using external arbitrators were underway at one station.

44. Industrial relationships were generally described as good and the working arrangements with senior management effective. Management was also seen to be generally supportive of trade union activity, encouraging staff development and team working. Management does have a formal process for consultation with this trade union at Brigade management and departmental level. Management on a needs basis also meets Unison and AEEU. Quarterly all three trades unions attend the Brigade Health and Safety Committee and there is therefore a regular exchange of views.

Information Management

45. Information management remains a key concern within the Brigade. A consultant was appointed to undertake a review of the use of information technology and a comprehensive information strategy has now been developed. Although considered by Brigade management to be an appropriate way of taking the Brigade forward, the strategy, which includes all the essential strands of integration between technologies and people, has unfortunately not been taken forward due to a lack of resources. This comprehensive strategy, reviewed during the inspection, does provide considerable scope for the development of the organisation and its ability to meet current and ongoing demands. It is particularly important given the large geographic nature of the Brigade and the limited human resources of senior staff. It therefore represents a priority area for the Brigade to advance as soon as possible.

Performance Monitoring

46. Considerable mention has already been made of the extensive performance monitoring arrangements that exist within this brigade, which are recorded as good. The Brigade, for example, was responsible for the establishing of the peer group review audit system undertaken to assess health and safety, using the ROSPA arrangements. Partly as a result of these reviews identification has been made of the need to better utilise internal facilities and arrangements are already underway to relocate, in this financial year, a number of administrative staff from the current Headquarters to the nearby Seafield Road, Inverness site.

47. The Brigade has also now networked its Oracle-based financial system which will enable a better use to be made of its financial information. It is also expanding the Brigade's intranet, using eleven ISDN lines so that all districts, together with Benbecula, will be able to access and utilise Brigade information. In addition it is seeking an Information Technology-based fire safety package to assist in its performance management in that area.

Fire Cover Review

48. The Brigade's Fire Cover Review has been the subject of extensive discussion between the Fire Board, Brigade, HM Fire Service Inspectorate and Scottish Executive over a number of years. Detailed proposals had been made and admirable progress has been maintained in the improvement of facilities and equipment throughout the Brigade's area.

49. The detailed nature of the proposals has been the subject of regular review by the Inspectorate and the following conclusions were made following the last full consideration of the issue in June 2001:

• All communities require an appropriate level of protection.
• Assessment of risk, as outlined by the Brigade and their comprehensive study, is not fully supported.
• Successful risk reduction requires greater emphasis on community safety approaches.
• A balanced service delivery of prevention and intervention actions should be developed, with investment from the Scottish Executive.
• The proposed upgrading programme represents, in overall expenditure comparison terms, a costly option to lowering risk.
• There are implications for all Scottish fire authorities in supporting the programme, namely redistribution of borrowing consents and revenue support.
• Prior to the provision of further equipment, firefighter safety requirements require a discussion at national level with the Health and Safety Executive.
• Greater involvement in defining the role of the rural and retained firefighter, in both firefighting and rescue and in fire safety education and advice, should be fully supported by the Scottish Executive.

50. During the current inspection a further review of progress was undertaken and visits were made to a range of facilities. These included Sleat, Minginish, Dunvegan, Melvich, Thurso, Portree, Broadford, Durness, Tongue, Bettyhill, John O' Groats, Wick, Lybster, Dunbeath, Helmsdale, Fort William, Ardgour, Strontian, Lochaline, Acharacle, Glenborrodale, Glenuig, Invergordon, Achiltbuie, Lochinver, Scourie, Achfary, Ullapool, Larig, Bonar Bridge, Beauly, Cannich, Drumnadrochit, Fort Augustus, Foyers, Carrbridge, Nethybridge, Boat of Garten, Aviemore, Kingussie, Newtonmore and Inverness. A fairly comprehensive picture was gained from these visits as to both the nature and quality of facilities, the respective levels of competency of staff when seen, the support network available and the managerial supervision systems in place to develop and monitor individual and team performance and response. Those individual members of staff seen were inevitably enthused and committed to their role as a firefighter and the performance witnessed in practical training indicated successful application of skills to the task being undertaken.

51. The central ethos applied by the Inspectorate throughout inspections and visits in assessing efficiency is that all firefighters, whatever their location and duty system, must be adequately trained and protected. Without this basic requirement being satisfied the service delivered to the public is unsatisfactory and the risk to the individual firefighter unacceptable. It is recognised that the Fire Board shares this underlying ethos and through its continuing efforts, with the support of the Scottish Executive, has sought to address inefficiencies.

52. It is also the Inspectorate's view that there is a requirement, when applying any risk assessment process to an area, of ensuring that both the likelihood and severity of fire are measured in terms of cost and benefit to the community. This approach has particular relevance in the Brigade since communities are dispersed and fortunately the frequency of fire can be quite low or involve outdoor property, such as heaths or building fires contained within chimneys, presenting a low risk to life. This need has recently been reinforced by the progress report on the UK Fire Cover Review which stated that in addressing resource allocation strategies "in some circumstances resources are targeted at areas where there are only a few individuals at intolerable risk, which can be expensive on a per capita basis".

53. The Inspectorate accepts that all communities retain in their basic risk profile, often arising from non-fire events like road accidents, a threat to life. In remote locations this risk is affected by the increased travel time necessitated for response by the emergency services.

54. The generally accepted fire risk management philosophy in recognising these two points is that any action taken should firstly seek to reduce or remove risk whenever possible (prevention) and that, secondly, any emergency response (intervention) be appropriate, both in terms of those skilled and protected staff who will respond with suitable appliances and equipment, and the availability of those staff for immediate despatch.

55. Evaluation and assessment of the current operational capacity of the Brigade by the Inspectorate suggests that this important criterion is not, at some locations, being satisfied. This, despite the current endeavours of the Fire Board and the programme of improvement undertaken to date, which has been effective in a number of areas. It is therefore the clear view of the Inspectorate that there needs to be an objective reconciliation of the existing programme to enable it to reach a defined conclusion.

56. The current approach may in some regards be described as evolutionary. This evolutionary approach presents a number of difficulties, both in the short term for training and in the longer term, for sustaining the organisation created, given the overall limited corporate capacity of the Brigade. This corporate capacity is limited in areas like central training, continuous personal development, individual operational experience, station supervision and operational support management. It is also impacted upon by individual levels of commitment to undertake the additional personal development required or in offering manageable elements of personal commitment to enable the Brigade to ensure actual response. Added to these considerations are a range of other statutory and good practice requirements and advice designed to ensure the effectiveness of the system and the health, safety and welfare of individual firefighters. A direct consequence for the community is that without this corporate capacity the effectiveness of any emergency cover is unlikely to be satisfied.

57. The Inspectorate considers that the current arrangements, especially from those locations operating non-mobile units placed in small garden sheds, are not efficient, represent an implied standard of protection to communities which is not realisable, and present an unacceptable risk to firefighters operating from those sites. A view has therefore been taken on those locations which offer good strategic emergency fire cover options for the whole of the Brigade's operational area. In these locations it is important that all firefighters are, as has been previously emphasised, suitably trained and protected and immediately available to respond.

58. By adopting this Inspectorate option it is concluded that it is not essential to mount intervention operations from all existing sites and that in isolated communities life safety from fire can be better assured using alternative arrangements.

59. It is the view of the Inspectorate that implementing these safety, equipment, competency and availability matters should not be delayed and comprehensive action should be taken to ensure that within two years training and protection has been afforded to all firefighters. Thereafter it is essential that all firefighters are subjected and supported by a management process, of suitable capacity and assets, to ensure the required levels of efficiency are sustained.

60. The Brigade should, in the light of the preceding and following comments, assess the current underprovision and prepare a short-term plan to rectify the identified deficiencies.

61. Planning should use the existing pragmatic assumptions in terms of the facilities and vehicles required at each location. It is seen as undesirable and uneconomic to attempt a "one size fits all" solution, since current assumptions have attempted to match facilities to risk. Rather, buildings of various forms with vehicles of a kind appropriate to the equipment, staffing and terrain are acceptable, given the terrain, the risk and the likely use. Similarly prioritising further property improvements should reflect functional requirements like the need to maintain breathing apparatus, record training, house communications, provide drying and cleaning for fire kit and allow for personal dignity and hygiene. Large premises are not essential, but practical working arrangements to effectively meet service needs are. The plan should conclude by indicating how and at what cost these short-term improvements are likely to be achieved and be capable of delivery within a two-year timescale.

62. The plan should then be subjected to further review and discussion with the Inspectorate, Health and Safety Executive and Scottish Executive so that confirmation of effective emergency provision, discharge of responsibilities and support for the funding required can be obtained.

63. It is recognised that the PPP initiative now underway may be affected by this action but the issue is of such importance that it should not be delayed if the achievement of protection for the community and firefighter is to occur within two years.

64. Thereafter planning is needed to meet the general sustainability issues identified. Community safety planning should also be undertaken. In all regards it is important that the Scottish Executive are engaged in this process, given the financial implications.

65. This importance is underlined by the Scottish Executive's funding mechanism of GAE and the distribution to fire authorities, based in part upon establishment. Alterations to accommodate any improvements, that is wholetime or part-time personnel to meet sustainability requirements, will impact on the fire service as a whole in Scotland. The Scottish Executive will need to consider this matter in conjunction with all Scottish brigades.

66. The Scottish Executive should also consider funding of trial projects within the community safety-planning programme as part of its general promotion of community fire safety. This is an activity which the Fire Board cannot presently undertake, although this may alter following legislative changes now being considered. The protection of residential communities through installed preventative systems, using fixed detection and active systems, is worthy of greater exploration in isolated communities as an alternative to intervention. Sustaining such systems, once established, will be an important feature.

67. It is also crucial that improvements are made at Invergordon and Fort William to support any sustainable training programme. Each facility is in need of renovation to meet current and future needs. At Fort William, on a new site with equally good access to the town, training facilities could be introduced to the benefit of a wide catchment area. The need to change the duty system at Fort William for fire cover purposes cannot be supported or justified at present but there remain substantial arguments to increase the number of specialist wholetime staff located in Fort William to assist in supporting those part-time firefighters operating in the south of the Brigade's operational area. The Brigade should also consider other options for realistic training.

68. In determining the approach outlined of strategic locations the Inspectorate has had due regard to the existing operational activity levels and facilities already in place or underway. Some of the modern fire station facilities seen offer a substantial step forward to the Brigade and represent a creditable achievement. It is essential, however, that this effort is now underpinned by appropriate infrastructure, human and material, if the Brigade is to secure the professional service it now seeks.

69. The preferred emphasis now needs to turn towards supporting what is already or will shortly be on the ground. This is vitally important given that with such a large number of operational stations the Brigade will have one of the most extensive operational networks in the UK serving one of the smaller populations with the highest number of part-time staff.

70. Those strategic locations identified as developed, under development or suitable for future development are shown in Figure 1.

71. Two communities included, which may be worthy of review, are Scalpay and Scourie. In the first case the bridge to the mainland of Lewis has now provided access to the established resource at Tarbert. In Scourie's case established resources exist at Kinlochbervie and Lochinver.

72. Three other communities included in the disposition, which may represent suitable areas for the trial development of community safety practices, are Bressay, John O' Groats and Foyers. All these communities have access to services but are also remote, one being on an island, the others some distance by road from established resources. All also have small communities which may have difficulty in sustaining the commitment, referred to earlier, relating to guaranteed availability and personal development time. Community safety measures at these locations would enable evaluation of safety improvement, other than by intervention, to be thoroughly undertaken.

FIGURE 1: STRATEGIC EMERGENCY COVER LOCATIONS

73. In expressing the views, and in particular identifying strategic locations, the Inspectorate accepts individual communities may disagree with the evaluation or wish to offer alternatives. The process of review has, however, been influenced by what action towards improvement has already been taken and the likely practical outcome on improving life safety. The operational response provided will have the highest density of fire stations per capita of any brigade [1:2,954] being around 10 times the UK average of 1:29,131 people. In Scotland the comparator average is 1:14,360. It is also important to reiterate, since there is an understandable desire for communities to have recognisable protection in the form of a fire station, that the evidence is that most fire deaths occur in the home and within a period of minutes from people realising a fire has occurred. A direct consequence of this is that improvements made through community safety in the home, to alert and allow escape or tackle small incipient fires, are more likely to save lives and property, especially in remote locations, than improved intervention.

The following two sections, referring to Finance Management and Capital Finance, were prepared, following review independent of HM Fire Service Inspectorate, by Audit Scotland, the appointed external auditor.

Financial Management

74. Highland and Islands Fire Board adopted standing orders and financial regulations on 28 November 1995. The standing orders have been subject to review and the Board adopted revised standing orders on 27 January 2002. A similar review requires to be undertaken of the financial regulations to ensure they are still appropriate to the Board and take account of changes in legislation resulting from the Local Government etc (Scotland) Act 1994 and the Public Finance and Accountability (Scotland) Act 2000. After revision standing orders and financial regulations should be subject to regular review particularly where there are changes in legislation or accounting practices.

75. The Brigade has been developing new procurement procedures with the assistance of the Procurement Manager of the Highland Council. The Brigade Management Team will approve the new procedures in October 2002. Although we have not undertaken a comprehensive review of these procedures we noted that they set out the respective responsibilities of the Brigade Management Team and the budget holder; the requirement to undertake feasibility studies to address identified needs; specification and procurement guidance; tender and contract procedures.

76. The four constituent authorities, Highland Council, Shetland Islands Council, Orkney Islands Council and Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar, fund the Brigade's annual revenue budget. The budget for 2002/03 is approximately 9.8% above the Granted Aided Expenditure (GAE) assessment.

77. The Board has three-year budgeting and has prepared a 10-year projection of anticipated firefighters pension costs.

78. The Brigade has a comprehensive service planning, recording and reporting process, linked to its corporate strategy, which feeds into the budget planning cycle. The process has been developed by use of a local service planning framework which is directly linked to the corporate plan. Individual projects are monitored on a regular basis by the Brigade Management Team to ensure planned timescales are being achieved. Although requests for additional budgets/improvements come through this process and are ranked no growth items were included in the 2002/03 budget due to financial constraints.

79. Most heads of expenditure are devolved to budget holders with the exception of retained and auxiliary firefighters' costs, which can vary due to the number of incidents attended. The Brigade has a comprehensive budget monitoring system that includes monthly monitoring reports to budget holders and the Brigade Management Team.

80. We reviewed the minutes of the Brigade Management Team and noted reference to the need to keep expenditure within budget. However, it was not evident from the minutes whether revenue monitoring reports were discussed at Team meetings. In our view the Team's agenda should include revenue monitoring statements as an agenda item on at least a quarterly basis with more detailed reports, incorporating explanations for variances, on a six-monthly basis.

81. The Firemaster submits revenue monitoring reports to each meeting of the Board. The report to the Board on 29 November 2001 included a table outlining significant variances for Members' information. We commend this practice.

82. Annual statutory performance indicators are submitted to Audit Scotland and the Brigade also provides information to the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) for inclusion in their annual publication of fire service statistics. The Brigade has been at the forefront of the development of local performance indicators. A group of the Chief and Assistant Chief Fire Officers Association (CACFOA) is also addressing the development of local performance indicators.

83. The Brigade's Third Officer chairs a quarterly meeting of the Brigade Management Team to review all aspects of Brigade performance.

Capital Finance

84. A capital programme has been prepared for years 2002/03 to 2004/05.

85. All capital projects are progressed on behalf of the Brigade by Highland Council's Property and Architectural Services. The Head of Finance and Administration and Divisional Officer (Senior Fire Safety Officer) have regular meetings with staff in Property and Architectural Services to discuss progress on capital projects. Thereafter the Firemaster and Deputy Firemaster are informed of the progress of projects and this can be included on the Brigade Management Team's agenda on an exception basis, i.e. if the project is not progressing as expected. The Director of Property and Architectural Services also submits detailed progress reports on capital projects to the quarterly meetings of the Board.

86. The Fire Brigade is developing an asset register/property database which, in addition to the property reference, will include details of the construction, layout and maintenance history of each fire station. This register will be completed in the current year and should assist the Brigade in the management of its property portfolio.

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