Hampshire Fire and Rescue Authority

Personnel Committee

Item 3

10 September 2001

Transfer of Control Room Personnel to 'Grey Book' Conditions of Service

Report of the Chief Fire Officer

Contact:

Jenny McNeill

Personnel Manager

Tel: 023 8064 4000

ext 524

1

Introduction

1.1

Hampshire Fire & Rescue Service Control Room staff have for many years been employed under the NJC Local Government Services 'Green Book' Conditions of Service similar to other non-uniformed support staff. This was at variance with the rest of the UK where Control Room personnel are employed under 'Grey Book' Conditions of Service in line with operational firefighters.

1.2

Transfer to the 'Grey Book' was seen to be a sensible alignment which would provide pay scales that more appropriately reflect the role and responsibilities of the relevant ranks and in particular for Control Room personnel who hold senior managerial positions in charge of watches.

2

Change to Grey Book

2.1

After a period of negotiation with the representative bodies and the existing Control Room personnel, agreement was reached regarding transfer to 'Grey Book' on 1 July 2001 and which took effect from 1 January 2001.

2.2

During the period of negotiation there has been an annual salary increase for all staff employed under both the 'Green Book' and the 'Grey Book'. These salary increases occur at different periods of the year and therefore the differential is more complicated to predict.

3

Financial Implications

3.1

The outcome of the negotiations and the complications of corporate pay scales will result in overall savings in due course. This will, however, now be over a longer period than first predicted and will be dependent on the rate of turnover of personnel. Original estimates identified in the HFRA Report of 7 February 2001 put the costs to this change at £9,000 for 2001/02 and £2,000 for 2002/03. Savings in 2003/4 were estimated to be £5,000 thereafter. However, this will be dependent on a number of issues, and in particular the rate of staff turnover.

3.2

Due to staff turnover, we are currently recruiting Control Operators who will start at the revised lower salary scale.

3.3

The transfer of Conditions of Service now aligns Hampshire Fire & Rescue Service Control personnel with the remainder of the UK, working to clearly defined conditions written specifically for their specialised duties as opposed to general local government employee conditions. There will also be a clearer recognition of the responsibilities of those who hold senior rank and whose skills in this specialised field is paramount in providing the public with an efficient and effective emergency response.

4

European Convention on Human Rights and the Human Rights Act 1998

4.1

The proposals within this report are compatible with the provisions of the European Convention on Human Rights and the Human Rights Act 1998.

Recommendation

That the action taken to rationalise the pay of Control Room staff be noted; and, that the delay in achieving the previous estimate of savings be addressed in the Revised Budget for 2001/02.

Section 100D - Local Government Act 1972 - background papers

The following documents disclose the facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and has been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of the report.

None

NB The list excludes:

1 Published works

2 Documents that disclose exempt or confidential information as defined in the Act

File name [consgrey.rep]

[HFRA Personnel 10 Sep 01 - Transfer CR Staff]