1. The Fire Cover Review in Nottinghamshire A case study of building and enriching collaboration and knowledge exchange to create public value in the UK. Peter Murphy and Kirsten Greenhalgh Nottingham Business School IRSPM 2012 Theme 5 Bridging the gap: academic, policy and practitioner engagement and interdependency

2. Literature Review

3. The 2004 Fire and Rescue Services Act changed the raison d‘étra of the service and introduced the Integrated Risk Management Planning process (IRMP) as the basis for all service deployments and reconfigurations. Nottinghamshire undertook a comprehensive and universal re-assessment of individual and community risks as the basis for wholesale service reconfiguration during a period of acute financial constraints. The review was known as the “Fire Cover Review”. NBS appointed as independent consultants (adopting a ‘functionalist perspective’) to the first two stages of the review. The research programme grew out of this collaboration with both the Fire Service and the Fire Authority as NBS became an active participant in the development of the FCR. The general objective of this research is to examine the IRMP and FCR process in the new era of austerity to identify good practice and recommendations for improving the process or its application nationally and locally. “Fire and Rescue Service Reconfiguration in Nottinghamshire”

4. Reason for the collaboration “The Service wanted independent scrutiny and advice from a credible source that knew both the local and national contexts and understood the history, culture and antecedence of NFRS. We wanted to avoid being the subject of a judicial review into the evidence or systems we have used to undertake the Service Review. We knew NBS would provide the level of independence, knowledge and expertise required and would work seamlessly with our project team” Chief Fire Officer, NFRS

5. Nottingham, Nottinghamshire and Districts

6. The Fire Cover Review has 4 stages Stage 1 - A review of the existing levels of individual and community risks across Nottinghamshire using the latest available information and assessment techniques. Stage 2 – To use the latest information to develop, test and appraise, alternative options for service reconfiguration to respond and mitigate these risks. Stage 3 – Publish and consult on the preferred option for whole service reconfiguration across Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. Stage 4 - The authority to consider the response to the public consultation and determine any changes to the future deployment of the service and implement it in accordance with the resource envelope available.

7. Multivariate factors affecting the service configuration (Stage 1) Fire and Rescue Service Act 2004 National Framework Document Integrated Risk Management Planning Civil Contingencies Act 2004 National security Organisational security Audit Commission – Rising to the Challenge (incl. Fire Futures) Sustainable Communities Act Localism Community resilience Health and safety Working Time Regulations Part Time Workers’ Regulations Drivers’ regulations Equalities Alternative crewing models Pre-Determined Attendance (PDA) Economic loss Regional perspective

8. District Profiles, Nottingham City and Broxtowe

9. Key mutually interdependent variables and factors creating and responding to risk Other than the legislative frameworks and the national standards and requirements these were: The nature levels and distribution of NFRS existing resources and the efficiency effectiveness and economy in which NFRS resources are planned, deployed and managed. The economic and social geography of the Fire Authority’s administrative area as reflected in the mapping of Indices of Multiple Deprivation and the community profiles as analysed by the MOSAIC descriptors The level of access (or response time) to different parts of the county from different stations and premises calculated for both by Whole-Time and Retained Emergency Stations and Sections. The quality and quantity of preventative activity both by NFRS and by NFRS in collaboration with its key partners and stakeholders

10. Stage 2: Development of Options 3 Options for service reconfiguration were put together as interdependent packages each with 3 types of proposals differentiated  Proposals for stations and appliances  Managerial and organisational capacity changes  Other considerations or implementation issues One option was recommended and ultimately the preferred option for consultation was a variant of this option and this was not the option based upon cost.

11. Stage 3 Consultation and Engagement Rumors, misinformation, campaigns and use of the internet and social media was a feature from the start. NFRS adopted open transparent approach to information – using open access part of website Independent accredited consultants (OSR) were appointed to facilitate implement and report on the responses to the consultation NFRS adopted a pro-active engagement approach as well as traditional consultation techniques The exercise was largest ever undertaken by the service.

12. Public Consultation and Engagement Analysis of the Response Level of InterestLevel of support Strong Support√ Medium Neutral↔ Weak OpposeΧ √ √↔ Χ √ √ ↔ ↔ ↔↔ ↔ Χ

13. Assessment of the responses and the process. “Although changes to emergency cover are always likely to be unpopular, in this case the consultation process has shown public and stakeholders to be generally very favourable to the draft proposals in the Fire Cover Review, …..While neither the popularity nor the unpopularity of draft proposals can be a compelling consideration for the Fire Authority and NFRS in making decisions, there is no doubt that the results of the extensive consultation programme reported here were remarkably positive. In summary, the questionnaire survey showed absolute majority support for seven of the nine main proposals while the deliberative consultation (of 21 forums and focus groups) was supportive of them all” (OSR 2011 p.6).

14. Comparative Study Sample chosen via CIPFA/AC “nearest neighbor” model of 18 FR Services of which 17 were undertaking a review as a result of IRMP process and compared publically available information from websites  In contrast to Nottinghamshire all emphasized financial constraints as basis for review  All provided much less information, detail and publicity.  Only Nottinghamshire clearly differentiated the roles of the Service from that of the Authority

15. Collaborative working “NBS significantly increased the knowledge and analytical capacity available to the review in a highly efficient and effective way. The project needed the type of scrutiny that comes from working with acknowledged experts from the business environment.” Project Director, NFRS “NBS provided expert, unbiased views that helped us see the bigger picture, gave the Authority confidence in the process and helped us to develop a robust set of proposals to put before the public.” Chairman, NNFRA

16. Conclusions This was the largest most comprehensive consultation ever undertaken by NFRS and the first one in which the Internet and Social Media played a key part. Despite inevitable leaks and rumours, the publication of progress reports, the evidential base and all documents relating to the review and the inclusion of union representation within the process, reduced organisational tension, promoted accountability and undoubtedly reduced “rumours” and misinformation. The level of detail provided and the transparency of the process was far greater than similar exercises examined in a comparative analysis of other IRMPs due largely to the open and proactive approach adopted by NFRS. The general era of austerity and its constraints on public expenditure manifestly influenced and contextualised the attitude and response of public sector providers and the business community, within the key stakeholders, and to a lesser extent the public and representative bodies.

17. Conclusions Independent challenge and assurance of the first parts of the review was helpful to the Service and to the Authority and who commended the approach to other Services and Authorities The clear differentiation and demarcation maintained between the roles and responsibilities of the Fire Service (NFRS) and the Fire Authority was both helpful in this exercise and anticipated current government policy. The review included recommendations for improving both the evidential base and the development of future medium and long-term strategies