Location and Accessibility of Meetings

All meetings of the Authority and its Committees are held in the Conference Suite in the Headquarters of Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service in Bridle Road, Bootle. Bridle Road is located between Netherton Way and Park Lane in Bootle, a short walk from Aintree Station which is on the Ormskirk branch of the Merseyrail Northern Line. There is a small visitors car park at the front of the building and a larger car park to the rear from where access to the Conference Suite can be gained.

Meetings of the Authority and its Committees are accessible to the public except where exempt information, as defined in the Local Government Act 1972, is being considered. This is for example likely to be the case for most meetings of the Appeals and Appointments Committees.

The Authority does welcome the attendance of members of the public at meetings. Any members of the public who do want to attend meetings are requested if possible to speak in advance to Helen Peek or a member of Committee Services on 0151 296 4114 so that suitable arrangements can be made.

Dates of Meetings

All Authority & Committee meetings are in the Conference Suite, at Fire Service Headquarters, Bridle Road unless otherwise stated.

2009

Date	Meeting
Thursday 11th June	Annual general Meeting
Thursday 18th June	Performance & Audit Committee
Thursday 25th June	Authority Meeting
Thursday 2nd July	Community Safety & IRMP (Member Development Community Safety)
Thursday 9th July	Asset Management & Shared Services followed by NW Regional Control & Firelink
Tuesday 14th June	Regional, Economic Development & Sustainability
Friday 17th July	Training Liaison Group
Tuesday 21st July	Strategy & Resources preceded by Learning Lunch, followed by Standards
Thursday 23rd July	Authority Meeting
Thursday 10th September	Members Induction/Development
Thursday 17th September	Authority
Thursday 24th September	Performance & Audit
Tuesday 29th September	Stronger & Diverse Communities
Thursday 1st October	Regional, Economic Development & Sustainability
Thursday 8th October	Community Safety & IRMP followed by standards
Friday 16th October	Strategy & Resources
Friday 23rd October	Training Liaison Group
Tuesday 3rd November	NW Regional Control & Firelink
Friday 6th November	Strategy Day
Thursday 12th November	Authority
Thursday 19th November	Performance & Audit
Wednesday 2nd December	Community Safety IRMP
Thursday 10th December	Stronger & Diverse Communities /Asset Management & Shared Services
Thursday 17th December	Strategy & Resources
Christmas Break 2010
Date	Meeting
Thursday 14th January	Regional, Economic Development & Sustainability
Monday 25th January	Authority
Wednesday 27th January	Strategy Day
Tuesday 2nd February	Training Liaison Group
Thursday 4th February	NW Regional Control & Firelink
Thursday 11th February	Community Safety & IRMP
Thursday 18th February	Budget Authority
Thursday 25th February	Asset Management & Shared Services
Thursday 11th March	Stronger & Diverse Communities
Tuesday 18th March	Authority/Strategy & Resources
Thursday 25th March	Performance & Audit
Tuesday 30th March	Management Board
Thursday 22nd April	Strategy & Resources
Thursday 29th April	Asset Management & Shared Services/Community Safety & IRMP
Tuesday 4th May	NW Regional Control & Firelink followed by Stonger & Diverse Communities
Thursday 13th May	Authority Meeting
Tuesday 25th May	Standards
Thursday 27th May	Training Liaison Group
Thursday 10th June	Authority (Annual General Meeting)
Thursday 24th June	Performance & Audit
Tuesday 24th June	Authority

Membership of Outside Bodies

The Authority is a Member of the Local Government Association and of the North West Employers' Organisation as well as of LACDE (Local Authorities Confronting Disasters and Emergencies) and the Safer Merseyside Partnership.

Its representatives for 2008/09 are as follows:-

Organisation	Members
LGA Fire Service Forum	Councillors Newman and Mahon
LGA Urban Commission	Councillor Grannell
North West Employers' Organisation	Councillor Grannell
LACDE	Councillor Grannell
Fire Support Network	Councillor Newman
Proposed Regional Fire Control Company	Councillor Newman & Niblock as Directors
Merseyside Brussels Office	Councillor Barber

North West Fire and Rescue Management Board

The Authority is represented on the North West Fire and Rescue Management Board. The Board was created in 2004 and is a grouping of the five North West Fire Authorities of Cheshire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Merseyside. The Board is comprised of key elected Members from each Authority and meets every two months. The nominated elected representatives of Merseyside on the Assembly for 2007/08 are Councillors Tony Newman, Jimmy Mahon and Ken Roughley. The Board is required to meet Government requirements to work collaboratively in the following areas:

Common and Specialist Services
Effective Resilience Plans for Large Scale Emergencies
Human Resources
Training
Control Rooms
Procurement

Elected Member Champions

Modernisation Equality & Diversity – Denise Roberts & Tony Newman
Modernisation Information Management & ICT - Steve Niblock.
Modernisation Value for Money – Andrew Blackburn
Modernisation Corporate Risk – Eddie Clien
Modernisation Fire Service Direct – Ted Grannell
Modernisation Older Persons – Vera Best
Modernisation Health and Safety – Martyn Barber
Modernisation Water Rescue & Technical Rescue – Jack Colbert
Modernisation Training – Martyn Barber
Modernisation Voluntary Sector – Gerry Ellis
Modernisation Lifelong Learning - Jack Colbert & Sharon Sullivan

District Council Questions

Under the provisions of the 1985 Local Government Act, Councillors from the five District Councils are entitled to put down questions about the Authority to meetings of their individual constituent Councils.

The Authority Members nominated to answer such questions in 2009/10 are:

Liverpool - Councillor Dave Hanratty
Knowsley - Councillor Tony Newman
St. Helens - Councillor Betty Lowe MBE
Sefton - Councillor Jimmy Mahon
Wirral - Councillor Denise Roberts

Equal Opportunities Policy

The Authority is firmly committed to providing equality of opportunity for current and potential employees and equality of service to the community. To achieve this the Authority will create an environment in which there is respect for every individual and recognition of their needs and aspirations, regardless of their sex, marital or parental status, sexual orientation, religion or creed, political beliefs, trade union activity, race, colour, nationality, ethnic origin, disability, age or any other factor which cannot be justified.
Secretariat

Secretariat

The Secretariat to the Authority is provided by Committee Services within the Strategy & Member Development Department, who are located in Bridle Road. They can be contacted by way of the following telephone numbers and e mail addresses:

helenpeek@merseyfire.gov.uk - 0151 296 4112

committeeservices@merseyfire.gov.uk