Report of the monitoring officer

OPEN

INFORMATION

ITEM 11

1.    Purpose of Report

1.1    To update Members on outcomes relating to Fire Authority policies.

2.    Recommendation

2.1    That Members note the contents of the Monitoring Officer’s Report.

3.    Legal and Governance Matters

3.1    This report sets out the work of the Monitoring Officer and outlines the governance arrangements in place, allowing Members, to monitor performance, which should promote Member and public confidence in the Fire Authority’s arrangements.

Local Government & Social Care Ombudsman

3.2    Under the Service Procedure: Complaints, Feedback and Appreciations members of the public can bring a complaint about the standard of service, actions or lack of actions by Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service, its personnel or a person, or body acting on its behalf.

3.3    The Service recorded 4 complaints from members of the public in the period 1 April 2021 to 31 March 2022. These were investigated and a response given but one complaint relating to a fire safety inspection was referred to the Local Government & Social Care Ombudsman. The Ombudsman’s final decision was received in June 2022, saying the complaint would not be investigated because the concerns related to matters in 2015 and the Ombudsman saw no good reason why a complaint could not have been made sooner.

Employee complaints
3.4    A complaint made to the Fire Authority Chair in March 2022 resulted in an independent investigation being carried out and the following action plan will look at key areas for review in how the Service works and deals with employees’ concerns:

1. The processes and procedures allowing people to speak up; 
2. Awareness of the informal action being taken in order to monitor and report on any negative cultural patterns or trends over time;
3. Ongoing training to all staff which reinforces the behaviour expected as well as how issues and concerns should be handled;
4. Exit questionnaires and exit interviews could be promoted and encouraged further, and recommendations could be monitored.
5. Maintain and promote the avenues to allow people to seek advice and assistance and to raise concerns, internally or through an external independent organisation.

3.5    Regular updates will be brought to Members for monitoring purposes.

4.    Financial implications

4.1    There are no adverse financial implications for the Fire Authority.

5.    Risk management

5.1    This report sets out the outcomes relating to Fire Authority policies with updates to give Members an overview and help Members monitor progress on any action plans developed by officers.

This report has been consulted upon and approved by the following officers:
Strategic Leadership Team – 19.08.2022

Contact Officer:        
Louise Taylor – Solicitor and Monitoring Officer    

Background Papers
DFRS –Service Procedure: Complaints, Feedback and Appreciations
DFRS - Whistleblowing Public Interest Disclosure Procedure
DFRS - Anti-Fraud and Corruption Policy
Our Plan 2020-2023
Fire and Rescue National Framework for England 2018    
HMICFRS Assessment of Fire and Rescue Services in England 2019