Agenda item

Report of the Chief Fire Officer

John Buckley, Chief Fire Officer, presented the report which informs the Committee that Wayne Bowcock, Deputy Chief Fire Officer, has given notice to the Service, having secured the position of Chief Fire Officer for Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service.

The following points were highlighted and responses provided to members questions:

(a)  The structure of the Leadership Team was reviewed and amended in 2013 and then in October 2015 a further review under the current Chief Fire Officer led to the deletion of the Assistant Chief Officer role and a redistribution of functions to the remaining three Principal Officers. A number of changes were also made to the posts at the level below Principal Officer, in that individuals’ responsibilities were increased and parity was created across ‘Head of Department’ roles;

(b)  With current pressures on the Service and additional challenges emerging such as  the Government’s reform agenda, expectations contained within the Policing and Crime Act 2017 and the inspection regime by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services, the Chief Fire Officer has carefully considered the current structure and finds that there is no capacity to further reduce the Leadership Team structure, and that an appointment to the Deputy Chief Fire Officer post is required;

(c)  It is suggested that independent consultants, at a cost of between £15,000 and £20,000 are engaged to ensure that the most appropriate candidates are selected for interview by the Appointments Committee;

(d)  Whilst all senior officers are subject to a six month notice period, as Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service are keen for Wayne to start in post, it has been suggested that his notice period is reduced by six weeks. The savings of the six weeks salary can then contribute to the cost of the recruitment consultants;

(e)  It is anticipated that although timescales are tight, that the recruitment process can be completed in time to ensure that a gap does not appear between post-holders, although the priority will remain to recruit the most appropriate person;

(f)  If the Committee agrees, then it is proposed that the post is advertised immediately. It is noted that if the national trend is followed, there are likely to be very few applications for a post of this calibre;

(g)  Whilst the Service operates staff development and up-skilling, it is likely that internal applications will be very limited. Currently internal applicants are not guaranteed an interview unless they meet the criteria required for the post in question;

(h)  there is no intention to advertise other senior posts alongside the Deputy Chief Fire Officer post;

(i)  there is no specification regarding the gender of applicants, but if national and local trends are reflected, it is unlikely that there will be many, if any, female applicants. However, the suggestion from members of the Committee that the recruitment consultants should reach out to projected characteristic groups as members of those groups may be more willing to apply once they’ve had contact from the Service, will be considered.

Members of the Committee congratulated Wayne Bowcock on his successful appointment, thanked him for all his hard work during his time with the Service, and wished him well in the future.

RESOLVED

(1)  to task the Chief Fire Officer to work with the Clerk to the Authority to put in place a recruitment process for the impending Deputy Chief Fire Officer vacancy;

(2)  to agree to the request to reduce the notice period to four and a half months and release the current incumbent on 11 March 2019.