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East Sussex Fire Authority

East Sussex Fire Authority was created on 1st April 1997, as a result of local government reorganisation and has significant statutory responsibilities laid down in the Fire & Rescue Service Act 2004 and The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

East Sussex Combined Fire Authority Logo

For the following information about the Fire Authority click on the Fire Authority Meetings and Information can be found here.

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The primary duties of the Fire Authority

  • 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

Other legislation requires organisations to consult the Fire Authority on issues of public safety. 

For example, the Community Safety (Crime and Disorder) Act 1998 requires the police, local authorities, fire and rescue authorities, probation services and health services to work together to protect their local communities from crime and to help people feel safer. 

Good governance is about the processes for making and implementing decisions.

The Fire Authority does this by using Policies, systems and procedures which mean there is a structured and consistent approach.

The basic principles of good corporate governance require the Authority to undertake its functions in a way that;     

  • Is completely open and inclusive of all sectors of the community;     
  • Demonstrates the utmost integrity in all its dealings;
  • And is fully accountable to the public it serves.   

Policy Statement

The policy of the East Sussex Fire Authority is;

  • to incorporate the principles of Corporate Governance into every dimension of its business to ensure that stakeholders can have confidence in the decision-making and management processes of the Authority,
  •  and in the conduct and professionalism of its members, officers and agents in delivering services.  

To this end, the Authority will report annually on its intentions, performance and financial position, as well as on the arrangements in place to ensure good governance is exercised.

The Local Code Of Corporate Governance

In support of these objectives, the Authority has developed a local Code of Corporate Governance that sets out in more detail the key elements of the Authority's arrangements for ensuring that its policy objectives are met which are in line with the most recently published CIPFA Finance Advisory Network /CIPFA/SOLACE guidance.    

The operation of this Code is subject to regular monitoring and review, both internally and by external review agencies, the results of which will be considered by the Authority and subsequently reported within the annual Statement of Accounts as part of the Annual Governance Statement arrangements.

Annual Governance Statements    

Code of Conduct 

Statement of Operational Assurance 

The Government requires us to provide information to our community on how your service is being provided. 

We must provide annual assurance on financial, governance and operational matters and show you how we are meeting our priorities through our plans as well as the expectations set for us in our legislative framework. 

To do this we have written our Statement of Operational Assurance.

Data Transparency Licence 

Data Transparency Licence