Section 1:
Introduction

1.1 Previous Work On Reorganisation Annual Conference 2009 heard a report on behalf of the Executive Council (EC) which clearly outlined the aim to maintain the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) as an independent and specialist Fire Service Union. The Executive Council remains committed to this and to securing the future of the Union for those who will succeed us. Since then we have made significant progress in reviewing our working practices and improve our financial planning. By necessity, the ongoing reorganisation requires us to press on with difficult decisions aimed at ensuring the long term viability and sustainability of the FBU. The cuts agenda we face impacts on the UK Fire Service as a whole, including the devolved administrations, and continues to impact on the finances and demands upon the Union. The imperative created by the financial squeeze means that the Union must continue to review and alter the way we operate in order to ensure we maintain our status as an independent Trade Union. We must continue our drive to identify where organisational changes might be possible to improve the efficiency and good management of the Union and we must continue to improve our mechanisms for budgeting, our long term organisational and financial planning and ensuring that our structures are efficient and effective. Our number one priority has to be about protecting the Union in order to best protect our members both now and in the future. Building on the reorganisation project initiated by Conference in 2005, and made more urgent by developments since that time, our Conference in 2011 reviewed our organisational structure in the context of a number of key challenges. It was agreed that our reorganisation review should include a thorough re-examination of all aspects of our organisation, including the financial implications of all structures and decisions. This should have the central aim of strengthening our structures to build, protect and improve our capacity to campaign on behalf of FBU members on the key challenges we face in relation to jobs, pay, pensions and conditions of service. We agreed that this key challenge must be faced head on and the Executive Council believes we simply cannot afford to shy away from the tough decisions we face. The Executive Council Policy Statement agreed at our 2011 Conference reported: ● A series of cost savings measures which had already been introduced at Head Office ● Measures the Executive Council had agreed and were beginning to implement ● Measures which would need a decision of Conference either by policy or by Rule change. The majority of these steps already taken have or will result in a reduction of costs or in more efficient ways of working. However, Conference has also acknowledged that in certain areas of work additional resources will need to be found. For example, the shift toward local bargaining has increased pressure on Brigade Committees and Brigade Officials and the additional emphasis on the role of the Brigade Organiser was designed to assist this. Also, the abolition of numerous structures in the Fire and Rescue Service (such as the Central Fire Brigades Advisory Councils) has significantly increased the need for the FBU to initiate and sponsor research into Fire Service policy matters and develop strategies at the national level to progress the aims and concerns of our national membership. The result of the various measures already implemented will reduce expenditure significantly. However, the scale of the challenge remains considerable as identified and reported to Conference in 2009, 2010 and 2011. In 2011 Conference agreed a target to build a surplus in the General Fund equal to 60% of annual General Fund income. We remain a long way from that target and despite these changes, whilst our finances are structurally stronger, we do not have a surplus at all. The financial challenges we face have increased rather than diminished in the context of further job losses and the continuing squeeze on pay. In addition, the wide-range of attacks we face means that the Union must focus the vast majority of our resources on the campaigns to defend our Service and our members’ jobs and conditions. We need to ask ourselves whether the structures we have in place are up to this task and remain appropriate in the current context and for the future. Over the years we have created a large organisational structure of committees, sub committees and national forums. We have also developed our administrative structure at the centre in Head Office and extended administrative support in many Regions. The question is whether all our committee and administrative structures remain fit for our current purposes and focus our resources where we need them most. 1.2 Recommendations The Executive Council recommends that the focus of reorganising and restructuring the Union is aimed at: ● Delivering a cost effective, efficient structure best able to organise and represent the common aims and interests of our members ● Provide the research, political and campaigning support to officials nationally and locally against the most serious and wide-ranging challenges the Union has faced in our recent history.