Meeting Details

To elect a Chair for the ensuing year

To appoint a Vice-Chair for the ensuing year

Members are reminded that they should declare any personal and/or prejudicial interests at this point and that they should leave the meeting before any item, in which they have a prejudicial interest, is discussed.

Members are asked to agree the minutes of the meeting of the Audit and Performance Management Committee, held on 29 May 2008, and that they be signed as a correct record.

To receive any questions, statements or petitions, of which notice has been received, from members of the public.

Since the approval of the Statement of Accounts by the Fire Authority on 11 June 2008, there has been an amendment to the Pension Account contained within the Statement. Additional payments were made to firefighters who retired on or after 1 October 2007, following changes to the calculation of commutations. These payments were confirmed after the accounts had been submitted for approval, and the necessary changes have now been made. The effect is to increase debtors by £141,000 offset by the same increase in the amount due from Pension Top Up Grant to pay for this In addition, valuations of a number of the Authority's buildings are being carried out, following capital expenditure in the 2007/08 year. These valuations are being done retrospectively, as the total capital expenditure on the buildings concerned is not material. In 2008/09, valuations will be carried out prior to the closure of the accounts, on those assets where capital improvements have been made or where it would be in the Authority's interest to bring forward valuation from the next scheduled valuation in 2010/11. For information

Ms Hughes, Audit Manager Shropshire, will attend to present the Audit Commission's report on the audit for the year ended 31 March 2008. The Chair, Chief Fire Officer and Treasurer (in accordance with the authority delegated to them by the Fire Authority at its meeting on 19 July 2006) will then sign the Letter of Representation for the year ended 31 March 2008, as required by the Audit Commission. For information

The report presents progress on dealing with recommendations by the Internal Auditors, resulting from the 2007/08 audits.

This report informs Members of predicted performance assessment scores based on the current performance of the Key Performance Indicators.

This report informs Members of the Brigade’s performance against nationally prescribed Best Value Performance Indicators for the period 1 April 2008 to 30 June 2008.

This report provides information regarding the ongoing performance of the Retained Duty System in Shropshire.

The report provides Members with an overview of progress and highlights any areas within the Improvement Priorities Programme 2008/09 that are slipping or failing along with the actions taken to resolve the slippage. To report progress on Core Business, a presentation has been included on the Core Value area of Diversity.

This report presents the new ‘Annual Governance Statement’ Improvement Plan 2008/09, formally approved by the Fire Authority on 11 June 2008, and the progress made to date against the improvements contained in that plan.

The report informs members on progress to put in place a training programme.

This report provides Members with an update on the progress of the Equality Standard for Local Government.

This purpose of this report is to update Members on the progress of the actions identified within the Corporate Equality Action Plan which are being monitored through the Directorate Business Plans.