Fire Authority
Encyclopedia
In England and Wales
a fire authority or fire and rescue authority is a statutory
body made up of a committee of local councillors which oversees the policy and service delivery of a fire and rescue service
. Prior to the Fire Services Act 2004 many Fire and Rescue Authorities were known as Fire and Civil Defence Authorities; this designation is no longer used.
, there is an additional layer of governance above in the form of the London Assembly
.
The responsible central government department in England and Wales is the Department for Communities and Local Government
.
to exercise powers of inspection, any enforcement or prosecution action taken against organisations by the fire service is brought in the name of the fire authority, under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
.
The Fire Service's powers of entry and other operational roles are defined by the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004
This act provides the legal basis for fire authorities to carry out community rather than legislative fire safety functions.
There are many specific acts of parliament which deal with fire safety, inspection and enforcement; in October 2006 (later than anticipated), many outdated acts were repealed, and placed under the umbrella of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
England and Wales
England and Wales is a jurisdiction within the United Kingdom. It consists of England and Wales, two of the four countries of the United Kingdom...
a fire authority or fire and rescue authority is a statutory
Statute
A statute is a formal written enactment of a legislative authority that governs a state, city, or county. Typically, statutes command or prohibit something, or declare policy. The word is often used to distinguish law made by legislative bodies from case law, decided by courts, and regulations...
body made up of a committee of local councillors which oversees the policy and service delivery of a fire and rescue service
Fire service in the United Kingdom
The fire services in the United Kingdom operate under separate legislative and administrative arrangements in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales...
. Prior to the Fire Services Act 2004 many Fire and Rescue Authorities were known as Fire and Civil Defence Authorities; this designation is no longer used.
Constitution
A fire authority is made up of either councillors, officers or representatives from the local principal councils in the geographical area that the fire service operates. In the case of the London Fire and Emergency Planning AuthorityLondon Fire and Emergency Planning Authority
The London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority is a functional body of the Greater London Authority and was established under the Greater London Authority Act 1999. Its principal purpose is to run the London Fire Brigade....
, there is an additional layer of governance above in the form of the London Assembly
London Assembly
The London Assembly is an elected body, part of the Greater London Authority, that scrutinises the activities of the Mayor of London and has the power, with a two-thirds majority, to amend the mayor's annual budget. The assembly was established in 2000 and is headquartered at City Hall on the south...
.
The responsible central government department in England and Wales is the Department for Communities and Local Government
Department for Communities and Local Government
The Department for Communities and Local Government is the UK Government department for communities and local government in England. It was established in May 2006 and is the successor to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, established in 2001...
.
Role of a fire authority
In simple terms a local fire authority is a supervisory body which ensures that a local fire service performs efficiently and in the best interest of the public and community it serves. It means therefore that the fire service is answerable for its actions and performance to the general public. One of its main functions is to collect funding from each local council via a precept - a portion of council tax allocated to the FRS.Powers of a fire authority
Although a fire safety officer is an employee of the fire service and is authorised and answerable to the Chief Fire OfficerChief Fire Officer
A Chief Fire Officer or CFO is the highest ranking Officer in the UK Fire & Rescue Service. There are currently 59 Chief Fire Officers serving in the United Kingdom in charge of County Fire Services....
to exercise powers of inspection, any enforcement or prosecution action taken against organisations by the fire service is brought in the name of the fire authority, under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
The Regulatory Reform Order 2005 is a statutory instrument which places the onus on individuals within an organisation to carry out risk assessments to identify, manage and reduce the risk of fire....
.
The Fire Service's powers of entry and other operational roles are defined by the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004
Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004
The Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.It came into effect on 1 October 2004. It only applies to Great Britain and most provisions apply only in England and Wales...
This act provides the legal basis for fire authorities to carry out community rather than legislative fire safety functions.
There are many specific acts of parliament which deal with fire safety, inspection and enforcement; in October 2006 (later than anticipated), many outdated acts were repealed, and placed under the umbrella of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
- Comprehensive list of recent UK fire and rescue service legislation: http://www.statutelaw.gov.uk/SearchResults.aspx?TYPE=QS&Title=Fire&Year=&Number=&LegType=All+Legislation
- More detailed information on fire authority funding
See also
- Fire service in the United KingdomFire service in the United KingdomThe fire services in the United Kingdom operate under separate legislative and administrative arrangements in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales...
- Police authorityPolice authorityA police authority in the United Kingdom, is a body charged with securing efficient and effective policing of a police area served by a territorial police force or the area and/or activity policed by a special police force...
- Women in firefighting