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The Service

Corporate Planning Process

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STEEPLE analysis - political

Ref No

Issue/Risk

Strategic Level Action

PO1

The Government’s expectations for greater collaboration between fire and rescue authorities at the regional level - through the Regional Management Boards (RMBs) - will have an impact on both the approach to and way we manage and deliver some key services (including regional control centres mentioned above). Failure to fully embrace and influence the development of the ‘regional agenda’ could lead to the Authority becoming politically isolated and vulnerable to decisions made that are not in its best interests.

The Authority is already leading on developing a regional approach to human resource management, and is actively involved in key aspects of the planning processes for the new regional control centres.

This level of engagement - and opportunities to exert further influence by both Members and senior officers - needs to be sustained and exploited so that the Authority can be reasonably assured that its best interests are promoted and any risks to it are minimised.

PO2

Members of the Authority are also members of one of the three constituent authorities (Hampshire County Council; Portsmouth City Council; Southampton City Council); some are also members of district councils and other public bodies (eg the Police Authority). As local councillors they will also be representing the interests of the electorate in their Division/Ward. It is important to recognise that this will, on occasion, cause inevitable tensions for Members who may need to satisfy or respond to different and sometimes opposing views/priorities when considering their stance on policy decisions – particularly those affecting their local area. These tensions could, understandably, inhibit progress on some aspects of the modernisation agenda.

Proposals for change (arising from the IRMP) that directly impact on the delivery of services in local communities need to be well presented and the benefits of change (and its implications) communicated effectively during periods of consultation. Members will need to be satisfied that local concerns have been properly anticipated and taken into account in presenting business cases for any proposals for change so that they can have confidence in the thoroughness of the consultation process when decisions need to be made.

PO3

Failure to fully engage in local Crime and Disorder Panels and Local Strategic Partnerships (LSPs) could result in the Authority missing out on opportunities (and sources of additional funding) that could directly contribute to the achievement of its corporate aims – particularly those relating to prevention and protection actions. There is a clear expectation on all local authorities to exploit the potential benefits and economies of scale of taking cross-cutting initiatives and partnership working to improve the delivery of services to the public. The Authority would receive understandable criticism (particularly through the CPA process) if there is little evidence of collaborative activity.

The Authority is becoming a more active member of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Local Authorities Association and in local strategic partnerships and panels. There is scope however to increase the level of engagement and contribution made by Members of the Authority and officers (particularly the new Group Managers). Specific IRMP actions (such as the proposed pilot of deploying a vehicle and crew at the Popley Fields Community Centre, Basingstoke) will increasingly emerge as tangible examples of the benefits of collaborative working.