DN 07/YNYCA/DM/2024 – Risk and Resource Model Update: Harrogate Fire Station
DN 07/YNYCA/DM/2024 Date 08/11/2024
The Deputy Mayor for Policing, Fire & Crime has taken the decision to instruct the Chief Fire Officer to change the duty system of the second fire engine at Harrogate to day-crewed1, enabling emergency response via a pager at night.
The Chief Fire Officer has confirmed that the second fire engine at Harrogate, currently a Tactical Response Vehicle (TRV), will be replaced with a standard B-Type fire engine with a crew of four. It will be capable of responding as the first fire engine to all incident types. This change was already approved in the RRM Decision Notice in 2022, so no further decision was required.
______________________________________________________________________________
1 Day-crewing is a Grey Book compliant duty system already adopted by seven wholetime stations in North Yorkshire. Firefighters are based at the station to crew the fire engine between 0800-1800 every day and still respond outside of these hours via an alerter.
Background
In determining North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service’s Risk and Resource Model 2022-25, the former Commissioner consulted with the public over the summer of 2022 on a range of resource change proposals to best manage and mitigate risk.
Following public consultation in September 2022, it was decided to implement all resource change proposals. The changes include replacing the second fire engine at Harrogate, known as a TRV, with a standard B-type fire engine. This second engine would be crewed during peak demand period (daytime only) instead of the current 24-hour shift system. Currently, the TRV fire engine, which has a crew of three, responds to a limited range of incidents and does not attend dwelling fires as the first fire engine. The changes were scheduled for implementation from April 2024.
No changes were proposed to the first fire engine in Harrogate which would remain as a B-type fire engine on a 24-hour shift duty system.
The Service’s Strategic Leadership Team proactively engaged with the Fire Brigades Union and crews from September 2023, in line with the RRM implementation plan, to establish a workable crewing model for the second fire engine. During this time, the Peak Demand proposal was not accepted by the Trade Union and no alternative duty system had been proposed to the Service.
In May 2024 representative bodies expressed interest in exploring alternative options with the Deputy Mayor. These options involved maintaining two 24-hour shift fire engines at Harrogate, which would necessitate additional investment beyond the current costs. These had not been presented to the Service, at this time.
The delay in implementation has resulted in a pause on forecasted investments into crucial areas of service delivery. To address this delay and impact, the Chief Fire Officer met with the Deputy Mayor on 8 November and members of his Strategic Leadership Team to discuss and advance a workable duty system for the second fire engine.
The Deputy Mayor sought confirmation that the original proposal’s rationale was still valid and that there had been no changes to the risk and demand in the Harrogate area. Additionally, the Deputy Mayor inquired about the extent of consultation with representative bodies and budget implications of alternative duty systems.
Decision Record
The Deputy Mayor for Policing, Fire & Crime has taken the decision to instruct the Chief Fire Officer to change the duty system of the second fire engine at Harrogate to day-crewed, enabling emergency response via a pager at night.
The Chief Fire Officer has been asked to progress with the implementation of this option as soon as possible, after necessary engagement with the workforce and representative bodies, to avoid further delay.
Jo Coles
Deputy Mayor for Policing, Fire & Crime
Statutory Officer Advice
Legal, Management and Equality Implications
The Combined Authority Deputy Monitoring Officer for Mayoral Policing, Fire & Crime functions, having read this report and having considered such information as has been provided at the time of being asked to express this view, is satisfied that this report does not ask the Deputy Mayor for Policing, Fire & Crime to make a decision which would (or would be likely to) give rise to a contravention of the law.
Financial and Commercial
The Deputy s73 Officer for Mayoral Policing, Fire & Crime functions has advised that the decision to implement the day crewed option for the second fire engine at Harrogate would lead to around £90k less investment than the original Risk and Resource Model proposal of peak demand/day staffing and that the Service would need to identify and realise additional efficiencies to maintain a balanced Medium-Term Financial Plan.
Link to Related Decision Notice
- Published on