1

Summary

1.1

This report brings the Committee up to date on the authorised and actual establishment, as of 31 July 2005. This takes account of any efficiency savings or deletions of posts, successful budget bids or variations within the Service's authorised establishment level since previous changes to establishment under delegated powers were reported to the Personnel Committee on 1 February 2005. This report identifies any further variations across all employee groups within the time period 1 January 2005 to 31 July 2005.

1.2

The authorised establishment level is defined as the level of establishment approved by the Fire and Rescue Authority

1.3

The actual establishment level over the year is influenced by the planned recruitment to vacancies, difficulties in recruitment and retention; retirements, terminations, resignations, long term absences due to sickness and injury.

2

Recommendation(s)

2.1

That the HR Committee notes the changes to the establishment under the Chief Officer's delegated powers, contained within this report.

3

Introduction and Background

3.1

Establishment management is an important aspect of our Human Resources Strategy and Workforce Planning. It informs our longer term planning for recruitment, assessment and development centre activities, career development and accelerated promotion programmes. Performance Management and Personal Development Plans are also influenced by how we manage our establishment.

3.2

The duties and responsibilities of posts within the organisation continue to be reviewed against changing service delivery requirements aligned to the Service's Integrated Risk Management Plan (IRMP), new Legislation and Government initiatives.

3.3

As we are about to commence Job Evaluation for Grey Book posts, we have maintained safeguards regarding our actual establishment figures to protect existing employees in the event of any changes to the current structure of Grey Book posts as aligned to our IRMP.

3.4

The Service Management Team has now signed off the Middle Management Review process and the Review of the Flexible Duty System. Over the next three years changes to the establishment to reflect the outcome of those reviews will be reported.

4

Authorised and Actual Establishment as at 31/7/05

4.1

The tables below reflect the authorised establishment figures as at 31 July 2005 in different employment groups. Externally funded posts are reflected separately where they exist and the actual establishment figures include these externally funded posts. Full time equivalent (fte) posts are indicated where appropriate.

Wholetime Establishment

Rank

Authorised

Establishment

Externally Funded posts

Actual Establishment

CO

1

0

1

DCO

2

0

2

SDO

4

0

4

DO

18

0

18

ADO

18

1

23

Includes 4 over establishment

StnO

48

5

53

SubO

96

5

101

LFf

97

2

99

Ff

493

2

482

Total

777

15

783

(9 under establishment)

Retained Establishment - represented as 24 hour cover units

Rank

Authorised

Establishment

Actual Establishment

SubO

46

LFf

112

Ff

477

Total

635

Control Establishment

Authorised Establishment

(fte)

Externally Funded

Actual

Establishment

(fte)

37

1

38

Green Book Establishment

Authorised

Establishment

(fte)

Externally Funded

Actual Establishment (fte)

289.91

9.46

308 ( 41 ECT/ICU AND 267 Non Uniform)

8.63 posts over establishment

Externally funded team

Funded by ODPM - Urban Search and Rescue Team

21 retained posts

These are contracts for retained services (similar to retained firefighters) to attend training and provide a response as and when required.

5

Variations to Establishment

Under the Chief Officer's delegated powers, the following variations have taken place to the establishment using existing resources in the time period 1 January 2005 to 31 July 2005 and have not been previously reported to Human Resources Committee :-

Post

Action

Position Number

New post - Temporary JE Project Manager ( 1 Year)

Appointed Group Manager Jan 05.

Temporary post funded from under spend in uniformed budget. Post required to project manage Middle Managers Review and Grey Book JE process

50022583

New Post - Temporary ADO 42 HR CFS

Created January 2005 for one year

Post over establishment, funded from existing WT budget.

50022290

Sub Officer - Fire Cover Review

Post deleted Feb 05

Following review of risk intelligence team this post was deleted.

40003137

New Post - Station Manager FDS (USAR)

Post Created March 05

Post part of national funding for civil defence, ODPM funding for 05/06 thereafter by increase in Revenue Support Grant.

50024782

New Post - Watch Manager(USAR)x2

New Post - Crew Manager ( USAR) x2

New Post - FF( USAR)

Post Created March 05

Ditto above.

50024781

50024783

50028368

50028369

50028370

Assistant Divisional Officer

( Performance Review)- Grey Book

Post Deleted.

Converted to Green Book post of Deputy Performance Review Manager wef 1.7.05

4007576 - Deleted

50028825 - Created as Green Book

LFF TFS - Over Establishment

Grey Book . Post Deleted

Medical Appeal resolved.

Postholder retired on 26.06.05

40008772

LFF CFS Schools FS Instructor Driver/Operator

Deleted

June 2005

400088630

Station Officer ( 42) TFS Inspector

Deleted as part of Middle Managers Review in May 05.

50004642

FF Media and Communications

Temporary Secondment - Over Establishment

Post funded by green book vacancy for External Communications Manager

50021742

Operational Firefighter - seconded as full time official with the FBU wef September 2004. Secondee (Grey Book) Firefighter.

Arrangement ceased in June 05 as FF in question retired.

New Post - Operational FF Light Duties

Created May 05

Established as `floating post' for employees on light duties. Funded from WT establishment.

Created: 50024488

New Post - Secondment to Maritime and Coastguard Agency for Stno Manager A.

One year secondment 1.04.05 - 31.03.06

Funded by Maritime and Coastguard agency.

Created: 50024789

New Post - Temporary secondment of Watch Manager to SCC

1 year secondment.

Created June 05

Temporary secondment of operational Watch Manager to Southampton City Council in role of temporary Station Manager A ( 42 hr)to promote HFRS corporate aims with the Southampton Safe City Partnership arrangement.

Funded from existing WT budget.

Created : 5002861

New Post - CFS Administrator

Growth bid approved by HFRA 10.12.2003.

Permanent addition to establishment wef January 2005.

50022176

Station Administrators - Additional Hours for Station Admin Support - Various locations

Initial hours allocated insufficient to meet support requirements. SMT approved ( 7.02.05) additional 6.5 hrs for all 18.5 and 12 hr per week posts to be allocated to CFS activities. Funding from deletion of Info administrator and supplies manager posts together with FS initiatives capital grant.

New Posts - Risk Intelligence Data Inputter x2 grade D

Risk Intelligence Data Analysts x2 grade E.

Following review of Fire Cover Review team in Feb 05 the Sub Officer and Administrator posts were deleted and replace by these posts.

Created : 50022823

40007530

New Post - H& S Administrator

( 0.5 FTE)

Post created May 05

Due to increased administrative workloads additional part time post approved by SMT. Funding provided by CFS and S/RM departments.

50025750

New post - USAR Administrator

Post created April 05

Post part of national funding for civil defence, ODPM funding for 05/06 thereafter by increase in Revenue Support Grant

Created:

50024890

New Post - HR Operations Administrator

Extension of hours from 22 - 37 per week for existing HR operations post.

Created April 05

New post created following transfer of work between Finance and HR. Post funded by DO vanacy held in HR.

Existing post 40007535 hours increased to 37 in light of additional time to input revised retained payroll requirements following implementation of new system.

Created :50024891

New Post - Workshops Administrator

Created April 05

Following the retirement of the senior administrator at Workshops, requirements reviewed as part of Best Value. Administration Manager and Senior administrator posts deleted and funding used for one additional administrator.

Deleted: 40008898

40007555

Created: 50025814

New Post - OET ( Electrical Equipment)

Created April 05

As part of Best Value Review one Electrical Technician post was deleted at Workshops and the funding used for a new OET based at headquarters.

Deleted : 40003247

Created: 50027280

New Post - Storekeeper HQ

Created April 05

On completion of apprenticeship, postholder offered permanent position to cover increased work loads.

Trainee vacancy deleted and funding used for this position.

Deleted:

40003265

Created: 50026423

New Post - Temporary Administrator JE project ( 18.5 hours) - 6 month period.

Created May 05

Funded from savings on vacant position of HR Employee Relations Officer.

Created: 50013816

Transfer of Administrator Post TFS - CFS and Operations Support

Created May O5

As part of the TFS review one post of Administrator TFS Group North was transferred to CFS group North and another transferred to Operations Support , SHQ. Resulted in increase to budget due to differences in post grade. Scale C to D.

Deleted: 40007531

Created: 40007523

40007478

New Post - CFS Fire Challenge Crew

Temporary Schools Instructor/Driver

Three year temporary period from 1.09.05 - July 08

Partnership agreement with charity Childrens Fire and Burns Trust to fund one additional post to meet their educational needs.

Created: 50018787

New Post - Community Fire Safety Advisor ( 4 posts)

GDA Home Fire Safety Checks ( Temporary positions) x2

Created June 05

As a result of the CFS review four existing GDA positions reviewed and revised. Replaced by CFS Advisor posts.

Two new posts created of GDA Home Fire Safety Checks funded by ODPM.

Created: 50028477

50012774

New Post - Deputy Performance Review Manager

Created June 05

Post created to replace ADO performance Review ( Grey Book)

Created:

50028825

New Post - Firesetter Interventionist

Created July 05

Growth bid approved by HFRA December 2003 but deferred funding until 05/06.

Created:

50028998

New Posts - Equality and Diversity Trainer; Community Outreach Workers x3; Administrator ( Equality Team)

All posts over establishment.

Administrator - Grade C

Outreach Workers - Grade E ( 1 yr temp contracts)

Trainer - Grade H

Created: 50022456

50022457

50022458

50022459

6

Resource Implications

6.1

Human Resources

N/A

6.2

Physical Resources

N/A

6.3

Information and Communications Technology Resources

N/A

6.4

Financial Implications

There are no financial implications. All posts are being funded by the existing budget arrangements or current underspend.

7

Equality Impact Assessment

N/A

8

Consultation

N/A

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

Note: The list excludes:

(1) Published works

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