Local Government

The purpose of the draft order is to amend arrangements for fire and rescue functions in Greater Manchester by enabling delegation of most responsibilities to the deputy Mayor for policing and crime, with remaining non-delegable functions retained by the Mayor. It also updates scrutiny processes to include oversight of fire and rescue functions by the police and crime panel renamed as the police, fire and crime panel. The order enhances strategic coordination between emergency services, promotes collaboration and best practice sharing, and responds to recommendations from the Kerslake report on improving public safety in Manchester.

We are living through extraordinary times. We pay tribute to firefighters who risk their lives every day for us. The draft Greater Manchester Combined Authority order allows the Mayor to make arrangements for fire and rescue functions, building on devolution success with real action on rough sleeping and support for young people. The focus must now be on completing remediation works as quickly as possible following Grenfell tragedy where 72 lives were lost. Fire services have been hit hard by cuts over the past decade, leading to a rise in response times and fewer firefighters. There is a gaping hole left by increasingly scarce central Government funds despite best efforts of Mayor Andy Burnham and his team.

Smith highlights the importance of strategic oversight and governance in ensuring effective fire and rescue services, particularly in light of lessons learned from tragedies like the Manchester Arena bombing. He supports the statutory instrument that enables the Mayor to delegate fire and rescue functions to the deputy Mayor for policing and crime and aligns scrutiny with the police and crime panel. Smith also emphasises the importance of funding, noting a £20 million annual budget reduction since 2010 which led to significant cuts in staff and equipment, while Greater Manchester's population has increased. He calls for full reimbursement from the Government to cover coronavirus-related losses and stresses the need for proper investment post-pandemic to keep blue light services effective.

Green acknowledges the positive change in governance and scrutiny of fire services, aligning it with policing. He raises concerns about the lack of an assembly-like body in Greater Manchester that could publicly scrutinise and challenge decisions made by the Mayor and the combined authority, unlike what exists in London. Green supports the current move but calls for additional mechanisms to ensure transparency and accountability regarding major failings like those seen in the iOPS computer system.

Welcomes the Minister back to his position, pays tribute to firefighters for their work during the coronavirus outbreak. Supports the statutory instrument for improving collaboration between fire and police services in Greater Manchester. Criticises funding cuts that have affected the service's fleet size and job numbers. Calls on the Government to honour its promise of covering additional costs due to the pandemic.

Pays tribute to firefighters for their life-saving work, criticises the lack of action by the Government regarding high-rise buildings with fire safety deficiencies. Highlights funding cuts that have reduced the number of personnel and equipment in Greater Manchester's fire service. Calls on the Government to reverse austerity measures, provide adequate funding for services, and ensure all housing is safe.

Responding to the debate, James Brokenshire acknowledged the broad support for the order and highlighted the sacrifices made by firefighters. He noted that fire and rescue authorities will receive around £2.3 billion in 2020-21, with an additional £20 million enabling increased inspection and enforcement capabilities. In Greater Manchester, there is a core spending power of £98.7 million for 2020-21, representing a 3.1% increase from the previous year. He also addressed funding concerns raised by other Members, mentioning that over £3.2 billion has been provided to local authorities in response to the pandemic; fire and rescue services received £6.5 million of this initially and will receive an additional £28.5 million soon. The Minister emphasised the importance of Lord Kerslake’s review and stressed the Government's commitment to innovative collaboration between policing and fire services. He discussed the issue of combustible cladding, noting that Greater Manchester has taken a proactive approach and established a high-rise taskforce. Nationally, £1 billion is available for the removal of unsafe non-aluminium composite material cladding in 19/2021. Finally, he highlighted how today’s order will provide clearer governance for fire and rescue functions.