Agenda and minutes

Of the meeting held on 10 October 2014 (for confirmation)

The minutes of the meeting held on 10 October 2014 were confirmed and signed by the Chair.

Report of Chief Fire Officer

Craig Parkin, Assistant Chief Fire Office, presented the report which updates the Committee on Human Resources issues within the Service.

The report details the sickness figures for the last Quarter for employees as a whole and also in for the following groups:

·  Whole time;

·  Retained;

·  Control;

·  Support:

·  Long Term Absence and Medically Certified Absence.

Disciplinary and grievance occurrences are also listed along with a breakdown of approved, actual and variances in staffing.

The following points were highlighted and questions responded to:

(a)  the majority of employees do not have any sickness absence;

(b)  the reduction in sickness levels across the Service is reassuring;

(c)  the provision of  reasons behind sickness levels, such as long-term conditions, is helpful in presenting a fully comprehensive overview;

(d)  where fire appliance staff may have been off work for a substantial period, it  may be possible for them to return to work with modified duties in a different area of the Service. Statistically they will still be shown as absent from their substantive role, even if they are not absent from work. (There are only 7 staff currently on modified duties);

(e)  phased returns to work are also available to staff returning to work following a long term absence, and they too may be eligible for modified duties;

(f)  the modified duties policy has recently been reviewed to ensure that the duties offered are appropriate for each individual;

(g)  as there is not a significant issue with short-term sickness absence, the current focus is on addressing  long term absence. This includes a prompt reaction to ensure that conditions do not deteriorate;

(h)  there can be a delay for HQ to ascertain exactly why an employee is absent with illness, but the absence of that employee is registered immediately as appropriate cover usually needs to be arranged.

Members of the Committee welcomed the drop in sickness absence levels.

RESOLVED to note the report.

Report of Chief Fire Officer

Craig Parkin, Assistant Chief Fire Officer, presented the report which requests support to permanently delete non-uniformed posts following a restructure of the Prince’s Trust Team. The final decision will be made by the full Fire Authority at the meeting in February.

The Fire Service’s work with the Prince’s Trust has proved highly successful but due to changes to the financing of the Prince’s Trust Team, a restructure has taken place and includes partnership arrangements with Nottinghamshire Police and West Nottinghamshire College.

The reduction in staffing has involved extensive consultation with employees and trade unions to avoid compulsory redundancies and as a result, one member of staff resigned to move to a different job and two staff agreed to voluntary redundancies.

Members welcomed the achievements for young people made possible and supported by the Service’s work with the Prince’s Trust.

RESOLVED to support the recommendation to full Fire Authority to delete the following posts:

(i)  Prince’s Trust Team Leader;

(ii)  Prince’s Trust Support Officer.

(iii)   

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.

RESOLVED to exclude the public from the meeting during consideration of the remaining agenda 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 paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act.

Report of Chief Fire Officer

Neil Timms, Strategic Director of Finance and Resources, presented the report regarding the administrative arrangements for the Fire Fighters pension scheme.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.