Late December 2020 MQT answers
MQT late answers Dec 20
Question No: 2020/4434
Andrew Dismore
Residents in Fitzrovia are receiving contradictory responses from TfL regarding corrugation on the rails on the Victoria Line around Warren Street. They wrote to me just a few weeks ago to say that they would not be carrying out grinding in the area in the October / November grinding round, because there was no significant corrugation. Now they have just sent an email to a resident stating that: “The engineers have checked the ATMS, and believe that the increase [in noise] is caused by short patches of corrugation which are developing again as a result of the effects of the previous grinding wearing off. My understanding is that the next round of grinding on the Victoria line is Spring 2021. I’ve asked if this could be brought forward, but sadly this isn’t feasible due to the limited capacity within the grinding programme.”
What was the wisdom of the decision not to grind the rails here recently, and how does this fit with commitments previously made to tackle to problem? Will you ensure this area is prioritised for grinding, should slots become available?
Answer for Tube Noise [1]
The Mayor
Last updated: 22 December, 2020
Officers are drafting a response
Tube Noise [1]
The Mayor
Last updated: 11 January, 2021
Before deploying a rail grinding machine on a particular line, TfL reviews rail corrugation levels across the line to determine the areas in which rail grinding will have the greatest benefit. This includes an assessment of where rail grinding is required for operational reasons, and separately in terms of noise and vibration. Rail grinding reduces rail roughness, and is expected to have greater benefit in areas where rail roughness levels are relatively high.
Although there are some small sections of rail corrugation starting to develop, overall rail roughness in the Fitzrovia area is still relatively low, and rail grinding would likely result in only a minimal reduction in noise and vibration at this stage. TfL will continue to keep this area under review for future interventions, with further rail grinding planned on the Victoria line from spring 2021.
It is important that residents get in touch with the TfL Contact Centre if there are any issues, as this allows TfL to determine any noise ‘hotspots’. Key sites are reviewed on a monthly basis by senior responsible managers.
Question No: 2020/4435
Andrew Dismore
Residents living between Kentish Town and Tufnell Park report a major increase in tube noise recently. What is the cause and what is the proposed remedy?
Answer for Tube Noise [2]
The Mayor
Last updated: 22 December, 2020
Officers are drafting a response
Tube Noise [2]
The Mayor
Last updated: 11 January, 2021
Transport for London (TfL) is in the process of arranging residential noise measurements in this area, which will enable it to determine the cause of any noise disturbance – and any potential solution. Residential noise measurements are currently on hold due to London moving into Tier 3 of the Government’s coronavirus restrictions.
Rail grinding will be carried out on the Northern line in spring 2021, and is expected to include this section of track.
It is important that residents get in touch with the TfL Contact Centre if there are any issues, as this allows TfL to determine any noise ‘hotspots’. Key sites are reviewed on a monthly basis by senior responsible managers
Question No: 2020/4436
Andrew Dismore
Residents of Fitzrovia were told that noise from the Victoria Line around Warren Street was not caused by the conditions of the tracks, and so Warren Street was not included in the list of track areas to be ground. It now transpires that there has been corrugation on the rail there, but it will be months before there can be grinding, due to lack of availability of the machine. This is clearly not adequate management of the track or the continuing tube noise issue. Can the grinding of the rails here please be prioritised?
Answer for Tube Noise [3]
The Mayor
Last updated: 22 December, 2020
Officers are drafting a response
Tube Noise [3]
The Mayor
Last updated: 11 January, 2021
Please see my answer to Mayor’s Question 2020/4434.
Question No: 2020/4437
Andrew Dismore
Design work for passive provision for West London Orbital platforms at Brent Cross West station is continuing but funding had not yet been identified for the construction work. Are TfL involved in this scheme, and are they seeking funding for the works?
Answer for West London Orbital Link
The Mayor
Last updated: 22 December, 2020
Officers are drafting a response
West London Orbital Link
The Mayor
Last updated: 11 January, 2021
The West London Orbital (WLO) scheme is included in my Transport Strategy and Transport for London (TfL) is jointly leading the development of the scheme with the West London Alliance of boroughs.
TfL wrote to Barnet Council in August to explain that due to current financial constraints it was unable to fund the £1.4m required to facilitate a future connection to additional platforms for WLO services at the new Brent Cross West station. However, the Council has continued to develop two versions of the detailed design for the new station, with and without the WLO passive provision, while any other potential sources for funding the passive provision are sought.
TfL and GLA officers are continuing to work with the Council to decide if funding secured in the Brent Cross Cricklewood planning agreement could be used to fund passive provision for the WLO scheme at Brent Cross West station.
Minimising firefighters’ exposure to toxic effluents (3)
Question No: 2020/4440
Andrew Dismore
When were policies for decontamination of PPE and personnel last updated?
Answer for Minimising firefighters’ exposure to toxic effluents (3)
The Mayor
Last updated: 22 December, 2020
Officers are drafting a response
Minimising firefighters’ exposure to toxic effluents (3)
The Mayor
Last updated: 11 January, 2021
The firefighter decontamination policy (PN584) was last reviewed on 29 Nov 2019.
Minimising firefighters’ exposure to toxic effluents (4)
Question No: 2020/4441
Andrew Dismore
Do all fire stations currently have the facilities to allow all firefighters to ‘shower within an hour’ when returning from an incident or following a live fire training exercise? Please provide details of any stations unable to provide this at the moment.
Answer for Minimising firefighters’ exposure to toxic effluents (4)
The Mayor
Last updated: 22 December, 2020
Officers are drafting a response
Minimising firefighters’ exposure to toxic effluents (4)
The Mayor
Last updated: 11 January, 2021
Yes, every fire station has shower facilities to allow firefighters to shower within an hour of returning from an incident or training exercise.
Minimising firefighters’ exposure to toxic effluents (6)
Question No: 2020/4443
Andrew Dismore
What policies are currently in place for the routine care, maintenance, inspection and professional cleaning of PPE?
Answer for Minimising firefighters’ exposure to toxic effluents (6)
The Mayor
Last updated: 22 December, 2020
Officers are drafting a response
Minimising firefighters’ exposure to toxic effluents (6)
The Mayor
Last updated: 11 January, 2021
London Fire Brigade (LFB) has Policy 693 for structural firefighting PPE, and Policy 533 for Uniform and PPE, excluding structural firefighting PPE.
Policy 693 provides instructions on using structural firefighting PPE. Routine care, maintenance and inspection are set out in detail for each garment. The PPE is cleaned and inspected as part of the managed service contract and each garment has a condition code assigned to it which is reviewed each time it is sent for laundry.
LFB staff can put their garments in for laundry whenever they see fit and there is no limit on this. Specific provisions are also set out for contaminated garments.
Policy 533 covers all other clothing allocations. There is general guidance on the care and maintenance which covers the expectations placed on staff and managers around the care of these garment
Minimising firefighters’ exposure to toxic effluents (10)
Question No: 2020/4447
Andrew Dismore
The FBU’s report ‘Minimising firefighters’ exposure to toxic effluents’ states that many of the substances firefighters are exposed to are classified as human carcinogens. In addition, the occurrence of disease and cancer are higher than expected amongst firefighters compared to the general population. How can you reassure firefighters that their health and safety are being prioritised and their wellbeing matters?
Answer for Minimising firefighters’ exposure to toxic effluents (10)
The Mayor
Last updated: 22 December, 2020
Officers are drafting a response
Minimising firefighters’ exposure to toxic effluents (10)
The Mayor
Last updated: 11 January, 2021
The health, safety and wellbeing of staff is a priority for London Fire Brigade (LFB). LFB Officers have been working with colleagues in academia and other fire and rescue services internationally to better understand the risks to staff from workplace exposure to carcinogens. LFB has been operating a range of practical control measures to minimise the risks to firefighters from workplace carcinogens for many years. This includes: operational policy with regard to the use of respiratory protective equipment and firefighter decontamination; promoting regular changing of structural firefighting clothing; the provision of staff welfare facilities including showers; and actively monitoring known carcinogens in Brigade workplaces, for example workplace surveys of diesel exhaust emissions.
LFB has pledged to support the Institute of Occupational Safety and Health’s (IOSH) ‘No Time To Lose’ campaign promoting the effective management of cancer risk caused by work.
Protecting firefighter health (2)
Question No: 2020/4449
Andrew Dismore
What is the post Grenfell Imperial College firefighter health study designed to establish?
Answer for Protecting firefighter health (2)
The Mayor
Last updated: 22 December, 2020
Officers are drafting a response
Protecting firefighter health (2)
The Mayor
Last updated: 11 January, 2021
The Grenfell Firefighter Study is looking into the impact of firefighting on the health of firefighters during and after their career. It will be one of the largest studies in the UK into the impact of firefighting on health to date. All firefighters and officers who attended the Grenfell Tower fire will be invited to take part to have a series of tests on their heart and lungs. Staff will also be asked if they wish to provide a blood sample to screen for specific markers associated with cancers and cancer development and whether they agree for their personal data to be linked with other relevant health care records in the future until their death. This data could be used in future potential long term follow-up studies to identify ongoing health issues and cause of death port retirement. The project has the approval of the NHS Ethics Committee.
Protecting firefighter health (3)
Question No: 2020/4450
Andrew Dismore
Does the LFB currently provide health screening as a staff benefit? If yes, what benefits does the health screening provided offer?
Answer for Protecting firefighter health (3)
The Mayor
Last updated: 22 December, 2020
Officers are drafting a response
Protecting firefighter health (3)
The Mayor
Last updated: 11 January, 2021
London Fire Brigade offers ‘Well Person’ screenings to all employees. These comprise either a telephone or face–to-face consultation, subject to pandemic restrictions, with an occupational health nurse. At these appointments, a nurse will ask a series of questions covering mental, physical and lifestyle wellbeing. These are designed to detect if there might be particular issues that should be addressed such as cardiac health, nutritional consumption, use of alcohol and exercise. Follow-up questions are asked if there are indications that there is a potential health issue or that there is cause for concern.
Following completion of the consultation, the nurse will signpost the employee to appropriate information sources and services as appropriate.
Question No: 2020/4452
Andrew Dismore
The Director of Corporate Services indicated recently that visits to fire stations were being undertaken to improve the way that stations are being used1. How regularly do these visits take place?
1 London.gov, ‘Appendix 2: London Assembly Budget and Performance Committee, 22nd September 2020’ [Date accessed 24.11.2020]
Answer for Property Transformation (1)
The Mayor
Last updated: 22 December, 2020
Officers are drafting a response
Property Transformation (1)
The Mayor
Last updated: 11 January, 2021
There is a new sequence of property audits and compliance visits being implemented that combine external independent reviews on an annual basis, and quarterly inspections undertaken by the new London Fire Brigade facility managers. In addition, the new soft services property contract, which covers cleaning security, pest control and grounds maintenance, includes its own inspection and reporting key performance indicators.
Question No: 2020/4453
Andrew Dismore
How have the visits improved the ways in which fire stations are used? What efficiencies have been found?
Answer for Property Transformation (2)
The Mayor
Last updated: 22 December, 2020
Officers are drafting a response
Property Transformation (2)
The Mayor
Last updated: 11 January, 2021
The property audits are focused on the condition of the property assets and the performance of the property supply chain to deliver minor projects and maintenance. This will enable London Fire Brigade to target capital spend effectively across the estate using a revised forward works register and prioritisation system.
Question No: 2020/4454
Andrew Dismore
Have the changes made led to policy change or vice versa?
Answer for Property Transformation (3)
The Mayor
Last updated: 22 December, 2020
Officers are drafting a response
Property Transformation (3)
The Mayor
Last updated: 11 January, 2021
The new structure is still being implemented and so it is too early to comment on any outcomes that may arise.
Question No: 2020/4455
Andrew Dismore
How much money has property transformation allowed LFB to reinvest back into the Brigade? Where has this money been reinvested?
Answer for Property Transformation (4)
The Mayor
Last updated: 22 December, 2020
Officers are drafting a response
Property Transformation (4)
The Mayor
Last updated: 11 January, 2021
London Fire Brigade (LFB) is closing the current specialism gaps identified in its property review, to reduce reliance on external suppliers and rationalise the supply chain. This will include LFB recruiting to roles that were previously not in the department including surveyors, facility managers and technical experts. These changes fall within the current LFB property budget using funds from currently outsourced services to support new roles.
These changes will release approximately £1.7m, which will be reinvested into LFB property to provide a modern computer aided facilities management system to improve the interface with fire stations and a new compliance and audit contract that will provide external inspection of the estate and supply chain. The model is cost-neutral to LFB in the first year. In future it is expected that there will be further savings achieved from the property budget which have been submitted to LFB’s finance team as part of the recent savings review.
Question No: 2020/4458
Andrew Dismore
What is the monthly cost of seconding firefighters to LAS; and is there agreement with LAS for regular reimbursement of this cost?
Answer for LFB and LAS [2]
The Mayor
Last updated: 22 December, 2020
Officers are drafting a response
LFB and LAS [2]
The Mayor
Last updated: 11 January, 2021
An agreement is in place to recover the costs of providing the Ambulance Driver Assist (ADA) from the London Ambulance Service (LAS). These costs relate to allowances paid to the firefighters performing the ADA duties, and costs of overtime to backfill the volunteers as necessary.
The costs currently expected to be reimbursed by the LAS are set out in MQ 2020/4457
Question No: 2020/4459
Andrew Dismore
What changes in arrangements such as shift patterns have been made to seconding firefighters to LAS; and how many are currently being seconded?
Answer for LFB and LAS [3]
The Mayor
Last updated: 22 December, 2020
Officers are drafting a response
LFB and LAS [3]
The Mayor
Last updated: 11 January, 2021
As of 9 December 2020, there are 12 London Fire Brigade (LFB) firefighters seconded to London Ambulance Service (LAS) on Ambulance Driver Assistance. Those firefighters have moved onto LAS shift patterns. The LAS shift pattern is 4 days on (2 x 12 hr days; 2 x 12 hr nights) followed by 5 days off, with some ad hoc shifts, averaging overall 37.5 hrs a week, plus an additional 30 mins at commencement and end of each shift. This compares to the normal LFB shift pattern of 2 days (10.5 hr shifts), 2 nights (13.5 hrs shifts) and 4 days off.
LFB’s Fire Safety Department (2)
Question No: 2020/4464
Andrew Dismore
Has the cost of running the LFB’s fire safety department increased since 2017?
Answer for LFB’s Fire Safety Department (2)
The Mayor
Last updated: 22 December, 2020
Officers are drafting a response
LFB’s Fire Safety Department (2)
The Mayor
Last updated: 11 January, 2021
The cost of London Fire Brigade (LFB)’s Fire Safety Department has increased since 2017. The net budget for 2017/18 was £17,806,444 and for 2020/21 is £22,317,433.
Following the Grenfell Tower fire, LFB received additional funding of £1.5million to enhance the inspection programme, enabling the creation of career pathways for Fire Engineering; introduction of Cold Scene Examiners; investment in Development Officers; an increase in officers within the Central Enforcement team and development of teams and structures within the wider department aligned to core objectives and deliverables.
In 2019, I provided additional funding of £1.1 million to establish a Fire Cadet Units within each London Borough. The pandemic has impacted upon the roll-out of delivery, however it is anticipated that units will open once restrictions have lifted.
LFB has been allocated £5.5 million from the Protection Board, supporting the Building Risk Review Programme.
Question No: 2020/4466
Andrew Dismore
How many fire safety posts, and in which ranks, are currently vacant; and what steps are being taken to fill them?
Answer for Filling fire safety posts (2)
The Mayor
Last updated: 22 December, 2020
Officers are drafting a response
Filling fire safety posts (2)
The Mayor
Last updated: 11 January, 2021
The number of posts that are currently vacant, together with the establishment, is set out in the table below.
| Rank/Grade | Establishment | Vacant |
| Station Commander | 18 | 3 |
| Station Officer | 42 | 6 |
| Sub Officer | 62 | 25.35 |
| FRS F | 14.4 | 2.4 |
| FRS E | 29.6 | 2 |
| FRS D | 126.3 | 37.1 |
| FRS C/D | 11.7 | 2.8 |
| FRS C/D | 81.7 | 6.06 |
| FRS B | 63.38 | 25.38 |
| Total | 110.09 |
A number of approaches have been taken to fill vacancies, including hosting awareness days; re-engaging retired staff on flexible working contracts; and advertising for transferees from other fire and rescue services. The most successful approach has been the introduction of Fire Safety Advisers (FSAs), aligned to the national framework. London Fire Brigade recruited 12 FSAs in November 2018, and five of those have recently been promoted to Fire Inspecting Officer.
A recruitment plan has been developed, supported by the Centre of Learning & Excellence, to recruit more FSAs and to bring in operational staff into inspecting roles. During 2021, cadres of FSAs and inspecting officers are planned for every quarter to meet and exceed the vacancy margin.
Question No: 2020/4468
Andrew Dismore
What progress is being made towards an agreement with the FBU over training on PN633?
Answer for Training on PN633
The Mayor
Last updated: 22 December, 2020
Officers are drafting a response
Training on PN633
The Mayor
Last updated: 11 January, 2021
To help reach agreement with the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) on outstanding issues regarding Policy Note 633, London Fire Brigade (LFB) have initiated the ‘Health and Safety Advisory Panel’ (H&SAP) Procedure to facilitate an independent review of the issues concerned. LFB are currently in liaison with the FBU to finalise arrangements for the H&SAP to try to resolve this matter.
LFB cost mitigation and Covid-19
Question No: 2020/4472
Andrew Dismore
What action has been taken to mitigate costs incurred by the London Fire Brigade due to the pandemic?
Answer for LFB cost mitigation and Covid-19
The Mayor
Last updated: 22 December, 2020
Officers are drafting a response
LFB cost mitigation and Covid-19
The Mayor
Last updated: 11 January, 2021
The London Fire Brigade (LFB) has incurred additional costs during the COVID-19 pandemic in order to support London’s response to the crisis and keep both our staff and communities safe. At Quarter 2, 2020/21 the LFB forecast that its costs would be £9.4m for this year. These costs have been met in part to date from additional funding from the GLA, cost recovery from the London Ambulance Service for Ambulance Driver Assistance, and a Home Office grant. Discussions about cost mitigation are ongoing, including with the Home Office on the possibility of a further opportunity to recover COVID-19 response costs.
Question No: 2020/4473
Andrew Dismore
London Fire Brigade are proposing to use £12.1million of reserves this year in order to address overspend within the budget. How much has Covid-19 impacted on the finances of the Brigade and necessitated the use of reserves?
Answer for LFB use of reserves
The Mayor
Last updated: 22 December, 2020
Officers are drafting a response
LFB use of reserves
The Mayor
Last updated: 11 January, 2021
The use of reserves in the current financial year at £12.1m was based on the forecast overspend at Quarter 1. 2020/21. The financial position has been reviewed and updated at Quarter 2 (Q2) and it is now forecast that a £10.6m draw from the reserves will be necessary to meet the forecast overspend, at £5.6m, and the in year funding reductions, at £5.0m. London Fire Brigade will continue to seek to reduce the overspend, and consequent draw on reserves, further by the year end.
The costs of the COVID-19 response are set out in MQ 2020/4472.
