Rural Fire Service Strategic Planning Committee
Meeting Date: Wednesday,
15 February, 2023
Location: Teams
Meeting
Time: 5.30pm
Please note: Council’s Code of Meeting Practice
permits the electronic recording and broadcast of the proceedings of meetings
of the Council which are open to the public. Your attendance at this meeting is
taken as consent to the possibility that your image and/or voice may be
recorded and broadcast to the public.
Agenda
1. Apologies
2. Confirmation of Minutes
· Rural
Fire Service Strategic Planning Committee - 16 November 2022..................... 1
3. Reports
RF23.1........ Rural Fire Service - Future Works.................................................................. 4
4. General Business
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Rural Fire
Service Strategic Planning Committee – Wednesday 15 February 2023
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Membership
Clr Evan Christen – Chairperson
Clr Serena Copley
Clr Patricia White (alternate)
Chief Executive Officer or nominee (Mr Paul
Keech)
RFS Executive: Mr Jonathan Hill
RFS Staff: Mr Chris Palmer
Group 1 Area: Mr Andrew Fielding (Alternate
– Mr Stuart Thaler)
Group 2 Area: Ms Jennifer Lawther
(Alternate Vic Walker)
Group 3 Area: Mr Ross Smith (Alternate
– Mr Thomal Tait)
Group 4 Area: Mr Dennis Stannard (Alternate
– Mr Geoff Phillips)
Group 5 Area: Mr John Ashton (Alternate
– Mr Steve Heggie)
Group 6 Operations Support: Mr Clayton
Short (Alternate – TBA)
Primary Representative RFSA: Mr Vic Walker
(Alternate – TBA)
Jervis Bay Territory: Mr Harvey More or
nominee
Quorum - Five (5)
Note: Any non-voting Councillor in attendance at any meeting
may act as an alternate voting member in circumstances where achievement of a
quorum is required
Objectives:
To advise
Council on issues of a strategic and policy nature relating to the operation of
the Rural Fire Services having regard to the following:
·
That the core communication between brigades and
Fire Control Officer on operational issues be raised through the Group Officers
utilising the committee structure.
·
All issues be raised through Fire Control so
that statutory matters can be resolved immediately.
·
Policy matters raised can be referred to the
Strategy and Assets Committee through the General Manager so that statutory
matters can be resolved.
·
That the Strategic Planning Committee be
developed as the body advising Council on Rural Fire Service policy issues
Minutes of the Rural Fire Service Strategic Planning Committee
Meeting Date: Wednesday,
16 November 2022
Location: Teams
Meeting
Time: 5.51pm
The
following members were present:
Clr Patricia White Acting
Chairperson
Clr Evan Christen
Mr Jonathan Hill RFS
District Manager (Acting)
Mr Ross Smith RFS
District Officer
Mr Stuart Thaler Group
1 Area Deputy
Mr Geoff Ford Group
2 representing Vic Walker
Mr Thomas Tait Group
3 Area Representative
Mr Geoff Phillips Group
4 Area Deputy
Mr Clayton Short Group
6 Operation Support
Also
present
Mr Gary George SCC
Manager Building Services
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Apologies / Leave of
Absence
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Apologies
were received from Clr Paul Ell, Ms Jane Lewis, Mr Paul Keech, Mr Trevor Dando
and Mr Vic Walker.
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Confirmation of the
Minutes
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RESOLVED (Clr Christen / Jonathan
Hill)
That the Minutes of the Rural
Fire Service Strategic Planning Committee held on Wednesday 10 August 2022 be
confirmed.
CARRIED
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Nil
Reports
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RF22.4 Proposed
Meeting Dates for 2023
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HPERM Ref: D22/438836
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Recommendation (Item to be determined under
delegated authority)
That the Committee adopt the
proposed meeting dates for 2023, to be held online, as follows:
1. 5:30pm – Wednesday 8 February
2023;
2. 5:30pm – Wednesday 10 May 2023
(to be convened if required);
3. 5:30pm – Wednesday 9 August
2023, and
4. 5:30pm – Wednesday 8 November
2023 (to be convened if required).
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RESOLVED (Jonathan Hill / Clr
Christen)
That the Committee adopt the proposed meeting dates
for 2023, to be held online, as follows:
1. 5:30pm – Wednesday 8
February 2023;
2. 5:30pm – Wednesday 10 May
2023 (to be convened if required);
3. 5:30pm – Wednesday 9 August
2023, and
4. 5:30pm – Wednesday 8 November
2023 (to be convened if required).
CARRIED
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RF22.5 Rural Fire
Service - Future Works
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HPERM Ref: D22/452047
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Recommendation (Item to be determined under
delegated authority)
That the
Rural Fire Service Strategic Planning Committee notes the update on the
status of unfunded capital new and renewal works projects.
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RESOLVED (Jonathan Hill / Clr
Christen)
That the Rural Fire Service
Strategic Planning Committee notes the update on the status of unfunded
capital new and renewal works projects.
CARRIED
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general
business
Update
from Wednesday10 August Action:
Dept Manager Building Services
to organise meeting with Paul Keech, James Ruprai, Jonathan Hill and himself to
develop a process map to allow Brigades to self-fund and self-manage the
development of future builds.
The meeting was held on 6th
October and was attended by Gary George, Paul Keech and Jonathan Hill. The
service level agreement that exists between the RFS and Shoalhaven City Council
was discussed which, defines the responsibilities of each party including
maintenance.
Dept Manager, Building Services
presented an initial draft and process flow potentially to be applied to enable
brigades to self-fund and manage certain works emphasising consideration of
projects shall be based on a risk approach and members assuming full responsibility
for activities. There are further consultations required and potential
reporting to council prior to any consideration to implement.
The discussion moved onto a
clear delineation of roles and responsibilities for risk management purposes.
Clr White explained that any such process would need to be clearly mapped out
in procedures to ensure no surprises. There is usually a lot of angst from
community groups trying to undertake projects with many mandatory requirements
seen as roadblocks.
Acting District Manager Jonathan
Hill explained the process needs to black and white and RFS members should know
and accept all risks prior to approval.
There being no further
business, the meeting concluded, the time being 6.29pm.
Clr Patricia White
ACTING CHAIRPERSON
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Rural Fire
Service Strategic Planning Committee –
Wednesday 15 February
2023
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RF23.1 Rural
Fire Service - Future Works
HPERM Ref: D23/46996
Department: Building
Services
Approver: Paul
Keech, Director - City Services
Attachments: 1. Future
Priorities & Works - Future RFS Stations and Works - February 2023 ⇩
Reason for Report
To review the status of the unfunded capital works projects.
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Recommendation (Item to be determined under delegated authority)
That the Rural Fire Service Strategic Planning Committee notes
the update on the status of unfunded capital new and renewal works projects.
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Options
1. Accept the recommendation
as written.
Implications: Recommended – works can
continue as per the status report.
2. Not accept the
recommendation and draft a different recommendation.
Implications: Not Recommended – the committee
could change the agreed priorities, which would have an impact on the delivery
of the current program of works.
Background
The following projects will
remain in the Shoalhaven Strategic Capital Expenditure Program:
New Works
· Tomerong
Station
· Wandandian
Station
· Broughton
Vale / Berry
Renovation Works
· Tabourie
Station extensions DA approved
· Currarong
Station extensions DA submitted for determination
· St
Georges Basin extensions
Refer to attachment 1 –
Future works
Bushfire Local Economic Relief
Fund (BLERF) grants were awarded for the construction of Conjola RFS Brigade
extensions and the Manyana RFS Brigade new station.
There is currently no seed
funding available to progress design of new projects.
Community Engagement
Concept plans for each station extension
/ refurbishment works are discussed with the relevant brigades and reviewed
through regular design review meetings with RFS delegates.
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Rural Fire
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