Archived decisions

Hampshire Fire and Rescue Authority

Personnel Committee

Item

3 April 2002

Personnel and Community Safety Workplan 2002-03

Report of the Chief Fire Officer

Contact:

John Bonney Deputy Chief Fire Officer Tel: 023 8064 4000 Ext 207

1

Introduction

1.1

This report advises the Personnel Committee of a revised planning process for the Personnel, Community Safety and Technical Fire Safety functions. The Workplans are supported by more detailed sub-plans developed by the lead officers and will be monitored as part of the Service's performance management system. The intention is that this system is piloted this year within the three specific functions.

2

Performance Management

2.1

A key element of performance management is defining measurable aims and objectives that are supported by clear plans for achieving them. Increasingly, the existence of performance management systems needs to be publicly demonstrated, not only to independent auditors and inspectors but also to the public through Best Value Performance Reviews and local public service agreements.

2.2

Simple high level workplans have been drawn up for the Personnel, Community and Technical Safety functions. This is the first time plans have been arranged in this format and these will be used as a pilot for the organisation. Other functions will continue with their present arrangements and will await a review of the effectiveness of this system before considering extending the methodology.

2.3

The plans set out the principal aims of the function and how these contribute to the Service's overall aims. So, in the case of Personnel, it has three key elements to its aims.

1)

Minimise the vulnerability of the organisation through the provision of sound advice (either internal or external), robust systems of legal defence, a programme of personnel management training.

2)

Minimise the cost of HFRS resources by the introduction of stress awareness and healthcare campaigns, rapid referrals of potential long term absences.

3)

Making most effective use of HFRS human resources through initiatives such as revised leave orders, careful deployment of senior staff, and improved information in relation to staffing levels and deployment.

2.4

In order to encapsulate the aims and various key tasks that support them in a meaningful and measurable way, 'timelines' have been created. A full set of these are reproduced in Appendix 1.

2.5

These time lines are essentially high level plans which run for a period of approximately 18 months. These are not strictly aligned to the financial cycle as some projects will extend beyond March 2003. The idea is the plan provides continuity rather than annual revision. Hence, next year's plans will include some of the later activities in this year's plan. The intention will be to gradually extend the plans to cover two and three years.

2.6

The plans are colour coded, principally to identify key tasks within the workplan. For example, in the Health & Safety Plan, blue relates to the ongoing muscular-skeletal strategy, whilst contributing to overall aims, it is a distinct activity from the stress awareness campaign (shown in yellow) also included the workplan. The use of colour also helps those nominated officers responsible for that project to identify how their activities contribute to the whole and integrates with the wider activities in the team. These project officers will be responsible for drawing up more detailed project plans which underpin the 'timelines'

The colour design of the plans also has an aesthetic purpose as the intention is that the public will access them (some of the plans are already on the HFRS website in www.hantsfire.gov.uk/job/OBJECTIVES). In the future they may also be linked to the Corporate Plan and it's website.

3.

Monitoring of Progress

3.1

Each plan will be reported on to the DCFO (FS/P) by the relevant officer over three or six weeks depending on the subject area. Minor adjustments to the plan will be recorded on amendments sheet (Appendix 2). However, if there is a need to fundamentally adjust the timeline due to unforeseen circumstances, a new timeline will be created which will be clearly marked as a revised version.

3.2

The intention will be to provide periodic updates on the various timelines to Committee, culminating in more comprehensive report at the end of the financial year. With later timelines some changes in key tasks will occur, but in many cases these will roll on, for instance in the Equality timelines "building bridges in the community" will be a sustained activity.

3.3

In the forthcoming year, resources allocated to the various key tasks will be monitored and recorded. The intention being that future plans will include a forecast of resources required for the various tasks. This will assist in more accurate business planning and resource allocation in future plans.

4.

Resource Implications

4.1

These plans seek to make best use of existing resources by adopting a more planned approach to the interrelated projects the Service is undertaking.

5

European Convention on Human Rights and the Human Rights Act 1998

5.1

None directly, although elements of personnel plans will be considered in the light of case law relating to Human Rights. There are, however, implications for these plans as a result of the Race Relations Amendment Act 2000 and these are recognised in the detailed fairness and dignity key tasks.

Recommendation

That the Committee notes the contents of the workplans set out in Appendix 1 and endorses the approach taken.

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 - HFRA Personnel 3 April 01 - P&CS Work plan 2002-03