Agenda and minutes

Councillor Mike Pringle (substituted by Councillor Brian Grocock).

None.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting dated 1 July 2016.

The minutes of the meeting from 1 July 2016 were agreed by the Chair. 

The Equalities report that was due to come to the November meeting will now be brought back in January.

Report of Deputy Chief Fire Officer

Wayne Bowcock, Deputy Chief Fire Officer at NFRS introduced a review of the Corporate Workforce Plan for 2015-17, and informed Members of the updated Plan for 2016-18.

The following points were highlighted:

(a)  the way in which specialist rescue functions are delivered has changed;

(b)  long-term medical conditions are largely musculoskeletal and mental health related;

(c)  the figure of ‘the loss of up to 21 Firefighters due to retirement’ is a worst case scenario figure.  The figure will be significantly higher than the 8 from 2015/16;

(d)  there may not necessarily be a loss of 31 Crew and Watch Managers – this is a worst case scenario figure;

(e)  NFRS are looking at ways of retaining women once they are on recruitment courses.  A successful Springboard programme has run on female supervisory and management roles in 2016;

(f)  the Adrian Thomas Review was released on 3 November which had implications for consideration by NFRS;

(g)  the Emergency First Responder pilot is being extended which will operate from 3 whole-time fire stations;

(h)  fitness regimes have been amended to reflect national changes.  The normal retirement age has been changed to 60;

(i)  2.3% of the workforce will need to be apprentices by 2018;

Following questions from Councillors, further information was provided:

(j)  sickness absence levels increased in 15/16; increased reporting of mental health issues towards the end of April 2016 factored into this.  The first two quarters of 2016/17 have seen a quarter on quarter reduction in sickness absence;

(k)  with a potential reduction in staffing levels, NFRS may have to find different ways of delivering the same service;

(l)  one of the challenges in the Firefighter test is upper body strength, with particular reference to the longest and heaviest ladder.  In day to day business, this ladder is used infrequently.

  NFRS subscribe to the national Firefighter selection test, and have asked whether these upper body strength tests are still relevant.  NFRS are allowed to deviate from these tests, but Firefighters that move between services may be disadvantaged.

RESOLVED to note the report.

Report of the Chief Fire Officer

Tracy Crump, Head of People and Organisational Development, and Matt Sismey, Equality and Diversity Officer at NFRS updated Members on key Human Resources metrics for the period 1 July-30 September 2016, including Quarter One absence figures.

Tracy informed Members that there was a change to Appendix C, and circulated this in paper form at the meeting.  It is also attached to the minutes pack for this meeting.

The following points were highlighted:

(a)  the dismissal referred to in 2.10 of the report is an ill-health retirement;

(b)  there is a pending employment tribunal case;

(c)  there are a high number of leavers due to retirement;

(d)  16 Contingency Crew Operatives have been appointed.  Contingency Crew Operatives are used as reserves and for business continuity e.g. pandemic illness and industrial relations disputes;

(e)  the reduction in members of staff with disabilities is to be reviewed due to its reduction against the total number of staff, although there is nothing to suggest there is any discrimination involved in these individuals leaving.  Over the last 12 months there has been no whole-time recruitment, which would have an impact on these figures; there has however been some retained Firefighter recruitment.

  Where there are retained stations, there are generally lower Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) populations, and more potential applicants are ruled out because of the need to live or work within 5 minutes of the station.

 RESOLVED to endorse the report.

Report of the Chief Fire Officer

Tracy Crump, Head of People and Organisational Development at NFRS informed Members of NFRS’s recent achievement of the Silver level of the Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Wellbeing at Work Award Scheme.  There was also an overview of the support available to Service employees.

The Chair thanked the Occupational Health Team on behalf of the Human Resources Committee.

The following information was provided:

(a)  there is a Health Champion for healthy weight and diet within the Service who can help staff with the guidelines for healthy living.

RESOLVED to note the report and agree to receive future updates on the work undertaken by the Occupational Health team to promote employee wellbeing.

To consider excluding the public from the meeting during consideration of the remaining item in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 on the basis that, having regard to all the circumstances, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information by virtue of Paragraphs 1 and 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act.

RESOLVEDto exclude the public from the meeting during consideration of the remaining item in accordance with section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 on the basis that, having regard to all the circumstances, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information, as defined in paragraphs 1 and 3 of Schedule 12 A to the Act.

To confirm the exempt minutes of the meeting dated 1 July 2016.

The exempt minutes of the meeting on 1 July 2016 were agreed and signed as a correct record.