1. STEEPLE
STEEPLE（Social/demographic）、（Technological）、（Economic）、
（Environmental/Natural）、（Political）、（Legal）、（Ethical）。
SPESTLE Analysis
SPESTLE:
•
•
S = Social (e.g. changes in social behaviour that might impact product / service
selection);
T = Technological (e.g. rapid development in cheaper components that will affect product
prices or performance);
•
E = Economic (e.g. non-Euro exchange rates affecting key imported supplies);
•
E = Environmental (e.g. waste re-cycling legislation and penalties on producers);
•
P = Political (e.g. government directives on certification or subcontracting);
•
L = Legal (e.g. changes in employment laws)
•
E = European (or International) (e.g. World Trade Organisation agreements affecting
market dynamics and competitors)
A summary of the STEEPLE Analysis can be used to check the reasonableness and validity
of your overriding Business Strategy and Targets. Any resultant issues should then be turned into
an action plan that will describe how and when you are going to resolve such matters or mitigate
the anticipated risks. For example, this might provide the rationale for why and on what basis
you need additional credit from your funding providers. This analysis of the external
environment, should be considered and applied when compiling, monitoring and reporting your
Business & Financial Plan.
Analysis of the external environment: identification of issues and risks 'STEEPLE' analysis
This analysis examines the context in which the Authority operates. It identifies some of the
key issues that exist (or are emerging) in the external environment and suggests how these will or
might impact on future strategy and resources. These are listed under seven main headings
(factors):
STEEPLE analysis
STEEPLE analysis - social
Ref
Issue/Risk
No
Strategic Level Action

2. Continually assess the impact on of both strategic
and local plans (especially designated major
development areas MDAs) and identify the scale
Major demographic changes in local
and timing of any implications for our IRMP and
communities can impact on Hampshire’s associated actions.
SO1
risk profile and therefore the
Review our internal processes to ensure that all
effectiveness of our IRMP and actions. local planning consultation documents are
reviewed (at both SMT and Group Management
levels) and that our comments are fed back to the
relevant stakeholders.
Increases in the number of older and
Ensure, by working in close collaboration with
other vulnerable people living alone in
partner organisations and other agencies, that our
the community (including those under
information on these ‘at risk’ groups is up to date
SO2 ‘care in the community’ arrangements)
and that our priorities for action (including the
will continue to pose a specific risk to
targeting of home safety visits) are regularly
our plans to reduce fire deaths and
reviewed.
injuries.
National increase in the incidence of
arson particularly in relation to vehicles
Through careful analysis we will target those
and schools. Both pose a considerable
segments of the population most likely to start
risk to our plans to reduce arson. In the
SO3
such fires; and, working with partner agencies,
case of vehicles, the increase is likely to
remove or reduce the opportunity for such
be attributable, at least partly, to the
incidents.
impact of EU environmental regulations
and the cost of disposal of scrap vehicles.
STEEPLE analysis - technological
Ref
Issue/Risk
No
Transition from local control rooms to
the new regional control centres should
realise a significant improvement in the
information and communications
technologies (ICT) available for
mobilising resources effectively. The net
cost to the Authority of the new centres
TE1
is currently not known. Additionally, we
need to maintain the capacity and
resilience of the Authority’s existing and
increasingly redundant control room
systems. To date a fully-costed national
business case has not be produced by
ODPM.
Reliance on ICT for the day?to?day
TE2 delivery and management of services is
at an unprecedented level – and likely to
Strategic Action Level
Ensure, by active participation in the project
planning and specification processes for the new
control centres, that the Authority’s own
mobilising policies and management information
needs are capable of being satisfied by the new
control centres; that indications of future net
costs / savings are made available as soon as
possible for financial planning purposes.
Ensure, so far as is possible and practicable, that
arrangements remain robust for the continued
maintenance and support of the existing control
room’s ICT– particularly that support provided
by third-party suppliers and contractors.
As the Authority seeks to exploit opportunities
and tangible benefits for the improved delivery of
services through ICT application development

3. (including meeting expectations/targets for egovernment), ensure that increased investment is
increase with further technological
made in improving both the resilience and
innovation and implementation. Major
performance of the Service’s ICT infrastructure.
and/or prolonged failures in our ICT
Ensure that sound maintenance and support
infrastructure and critical applications
agreements are in place with all third-party
could have serious and potentially costly
suppliers and contractors of our ICT services so
implications.
that our business continuity plans remain robust
and can be regularly tested.
STEEPLE analysis - environmental
Ref
Issue/Risk
No
Strategic Level Action
Regularly review and test plans for dealing with
such incidents - including, where appropriate,
participation in realistic exercises with all other
relevant civil protection agencies.
Weather-related incidents (eg flooding,
storms) and major chemical/biological
incidents can have a sudden and dramatic
EN1
Based on local experience and from information
impact on our resources - both in terms
gathered from other fire and rescue authorities,
of our ability to respond to them and the
ensure that the Authority’s own business
resultant financial cost.
contingency plans and financial reserves /
balances are assessed annually and that the
provision made is soundly based and realistic.
Conduct an environmental/sustainability audit of
Given the Authority’s role in helping to
our day-to-day operational and management
protect the environment, it would be
arrangements (particularly those relating to
highly embarrassing, damaging to our
policies and procedures on our own sites) so to
reputation, and potentially costly in
EN2
ensure that we eliminate any poor practices and
financial terms, if our own operational
that the Authority can be regarded as one that
and management practices contravened
actively promotes environmentally sustainable
environmental legislation and expected
activities wherever possible. Repeat these audits
good practice.
at three-yearly intervals.
STEEPLE analysis - economic
Ref
Issue Risk
Strategic Level Action
No
Now that the Authority is a ‘precepting Each year the Authority will assess the adequacy
authority’ it has to ensure that it makes of its reserves and balances based on information
adequate provision (ie reserves and
contained in the risk register, other business
balances) in its budget for the financial plans and specific reports (including, in
EC1 consequences of the strategic and volatile particular, the forecast provision required for the
risks highlighted in this analysis, those firefighters’ pension scheme).Insurance
identified in other business plans, and for arrangements (cover and premiums) will
any areas of uninsured risks. Failure to continue to be formally re-tendered every three
do so, could result in the Authority
years and selectively market-tested annually.

4. having to resort to: major cuts in its
budget and/or unplanned borrowing
and/or subsequent and unacceptably high
increases in Council Tax levels. In turn,
this would increase the risk of
Government intervention and ‘capping’
(leading to further unplanned cuts in
expenditure).
The Authority, in common with all local
authorities, is expected to demonstrate
As part of its budget planning and monitoring
that it strives for Best Value in delivering
processes, the value of any efficiency savings its services to the public and there are
EC2
both “cashable” and “non-cashable” will be
clear expectations (targets) to achieve
logged in reports and a record of the cumulative
year-on-year efficiency savings. Failure
impact on resources will be maintained.
to respond positively to this expectation
could result in Government intervention.
As with all public sector bodies we are We will continue to ensure that sound Internal
required to ensure that public funds are (and workplace) audits processes are in place and
EC3 managed with probity and to guard
that all budget holders and managers are fully
against fraud and misuse and to ensure aware of the Authority’s financial regulations
best value is achieved.
and codes of practice relating to contracts.
STEEPLE analysis - political
Ref
Issue/Risk
Strategic Level Action
No
The Government’s expectations for
greater collaboration between fire and
The Authority is already leading on developing a
rescue authorities at the regional level - regional approach to human resource
through the Regional Management
management, and is actively involved in key
Boards (RMBs) - will have an impact on aspects of the planning processes for the new
both the approach to and way we manage regional control centres.
and deliver some key services (including
PO1
regional control centres mentioned
This level of engagement - and opportunities to
above). Failure to fully embrace and
exert further influence by both Members and
influence the development of the
senior officers - needs to be sustained and
‘regional agenda’ could lead to the
exploited so that the Authority can be reasonably
Authority becoming politically isolated assured that its best interests are promoted and
and vulnerable to decisions made that are any risks to it are minimised.
not in its best interests.
PO2 Members of the Authority are also
Proposals for change (arising from the IRMP)
members of one of the three constituent that directly impact on the delivery of services in
authorities (Hampshire County Council; local communities need to be well presented and
Portsmouth City Council; Southampton the benefits of change (and its implications)
City Council); some are also members of communicated effectively during periods of
district councils and other public bodies consultation. Members will need to be satisfied
(eg the Police Authority). As local
that local concerns have been properly

5. councillors they will also be representing
the interests of the electorate in their
Division/Ward. It is important to
recognise that this will, on occasion,
cause inevitable tensions for Members
who may need to satisfy or respond to
different and sometimes opposing
views/priorities when considering their
stance on policy decisions – particularly
those affecting their local area. These
tensions could, understandably, inhibit
progress on some aspects of the
modernisation agenda.
Failure to fully engage in local Crime
and Disorder Panels and Local Strategic
Partnerships (LSPs) could result in the
Authority missing out on opportunities
(and sources of additional funding) that
could directly contribute to the
achievement of its corporate aims –
particularly those relating to prevention
and protection actions. There is a clear
PO3 expectation on all local authorities to
exploit the potential benefits and
economies of scale of taking crosscutting initiatives and partnership
working to improve the delivery of
services to the public. The Authority
would receive understandable criticism
(particularly through the CPA process) if
there is little evidence of collaborative
activity.
anticipated and taken into account in presenting
business cases for any proposals for change so
that they can have confidence in the
thoroughness of the consultation process when
decisions need to be made.
The Authority is becoming a more active
member of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight
Local Authorities Association and in local
strategic partnerships and panels. There is scope
however to increase the level of engagement and
contribution made by Members of the Authority
and officers (particularly the new Group
Managers). Specific IRMP actions (such as the
proposed pilot of deploying a vehicle and crew at
the Popley Fields Community Centre,
Basingstoke) will increasingly emerge as tangible
examples of the benefits of collaborative
working.
STEEPLE analysis - legal
Ref
Risk/Issue
Strategic Level Action
No
LE1 The Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004 Direct experience gained from the much
places on a statutory footing ‘other
publicised case of ‘Capital & Counties v
activities’ the Service has taken on over Hampshire County Council, 1990’ serves as a
the last 50 years since the previous
constant reminder of the potential and significant
legislation was put in place. These go
impact of litigation – and the consequences of
beyond firefighting and include rescue authorities standing their own insurable risks.
from road traffic accidents, responding to
serious environmental disasters and the In conjunction with its external insurance
new terrorist threat. The scope for
advisers and brokers, the Authority annually
litigation being taken against the
reviews the adequacy of its insurance

6. Authority has therefore widened.
New legislation – notably with the
enactment of the Regulatory Reform
Order (RRO) - will change the emphasis
of the fire and rescue service’s role in
respect of fire safety inspection and
enforcement. The Authority needs to
LE2 ensure that it has taken the necessary
action to change its organisational and
management arrangements to satisfy the
requirements of the RRO. Failure to do
so, will mean that our policies, plans and
actions aim at ‘Protecting’ Hampshire
will fail to deliver measurable results.
arrangements and the provision for uninsured
risks.
In anticipation of the RRO, organisational and
managerial structures (and roles) have already
been reviewed and implemented.
A new fire safety risk database and management
information system is being developed and
implemented during 2004/5 and 2005/06.
Training programmes for fire safety officers are
in place to ensure that we are well placed to
respond positively to shift of emphasis towards
self-inspection/compliance (on the part of
building owners/users) and the need to be more
proactive in an 'audit-type' role and in the
enforcement of offenders.
The Authority has made good progress in
preparing to meet the requirements of the Act
The Freedom of Information Act 2000 and had it Publication Scheme in place well
has significant implications for the way before the relevant deadline. A policy
all public authorities manage information commitment to comply with the requirements of
– both in hard copy and electronic
the Act has been approved by the Authority.
formats. From January 2005, members of
the public have the right to request
Work is continuing to improve general
LE3
access to any information held by the
housekeeping in information management and to
Authority on any subject provided it is improve systems of electronic document storage
not restricted on the grounds of security and retrieval. Retention policies for different
or the Data Protection Act. There are
categories of information are continually being
financial penalties as well as public
reviewed. Key personnel in each functional area
embarrassment for non-compliance.
are being given training to ensure that they fully
understand the requirements and implications of
the Act.
STEEPLE analysis - ethical
ET1 As a public body we are expected to
Our employment policies and practices are
embrace excellent ethical and moral
continually being updated and enhanced to
standards in all that we do. We are not ensure that we do all we can to improve fairness
only expected to follow the letter of the and dignity in the workplace; and, so that we will
law, but also uphold the spirit of the law be better placed to achieve the ambitious equality
by having in place policies and practices targets, set by the Government, for fire and
that are beyond reproach. Not to do so rescue authorities.
would leave the Authority exposed to
criticism on a number of fronts.
During 2004/05 and 2005/06 will be reviewing
our procurement polices and practices (both in
the light of the Government’s national
procurement strategy and in the context of
collaborative actions at regional level). We will

7. do all we can to ensure sound and ethical
purchasing arrangements for goods and services.
The Standards Committee ensures that
Authority’s Standing Orders and Code of
Conduct relating to Members is strictly applied
and reviewed.