Archived decisions

HAMPSHIRE FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICE Item 25

MINUTES OF THE FAIRNESS AND DIGNITY GROUP MEETING

HELD AT WINCHESTER FIRE STATION

ON THURSDAY 21 OCTOBER 2004

Present

T/SDO Andy Kettle (Chair)

Ms Jenny McNeill - SHQ

Shanti Waas - SHQ

Cynthia Foster-Key - UNISON

Sue Brumitt - UNISON

Winchester Fire Station - Duty Crew

Mrs Lee Joss - Minute Secretary

Apologies For Absence

Apologies were received from Cllr M Cartwright, StnO Officer Gary Roe (Gosport), Shaun Rowlatt (Redbridge), Conrad Jordan and Lud Ramsey (FBU) and Andy Needham, RFU.

1

Matters Arising from the Minutes of the Meeting held on 22 July 2004

4.1

T/SDO Kettle clarified that a wide range of Regulations were being looked at and not just the DDA as was minuted.

2

Introduction

T/SDO Kettle welcomed everyone to the meeting and outlined the format of the Fairness and Dignity Meetings.

3

Guest Speaker - Laura Bowyer, Warner Goodman And Streat

3.1

Laura gave the background history of the Company and talked about Employment Law which prompted a number of questions.

3.2

T/SDO thanked Laura for her presentation on such an interesting subject.

4

HFRS Fairness And Dignity Update

4.1

Mr Waas explained the efforts being made to encourage people from ethnic minorities and genders to look at employment within the Fire Service. A query was raised about the length of time applicants had to wait. An assurance was given that applicants were kept informed of the situation regarding recruitment.

4.2

Mr Waas advised that HFRS would recommence running Emergency Services Access Courses from January, where people can get recruitment information and access to numeracy and literacy classes, based in Southampton.

4.3

Portsmouth College and Portsmouth City Council are involved in similar areas and offered a self-teaching literacy and key skills plan which improved employability.

4.4

A volunteer Community Outreach Team had been created to assist in promoting the Service to minority groups. A Retained Awareness Team had also been formed to attend various events promoting the Service and recruitment of Retained staff and positive feedback had been received.

4.5

Bullying and Harassment Training had been very successfully conducted and extra courses will be arranged for those personnel who had missed the original training.

5

HR and Diversity Timelines Update

5.1

Jenny McNeill gave an update on activities currently being undertaken by the HR Function and advised that the timelines were accessible on our website.

6

Disability Discrimination Act (DDA)

6.1

Jenny McNeill gave a presentation on the DDA which came into effect on 1 October.

6.2

Concern was expressed over concessions that were now made for people with dyslexia at selection tests. T/SDO Kettle assured the Watch that the dispensations were perfectly reasonable in order to give everyone an equal chance, and that standards were not being lowered. Also that all newly recruited employees would still have to complete the initial firefighter training course and demonstrate competence in role.

6.3

The effect of the new Working Time Directive on Firefighters was queried and Jenny McNeill advised that all firefighters would receive a form early next year to complete over a four week period showing the number of hours worked and a risk assessment would then be conducted. An `Opt Out' form would also be included. This procedure had the full support of the Unions.

7

Local Diversity Group (LDG) - Update

7.1

T/SDO Andy Kettle explained that the LDG was made up of representatives from all functions at senior management level and its role was to make progress on diversity issues and ensure the organisation was operating effectively and meeting its statutory obligations.

7.2

The LDG Minutes were available on the website.

7.3

T/DSDO Kettle advised that the pilot mentoring scheme had been successful and could be expanded in the future.

7.4

T/SDO Kettle advised that a monitoring database for ethnicity and gender was now up and running in HFRS.

7.5

Diversity training throughout HFRS was continuing and course topics for the next three year cycle were currently being discussed.

7.4

The next LDG meeting will be on 2 December at SHQ at 1000 hours.

8

Draft Comprehensive Equality Policy

8.1

In line with legislation, a draft document had been written which lays out the structure and way forward of HFRS. The draft Policy has been circulated to various people for comment before going through the consultation process.

9

Any Other Urgent Business

9.1

There was no other business.

10

Date Of Next Meeting

Thursday 13 January 2005 - venue to be confirmed