Fire Authority (Democracy)

Introduction

The East Sussex Fire Authority was created on 1st April 1997, as a result of local government reorganisation. It has a statutory duty to provide a Fire & Rescue Service for the whole of East Sussex and the City of Brighton & Hove, covering an area of 179,000 hectares and with a population of approximately 760,000.

Vision, Aims & Objectives, Values Responsibilities Fire Authority Strategies Panels Agenda and Terms of Reference Members Members Area Members Handbook Members' Allowances and Expenses Members Declarations of Interest, including Gifts and Hospitality

Scrutiny & Audit Reports Statement of Accounts Council Tax Statements Annual Audit Letters Equality & Diversity The Standards Board (Standards for England) Fire Authority Meeting Agenda & Minutes Fire Authority Diary

Responsibilities.

East Sussex Fire Authority has significant statutory responsibilities laid down in the Fire & Rescue Service Act 2004 and The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

Other legislation requires organisations to consult the Fire Authority on issues of public safety. The latest additional responsibility has arisen with the Community Safety (Crime and Disorder) Act 1998, that requires the Fire Service to play its part in reducing crime and the fear of crime.

The primary duties of the Fire Authority are:

• To provide a Fire Service and to ensure its efficiency
• To provide the efficient training of members of the Service
• To ensure that efficient mobilising and communications arrangements exist
• To make arrangements to obtain information needed for firefighting purposes
• To make arrangements to ensure that the steps are taken to mitigate damage to property through firefighting
• To make arrangements to provide fire safety advice
• To make arrangements to give mutual assistance to other Fire Services
• To ensure that adequate water supplies are available for firefighting purposes

Standards Board (Standards for England)

Standards for England is responsible for promoting high ethical standards and investigating the most serious cases where the local Standards Committee (Panel) believes it is not best placed to deal with the matter."