PURPOSE OF REPORT

To inform Members of actions being taken by North Wales Fire and Rescue Service (NWFRS) during the transition period following the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union on 31 January 2020.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Following the 2016 referendum on the UK’s membership of the European Union (EU), NWFRS has been considering what impact the withdrawal from the EU could potentially have on the Authority and/or the Service’s operations in North Wales.

Internally, meeting are being held to identify and seek to mitigate any potential issues for delivering fire and rescue services. Externally, NWFRS is working through its membership of the Local Resilience Forum (LRF) to identify and reduce any impacts for the wider community of North Wales.

Working both independently and with partner organisations NWFRS has sought to identify potential impacts and the steps that could be taken to mitigate any negative effects.

RECOMMENDATIONS

That Members note the information provided in this report.

OBSERVATIONS FROM THE EXECUTIVE PANEL/AUDIT COMMITTEE

This report has not previously been considered by Members.

BACKGROUND

The outcome of the referendum held on 23 June 2016 was that the UK would leave the EU. On 29 March 2017 the UK invoked Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU) which triggered the UK’s withdrawal, commonly known as Brexit, from the EU. This changed and the UK left the EU on 31 January 2020 and entered into a transition period ending on 31 December 2020.

INFORMATION

Initially planning work was undertaken during 2019 and this has continued to identify impacts and risks arising from the UK exiting the EU, and to determine and introduce mitigation measures.

A number of potential issues are generic to many parts of the public sector and relate to, for example, the potential for disruption to supply chains, and the effect of financial strain in an uncertain future following this transition period.

The Service has communicated with all members of staff reminding them of the need to consider the impact of leaving the EU on them personally and members of their family.

The Service has continued to working with LRF partners to identify combined risks or where joint working is required to minimise potential negative effects on members of the public and local communities. Specifically in North Wales consideration has been given to, for example, the road infrastructure and border control in relation to the port in Holyhead. Discussions have continued with the Strategic Co-Ordination Group.

Much of this work has been necessarily theoretical and could not realistically go beyond maintaining a watching brief pending more concrete indications of risk.

IMPLICATIONS

Wellbeing Objectives - The Authority’s second well-being objective relates to facilitating high quality, responsive and better integrated fire and rescue services. Disruption to e.g. supply chains could potentially impact the Authority’s ability to achieve this objective.
Budget - Potential additional strain on the Authority’s budget from mitigation measures and/or effect more generally on the UK economy after the end of the transition period.
Legal - The Authority has legal duties to plan for, and seek to mitigate, risks that could affect its ability to provide its statutory services and to ensure that it has sufficient resources to do so.
Staffing - None identified.
Equalities/Human Rights/ Welsh Language - None identified.
Risks - Risks associated with continuing to deliver services and having sufficient financial resources in an uncertain post-Brexit UK economy (as above).