House of Commons - Office of the Deputy Prime Minister: Housing, Planning, Local Government and the Regions

Select Committee on Office of the Deputy Prime Minister: Housing, Planning, Local Government and the Regions Written Evidence

Annex A

AUDIT OF VARIOUS REPORTS AND THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS IN RELATION TO THE RETAINED DUTY SYSTEM

RFU Response bold

1. BAIN REVIEW—DECEMBER 2002

(i) retained firefighters should be included in IPDS: they should be trained to the same standard so that they provide a resource interchangeable with that of whole-time firefighters

very little integration of RDS into IPDS; and

being used in some F&RS's to downgrade role of RDS and defend over-provision of resources, largely through IRMP's.

(ii) Retained firefighters need to be properly integrated into the full-time service, including direct input into brigade management

RDS personnel not integrated—see IPDS.

Movement largely one way—wholetime undertaking RDS duties.

No progress on direct input into brigade management.

(iii) Retained firefighters should be remunerated at the same hourly rate

Completed.

(iv) The medical standards applied to recruitment should be the same as for wholetime

National F/F Selection Standards—approved by Practitioners' Forum 13 December 2005, but a number of F&RS's have said they will not comply as there are insufficient applicants to meet this standard.

(v) They should have the opportunity to work on a more consistent part-time basis, with a fixed time commitment

Some limited trials ongoing—but good practice not being developed.

(vi) Opportunities should be taken to create roles other than firefighting on a part-time basis

Very limited involvement of RDS in community safety, but good practice not being developed.

(vii) Retained firefighters should be able to apply for positions above station officer

No progress.

(viii) Wholetime firefighters should be able to undertake retained duties

Widely adopted—but RDS tend to see this as one-sided, as very few opportunities developed for RDS to become wholetime.

(ix) There should be mixed crewing of appliances by wholetime and retained firefighters

More mixed crewing exists, but still many restrictive practices.

(x) Some firefighters should be trained as first responders

Considerable development of RDS personnel in co-responding, but against a background of great opposition from the FBU—which means some FRS are not prepared to become involved.

(xi) Shift patterns should fit with demand

Suffolk showed that more flexible use of RDS personnel to cover the risk could provide more efficient and economic response. This would also overcome problems of insufficient availability for IPDS training and development, flexibility to undertake CFS and the development of new conditions of service that would attract under-represented groups.

(xii) There should be different crewing levels at different times of day

Primary crewing of appliances by RDS personnel during periods of high risk could provide optimum use of resources.

(xiii) The Government should investigate forms which pension provision for retained staff should take

Unfortunately, the proposals for reform of fire service pensions provide for a "bolt on" approach where pension provisions for wholetime personnel are minimally adapted for RDS personnel. This approach lacks flexibility and innovation, and does not necessarily meet the special circumstances that apply to many RDS personnel.

(xiv) A new NJC should include the RFU

This has not happened.

2. OUR FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICE—JUNE 2003

(i) A new negotiating body should involve representatives of the RFU. . .We see no prospect of such changes being made by agreement. That is why we intend to specify who should be involved

This has not happened yet.

(ii) The parties have agreed that by 30 November 2003 a working party of representative of fire service stakeholders will propose revisions to the Constitution of the NJC

No working party was established.

(iii) They have not been allowed to apply for senior management positions

There are no RDS personnel undertaking a senior manager role, and RDS personnel have been rejected when applying for more junior positions.

(iv) There is a lack of a regular income from firefighting

This continues; the June 2003 pay agreement actually reduced the pay of many RDS personnel. The few experiments in new remuneration systems have not been widely developed as a "good Practice".

(v) A major problem is the recruitment of retained firefighters

The 20% shortfall continues; the implementation of the Report of the Retained Review has yet to happen.

(vi) The system of flexible local fire cover needs to attract a new pool of applicants who would not have considered the opportunity previously

Apart from a handful of trials, this has not happened.

(vii) The recruitment problems stem in part from the level of pay, the lack of a pension, the lack of development opportunities and the often inflexible availability system—in short a lack of recognition of their contribution

These problems continue unresolved.

(viii) Commitment to considering the case for alternative pay arrangements linked to wholetime pay

Trials have not been developed widely under good practice.

(ix) Introduction of an appropriate pension scheme

Not yet happened—proposals are inflexible.

(x) Within IPDS, provide a harmonised training platform so that retained can be used more flexibly

There is widespread lack of development of IPDS for RDS personnel. This is leading to the propping up of the over-provision of resources.

(xi) Encourage a variety of flexible working patterns using a flexible roster approach

This has not happened—despite Suffolk showing the potential.

3. SELECT COMMITTEE REPORT—JANUARY 2004Government's Response in italics

RFU response bold

(i) "An undervalued Service" was the conclusion of the Committee's earlier report in 2004.

This is still largely the case.

(ii) Immediate changes pending publication of the report on the Retained Review (see below), as follows:

— introduction of a more flexible retirement age

issue of guidance on existing provisions for 6 month extension of service lifting of compulsory retirement age, with effect from November 2005, as part of the modernisation of pension arrangements

Did not occur "immediately", but the flexible retirement age has now been introduced.

— a national recruitment campaign along the lines of that used for the TA

to be examined by Retained Review

No progress.

— faster processing of applications

consultants engaged to develop standardised point of entry tests

stakeholder group established to oversee progress

(RFU not invited to participate).

New point of entry tests adopted by Practitioners' Forum 13/12/05. Tests adopted likely to reduce number of successful RDS applicants, and several F&RS's expected not to adopt new standard

No evidence that new tests were designed to, or will, speed up the application process

— Government and public sector to set positive example by encouraging staff to undertake RDS duties