Welsh Statutory Instruments
2008 No. 199 (W.25)
FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICES, WALES
The Fire and Rescue Authorities (Improvement Plans) (Wales) Order 2008
Made 30 January 2008
Laid before the National Assembly for Wales 1 February 2008
Coming into force 29 February 2008

The Welsh Ministers, in exercise of the powers conferred on the National Assembly for Wales by sections 6(3), 7(6) and 29(1) of the Local Government Act 1999, and now vested in them hereby make the following Order:
1999 c. 27.
The power of the Secretary of State under sections 6(3) and 7(6), in relation Wales, was exercisable by the National Assembly for Wales by virtue of section 29(1). That power is now vested in the Welsh Ministers by paragraph 30 of Schedule 11 to the Government of Wales Act 2006 (c. 32).

Title, coming into force, interpretation and application
1. (1) The title of this Order is The Fire and Rescue Authorities (Improvement Plans) (Wales) Order 2008 and it comes into force on 29 February 2008.
(2) In this Order—
“the Act” (“y Ddeddf”) means the Local Government Act 1999; and
“improvement plan” (“cynllun gwella”) means a best value performance plan within the meaning of section 6(1) of the Act.
(3) This Order applies only to best value authorities in Wales which are a fire and rescue authority constituted by a scheme to which section 4 of the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004 applies and has effect in relation to the year 2008-2009 and subsequent financial years.
2004 c. 21.

Date for publication of improvement plan
2. Best value authorities must publish their improvement plan for a financial year by 31 October of the year to which the plan relates.

Date for sending copies of auditors' reports
3. Copies of an auditor’s report relating to an improvement plan must be sent in accordance with section 7(5) of the Act by 30 November of the year to which the plan relates.
Brian Gibbons
Minister for Social Justice and Local Government, one of the Welsh Ministers
30 January 2008

(This note is not part of the Order)
Part I of the Local Government Act 1999 imposes duties on local and other authorities to prepare a best value performance plan (in this Order called an “improvement plan”) for each financial year.
This Order specifies the date by which a fire and rescue authority’s improvement plan for a financial year must be published and the date by which copies of an auditor’s report relating to the plan are to be sent to the authority, the Auditor General for Wales, and, if required, the Welsh Ministers.
A regulatory impact assessment has been prepared in connection with this Order. A copy can be obtained from Fire and Rescue Services Branch, Community Safety Division, Welsh Assembly Government, Rhydycar, Merthyr Tydfil CF481UZ (telephone 01685 729221).