Governanace and assurance

Various governance bodies and systems are required to deliver an efficient fire and rescue service to our communities.

Nottinghamshire and City of Nottingham Fire and Rescue Authority

This is often referred to as the Combined Fire Authority (CFA) and is legally responsible for ensuring we have the people, equipment and training needed to carry out our duties in relation to fire prevention; fire safety; firefighting and rescue; road traffic collision extrication and rescue; and other emergency rescue activities such as responding to flooding or terrorism.

The Authority consists of 18 elected councillors, of which six councillors are from Nottingham City Council and 12 councillors from Nottinghamshire County Council.

Nottinghamshire’s Police & Crime Commissioner is also a member of the Authority. There are six committees that report to the Fire Authority.

These are:

• Appointments
• Community Safety
• Finance and Resources
• Human Resources
• Personnel
• Policy and Strategy

Collectively these committees and the full Authority make decisions on key matters such as policy, strategy and budget.

The Authority also facilitates a Strategic Inclusion Board and local Fire Pensions Board. The Strategic Inclusion Board ensures that the Authority sets and maintains its strategic direction in relation to equality, diversity and inclusion. It oversees and supports the Service’s work to discharge its statutory responsibilities in all relevant areas of equalities legislation and acts as a group for consultation at Member level. The Fire Pension Board oversees the administration of the Firefighter Pension Schemes. Meetings of the CFA and its committees are open to the public. Further information can be found on our website.

Internal Assurance

The Service has a number of key meetings that provide internal scrutiny, monitoring and governance across key business areas. These include:

Senior Leadership Team

The Senior Leadership Team is responsible for implementing the strategy and policy decisions taken by the CFA.

Under the direction of the Chief Fire Officer, the team meets to discuss service priorities, collectively understand emerging issues and determine whether additional formal reports or business cases are required for consideration.

CRMP Assurance Board

The CRMP Assurance Board focuses on the progress being made against the strategic goals in the CRMP. It meets monthly and is chaired by the Chief Fire Officer. It scrutinises performance reports and key performance indicators.

Operational Learning Board

Chaired by the Area Manager for Risk and Assurance, the Operational Learning Board meets to ensure that we can effectively learn from the operational incidents and exercises that have taken place.

This board also considers learning that has come from other fire and rescue services to ensure an efficient, safe and effective operational response and to support the goal of delivering an outstanding service. This board meets quarterly.

Service Delivery Evaluation and Assurance Group

Chaired by the Area Manager for Response, the Service Delivery Evaluation and Assurance Group provides oversight, monitoring and scrutiny for the performance of our Prevention, Protection and Response departments.

Risk and performance matters are considered, with the aim of addressing any areas of concern and highlighting and learning from areas of good practice. The Group meets on a quarterly basis.

Inclusion Performance Group

Chaired by the Assistant Chief Fire Officer, the group provides oversight and assurance of matters relating to equality, diversity and inclusion. The group comprises heads of department, chairs from each of the five staff networks and representatives from the recognised trade unions.

The group considers relevant performance metrics, policies and supports collegiate problem solving though the inclusion of staff voice as part of the organisational decision-making structure.

Community Advisory Group (CAG)

Chaired by the Assistant Chief Fire Officer, this focus group is made up of external stakeholders, designed to act as a sounding board and advisory group to support NFRS’s development of policies, procedures and communications. The group aims to represent all communities across Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, and to be a voice for marginalised and under- represented communities. CAG offers critique, advice and feedback from communities in relation to the delivery of services and acts as a point of reference on issues relating to service delivery, policy change, culture, consultation, and engagement; and particularly how these may affect communities and marginalised groups within them.

Service Health, Safety and Welfare Committee

Chaired by the Assistant Chief Fire Officer, the Service Health, Safety and Welfare Committee, is a Safety Committee as defined by the Safety Representatives and Safety Committee Regulations 1977.

The Committee is the forum where Safety Representatives meet with those line managers with responsibility for health and safety so that consultation and discussions on health, safety and welfare can take place. This group meets once a quarter.

Training Assurance Board

Chaired by the Head of People and Organisational Development, the Training Assurance Board provides the mechanism for multidisciplinary oversight and performance management of training and competency related management information.

The group is responsible for receiving performance reports relating to operational training, digital learning, leadership and management and diversity and inclusion to ensure compliance with expected key performance indicators. The group meets on a quarterly basis.

Protective Security Group

Chaired by the Assistant Chief Fire Officer for Corporate Services in their role as Senior Information Risk Officer, the Protective Security Group provides guidance and leadership to maintain and improve the compliance, integrity and availability of all assets and infrastructure across the Service.

It is responsible for setting direction and providing support for security issues. It provides assurance and accountability at a strategic level to manage and address risk. The group meets once a quarter.

Collaboration Board

We facilitate a Strategic Collaboration Board that looks for opportunities to work with Nottinghamshire Police and oversees current collaborations. The membership of the group includes the Chair of the Fire Authority, the Chief Fire Officer, the Chief Constable and the Police and Crime Commissioner. We also have a Collaboration Board which facilitates governance and reporting of our Joint Fire Control with Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service and explores areas for continued collaboration. This is attended by Fire Authority members and senior officers of both services.

Annual Statement of Assurance (ASOA)

The Fire and Rescue National Framework for England requires the Fire Authority to produce an annual report of the work the Service has undertaken to fulfil its statutory duties and deliver the commitments made in the CRMP. The ASOA must also provide assurance to our communities and to government on financial, governance and operational matters.

We publish our ASOA in July of each year following review and approval by the Fire Authority. You can find our recent ASOAs in the Service Plans section of our website. 

Independent assurance

We receive independent assurance of our governance and performance through the work of appointed auditors and the fire sector inspectorate.

Internal Audit Programme

Each year the Service commissions Nottinghamshire County Council to undertake 95 days of audit, directed at those areas which present highest risk to the Fire Authority and the Service. The findings of these audits are reported to the Fire Authority with the information on the outcomes publicly available. Internal audit ensures that appropriate levels of assurance are in place for key activities, systems and business processes and informs the risk management and continuous improvement approach of the Service.

External Audit

Our financial governance and accounts are assured by our appointed external auditors.

His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS)

HMICFRS assess and report on how well fire & rescue services prevent and protect against and respond to fires and other emergencies. It also looks at how well the Service looks after its staff. They carry out inspections of services’ performance in eleven areas of interest, and examine and report on critical national issues and themes in an annual State of Fire Report. You can read our inspection reports on the HMICFRS website.