Archived decisions

Hampshire Fire and Rescue Authority

Personnel Committee	Item 3

19 June 2002

Future Organisational Structure

Report of the Chief Fire Officer




Contact:		J Bonney Deputy Chief Fire Officer 023 8064 4000 Ext 207



1	Aim

1.1	To provide Members with detail of the current and future changes to the structure of the Service proposed by the Chief Fire Officer. The report also highlights the key drivers for that change, and the intention for the revised structure to focus on service delivery. Explanation is provided for a two-phase transition and the practical elements that will occur are discussed.

2	Background

2.1	The current Service structure is the result of a number of establishment changes which took place in 1997. The intention has always been that this would be an interim arrangement which would ultimately be further revised. As such, the current structure is a highbrid of both a traditional form based on divisional deployment, together with a number of specific functional posts responsible for specialist areas such as personnel and training.

2.2	This in itself has created a number of anomalies whereby some officers are reporting to two managers for different elements of their job. In other words, the designations accorded to posts are misleading and do not adequately reflect the responsibilities they undertake. Therefore, there are sound practical reasons to review lines of responsibility and reporting to improve job delivery and communications throughout the organisation.

2.3	Leaving aside these practical issues of organisational working, the future role of the Fire Service is shifting. Members are well aware of Central Government intentions that community safety and prevention should be afforded equal status to the Service's traditional role of operational response. Whilst HFRS has been very proactive in responding to these new expectations, the current structure is designed largely for operational response, not just at station level but also in terms of management deployment.


2.4	In a future which will be dominated by local partnerships, with an increasing emphasis of collaborative service delivery from 'safety related agencies' the district, town and city boundaries will become key. Currently there is little or no co-terminosity between our operational divisions and district/city.

2.5	Finally, various HMI Reports have alluded to a much greater need for the Service to embrace a performance management culture. Whilst at a strategic level considerable progress has been made, so far this has not been replicated at the more operational level in the provision of fire/rescue response of safety related services.

2.6	To achieve this in the future the Service needs to redefine the role of it's middle managers, clarifying to them, and emphasising to the organisation as a whole, their role in managing, monitoring and improving the safety of the community which falls under their jurisdiction.

3	Theory Into Practice

3.1	These three major drivers for change translate into a number of minor and more significant practical changes which can, in turn, be divided into two phases.

3.2	In the first instance the designations of the two Deputy Chief Fire Officers (DCFO's) need amendment if prevention and community safety is to have equal status with operational response.

3.3	In future service delivery will incorporate response and community safety and these two aspects should compliment each other. As such the DCFO references will be redesignated so that one officer has responsibility for Operational Response and Community Safety and the other Technical Safety and the key Human Resource functions of Personnel, Health and Safety and Trainining. In the latter case the term 'Human Resources' recognises the much closer inter-relationship between personnel and training which will be necessary as the Fire Service nationally adopts an integrated personal development regime (IPDS).

3.4	In the former case the merging of community safety and operational response will be ultimately reflected in a line manager responsibility from DCFO down through the SDO and Divisional levels to station based staff. No longer will the two areas be subject to competition or differing managerial references but will be a single line management responsibility.

3.5	Also in Phase I some practical reporting anomalies can be fairly easily rectified. The three Divisional based DOs (Personnel & Training) will be redesignated DOs (Personnel) as they have no actual training responsibility or reference. Similarly the divisional based ADOs (Personnel) who currently operate as line managers to the retained stations within the division will be redefined as ADOs (Operations) reporting to logically the DOs (Operations). These adjustments are shown in Appendix 1.

3.6	ADOs (Training), also currently based in Division, will retain their title but will report directly to DO (T) at Service headquarters and ultimately will become a central resource based at Eastleigh but deployed as required.


3.7	Phase II will logically build on these fairly straightforward changes and have a much wider organisational and staff impact. Hence, the intention is to designate 'Group' Commanders responsible for service delivery based on a district model. These districts will vary in size and may cover a mixture of both wholetime and retained stations. Emphasis will be on co-ordinating the activities of these stations to drive down fire-related deaths, injuries and incidents. Rather than a traditional Fire Service manager they will seek to co-ordinate and inspire the work of their direct reports; the Station Commanders or Retained Officers in Charge (also Station Commanders).

3.8	To compliment and support this group arrangement, the present designation of the four SDO's is being considered. This is particularly timely as there will soon be two vacancies at this rank, hence there is an opportunity to review the reference within the concept of both combining Community Safety and Operational Response and the distinction between service delivery and support.

3.9	At this point the Service would look to redeploy some of the divisional support structure directly onto stations; the point of service delivery.

3.10	Considerably more work and planning is required to execute Phase II, together with a much more comprehensive staff information and engagement process. As such, it is my intention to complete Phase I by August 2002, but then not begin Phase II until 2003, allowing time for the practical measures to be carefully planned, staff and union consultation and a wider monitoring programme to be undertaken. The Phase I changes do not involve increased costs for the Authority. At this stage I am not able to comment on financial implications for Phase II.

4	Communication and Staff Involvement

4.1	Learning from the lessons of the past my intention with this structural review is to enact the changes in a number of stages. This is both for practical logistical reasons but also to allow staff to understand the changes, the rationale behind them and also to engage in a informed debate about how they are implemented in the most effective way.

4.2	Feedback so far has highlighted that staff see a need to move on from the current interim arrangements but need more explanation as to why and how the change should follow this direction. For this reason a comprehensive programme of newsletters, staff briefings and consultative forums are planned. This is in addition to the consultative processes that are part of our normal industrial relations arrangements.

5	Conclusions

5.1	I am keen that whilst the drivers for change are clear the practical measures to transform HFRS into an organisation which can meet those future needs careful and meticulous planning. Neither am I willing to rush the process without full and proper staff engagement.

5.2	For that reason I intend to adopt this 2-stage approach. As such, it is my intention to bring further reports to this Committee and the Fire Authority on the practical arrangements to transform the Service into one which meets the needs of the communities of Hampshire in the 21^st Century.


6	European Convention on Human Rights and the Human Rights Act 1998

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



Recommendations

That Members note the Chief Fire Officer's intentions and rationale for these changes.




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 19 June 2002 - Future Organisational Structure