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NJC/5/13

 

 

 

Employers’ Secretary, Simon Pannell

Local Government House, Smith Square,

London, SW1P 3HZ

Telephone 020 7664 3188

e-mail: [email protected]

 

Employees’ Secretary, Matt Wrack

Bradley House, 68 Coombe Rd

Kingston upon Thames  KT2 7AE

Telephone 020 8541 1765

 

 

NATIONAL JOINT COUNCIL

FOR LOCAL AUTHORITY

FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICES

________________________________________________________________________

 

To:      Chief Fire Officers

            Chief Executives/Clerks to Fire Authorities

            Chairs of Fire Authorities

            Directors of Human Resources at Fire Authorities

           

Members of the National Joint Council           

________________________________________________________________

4 June 2013

 

CIRCULAR NJC/5/13

 

Decisions taken at today’s National Joint Council meeting

Dear Sir/Madam,

  1. Meetings of the Middle Managers Negotiating Body and National Joint Council took place earlier today.
  2. A number of items were discussed and the following decisions reached.

Mileage rates

  1. Agreement has been reached to replace the current approach to essential and casual user mileage rates with a simple link to approved HMRC rates. This change will be phased in between 1 July 2013 and 1 April 2014. A one-off lump sum payment will be paid to employees on 1 April 2014 who are essential users as at today’s date, and remain so with that FRS as at 1 April 2014.
  2. Details of the agreement will follow shortly.

Pay award

  1. An across the board increase of 1% will be applied to basic pay and continual professional development payments with effect from 1 July 2013.
  2. Information in respect of the new rates will be issued shortly.

Pay, terms and conditions discussions

 

  1. In September 2012 both Sides of the NJC committed 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.  The original intention had been to conclude this piece of work by June 2013.
  2. Discussions have taken place throughout the period to date and both sides are committed to improving the fire and rescue service across the UK. However, both sides of the NJC recognise:

•    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 recently published independent review - Facing the Future – which was commissioned by DCLG, as well as matters of interest to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

  1. Accordingly the NJC has decided not to conclude this work in June but rather to continue with this piece of work in the wider context set out above. 

Yours faithfully

SIMON PANNELL

MATT WRACK

Joint Secretaries

National Joint Council (NJC)