Committees and meetings

All meetings of the Fire Authority and its Committees are held in the Authority Room at Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service Headquarters.

The Authority welcomes the attendance of members of the public at meetings. If you would like to attend a meeting, contact us.

All papers and analyses of facts used for decision making are contained within the relevant Committee reports. The reports relating to these meetings that are not restricted under the Local Government Act (Access to Information) Order 2006 are available to view on the Committee Management Information Section of the Sunderland Council Website.

Read the main Fire Authority meeting agendas and papers.

Committees

Human Resources Committee

Terms of reference:

  • To determine, review and monitor matters in respect of all personnel and training on behalf of the Authority.
  • To determine all referrals of disagreements relating to firefighter pensions made under regulation 6 of the Occupational Pension Schemes (Internal Dispute Resolution Procedures) Regulations 1996 (IDRP stage 2 applications).

Read the Human Resources Committee meeting agendas and papers.

Policy and Performance Committee

Terms of reference:

To consider and review all aspects of performance of the Authority in the provision of its services, in particular to:

  • scrutinise performance management information and reports with specific references to best value performance indicators
  • review progress of the Authority in relation to the implementation of the Strategic Plan or Integrated Risk Management Plan
  • consider and make recommendations to the Authority on policy and strategies
  • consider and make recommendations to the Authority on best value review programmes
  • scrutinise reports and make recommendations based on their content
  • monitor the implementation of action plans arising from reviews
  • review the Authority’s role and work within the Regional Management Board
  • consider budgetary matters in detail and make recommendations to the Authority

Read the Policy and Performance Committee meeting agendas and papers.

Governance Committee

Terms of Reference:

  • To provide independent assurance of the adequacy of the risk management framework and the associated control environment, and independent scrutiny of the Authority’s financial and non-financial performance to the extent that it affects the Authority’s exposure to risk and weakens the control environment and to oversee the financial reporting process.
  • To promote and maintain high standards of conduct by members of the Authority.

Read the Governance Committee meeting agendas and papers.

Appointments Committee

Terms of Reference:

  • Where appropriate, to shortlist candidates for the posts of Chief Fire Officer, Deputy Chief Fire Officer and Assistant Chief Fire Officers.
  • To interview candidates for and to make appointments to the posts of Chief Fire Officer, Deputy Chief Fire Officer and Assistant Chief Fire Officers.

Read the Appointments Committee meeting agendas and papers.

Disciplinary Appeals Committee

Terms of Reference:

To consider appeals by employees of the Authority (other than Principal Officers) against dismissal.

Read the Disciplinary Appeals Committee meeting agendas and papers.

Personnel Appeals Committee

Terms of Reference:

To hear and determine those appeals occurring where an employee has the right of appeal and the decision leading to the appeal was taken by the Human Resources Committee, including appeals by Principal Officers against decisions of the Human Resources Committee in disciplinary proceedings.

Read the Personnel Appeals Committee meeting agendas and papers.

Emergency Committee

Meetings of the Emergency Committee will be convened, subject to standing orders, to deal with any matter of urgency which may arise between meetings of the Authority or Committee.

A full report of any matters discussed and authorised must be included for information on the agenda of the next ordinary meeting of the Authority and Committee, as appropriate.

Read the Emergency Committee meeting agendas and papers.

Pensions Board

Terms of reference:

To assist the Authority in its role as a scheme manager of the Firefighters Pension Scheme. The assistance is to:

  • secure compliance with the Regulations, any other legislation relating to the governance and administration of the Scheme, and requirements imposed by the Pensions Regulator in relation to the Scheme
  • ensure the effective and efficient governance and administration of the Scheme
  • provide an oversight of these matters and, accordingly, the Board is not a decision making body in relation to the management of the Scheme but merely makes recommendations to assist in such management

The Board is not a sub-committee of the Authority.

Find out more about committee members on the Sunderland City Council website.