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Employers’ Secretary, Simon Pannell Local Government House, Smith Square, London, SW1P 3HZ Telephone 020 7187 7335 e-mail: [email protected]
Employees’ Secretary, Matt Wrack Bradley House, 68 Coombe Rd Kingston upon ThamesKT2 7AE Telephone 020 8541 1765
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NATIONAL JOINT COUNCIL FOR LOCAL AUTHORITY FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICES |
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To: Chief Fire Officers
Chief Executives/Clerks to Fire Authorities
Chairs of Fire Authorities
Directors of HR (Fire Authorities)
Members of the National Joint Council
____________________________________________________________________
22 October 2014
CIRCULAR NJC/06/14
Dear Sir/Madam
PAY, TERMS AND CONDITIONS
- Authorities will already be aware of the existing joint commitment within the NJC:
“Both Sides commit to work jointly on changes identified by each Side to ensure that there is a pay framework alongside terms and conditions in the fire and rescue service which reflect the responsibilities of, and current and future demands on, the service and the profession.”
- Both sides of the NJC also recognise this would include:
• “the increasing need to consider how the workforce's skills and commitment can best be utilised, including the type of activities undertaken, any additional functions that may be required and the implications of this for the nationally agreed rolemaps”
• “the potential to build upon, and expand, this piece of work to encompass a more wide-ranging and strategic look to the future. Consideration will include issues covered in the independent review - Facing the Future – which was commissioned by DCLG, as well as matters of interest to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.”
3. This matter has previously been considered at a number of joint lead members’ meetings and meetings of the Joint Secretariat. A survey of fire authorities has also been undertaken to inform those discussions.
Current position
4. At the National Joint Council meeting held on 15 October 2014 agreement was reached to take this work forward through a number of joint work streams. These are listed below together with examples of the types of issues they may consider.
- Environmental challenges – e.g. flooding, inland water safety, snow, wild fires
- Emergency medical response – e.g. co-responding, falls, on-site trauma care, provision of community training
- Multi agency emergency response – e.g. MTFA, joint working, any issues falling out of JESIP
- Youth and other social engagement work – e.g. arson reduction, working with risk of offending youth groups
- Inspections and enforcement – e.g. schools, illegal homes, crown properties, expansion of unregulated business use, related fire safety advice
5. The examples are not intended to be an exhaustive list of the areas of interest for each work stream.
6. A copy of the terms of reference is attached for information.
Next steps
7. The work streams will be largely technical in nature and consideration is currently being given to appropriate membership and advisers.
8. In accordance with the terms of reference, each work stream will develop a scoping document at its first meeting, which is expected to be within the next month. This will include anticipated volume of work, frequency of meetings and timescale for completion.
9. Each work stream will produce an initial update for joint lead member consideration in January 2015. This will inform NJC discussions at its next meeting in February at which it is anticipated that an over-arching timescale for completion will be identified.
10. On completion the separate themes will be pulled together through the Joint Secretaries to provide an over-arching conclusion for consideration by the NJC.
DCLG COMMISSIONED REVIEW
11. At the same meeting the NJC and MMNB noted that DCLG had announced in August 2014 that it had commissioned a review of terms and conditions in response to comments in the report by Sir Ken Knight “Facing the Future” published in May 2013.
12. The NJC noted that DCLG had appointed an independent Chair, Adrian Thomas, to undertake the DCLG review and that its Review would be conducted in England only in contrast to the NJC Pay Terms and Conditions Review above which is UK-wide.
14. The NJC agreed that:
“The on-going work of the NJC in respect of pay, terms and conditions shall proceed irrespective of the DCLG review”.
Yours faithfully
SIMON PANNELL
MATT WRACK
Joint Secretaries
NATIONAL JOINT COUNCIL FOR LOCAL AUTHORITY FIRE & RESCUE SERVICES
PAY, TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Terms of reference
Identified Work streams
The following work streams have been identified and agreed. The examples given are not intended to be an exhaustive list of the areas of interest for each work stream
i. Environmental challenges – e.g. flooding, inland water safety, snow, wild fires
ii. Emergency medical response – e.g. co-responding, falls, on-site trauma care, provision of community training
iii. Multi agency emergency response – e.g. MTFA, joint working, any issues falling out of JESIP
iv. Youth and other social engagement work – e.g. arson reduction, working with risk of offending youth groups
v. Inspections and enforcement – e.g. schools, illegal homes, crown properties, expansion of unregulated business use, related fire safety advice
The work streams should consider activities which could be undertaken by FRSs in general and whether such activity is within the currently agreed role maps or whether amendment would be required.
Structure and process
- There will be 3 members per side (plus the Secretariat). This would not preclude attendance by advisers for specific issues should it be necessary.
- Each work stream will develop a scoping document at its first meeting including anticipated volume of work, frequency of meetings and timescale for completion
- The subject matter for each work stream will determine the appropriate timescale, but it is anticipated that between 3 and 6 meetings might be needed for each work stream.
- Any issues that either side has about the rate of progress on any individual work stream will be discussed through the joint secretaries.
- Each work stream will produce an initial update report for a joint lead members meeting in January 2015. This will inform the NJC’s discussions in February at which it is anticipated that an over-arching timescale for completion will be identified.
- On completion the separate themes will be pulled together through the Joint Secretaries to provide an over-arching conclusion to be considered initially by joint lead members.
Each side is involved in the work streams on a “no commitment” basis with regard to any outcomes
