Hampshire Fire and Rescue Authority

Human Resources Committee Item 7

16 June 2006

Establishment

Report of the Chief Officer

Contact: T/ACO Charlie House - Head of Human Resources Tel: 02380 644000 ext 2346

1

Summary

1.1

This report brings the Committee up to date on the authorised and actual establishment, as of 18 May 2006. 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 Human Resources Committee on 21 April 2006. This report identifies any further variations across all employee groups within the time period 17 March 2006 to 17 May 2006. Note: This report is in line with previous reports using a tabular format to show post changes.

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

Recommendations

2.1

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

3

Establishment Management

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 central government initiatives.

3.3

In April 2006, as part of the Job Evaluation Project for all Grey Book posts, all postholders were issued with a new contract of employment and job description based on their role map. All future reports will refer to roles rather than ranks.

4

Authorised and Actual Establishment as at 18 May 2006

4.1

The tables below reflect the authorised establishment figures as at 18 May 2006 in different employment groups. Externally/other funded posts are reflected separately where they exist and the actual establishment figures include these externally/other funded posts. Full time equivalent (FTE) posts are indicated where appropriate.

Note: Grey Book posts listed in the role structure which was implemented wef 1 April 2006.

Wholetime Establishment

Role

Authorised

Establishment (Head Count)

Externally/Other Funded posts (Head Count)

Actual Establishment (Head Count)

Principal Officers

3

0

3

Assistant Chief Officers

0

1

1 *

Area Managers

4

1

5

Group Managers B

14

2

18***

Group Manager A

18

1

17***

Station Manager B

38

4

38

Station Manager A

8

5

18***

Watch Manager B

73

2

52.5 ***

Watch Manager A

27

4

53***

Crew Managers

96

3

100

Firefighters

493

4

514**

Total

774

27

819.5 ***

(18.5 over establishment)

* Area Manager (Risk and Safety Management) temporary promotion due to non appointment of a replacement Head of Human Resources. This arrangement will continue until April 2007.

**Figures include 18 trainees on the May 2006 Firefighter trainee courses. Please note that due to the building work at SHQ the September 06 Firefighter trainee course has been cancelled.

*** The current distribution of managers is based on the existing personnel that held the posts as at the point of change from rank to role i.e. 1 April 2006. Over time we will manage these changes, via the ATP process, to ensure we move back towards the establishment levels. The `A' and `B' positions are within the same role, although the size of job differs.

Externally/Other Funded Posts Breakdown

The following details new posts since that are to be externally or alternatively funded, the funding source and end date. These changes have occurred during the period 17 March 2006 to 17 May 2006.

Post Title/Area

Funding Source

Start/End Date

Group Manager `B' internal secondment to HR.

Secondment to support the retained IRMP objective and pay and allowances review project arising out of Grey Book job evaluation. Funding from the modernisation budget.

1 April 2006 to

31 March 2007

Group Manager `B'

Internal secondment for RCC and Firelink projects.

Group Manager seconded to this project to address the `operational' issues that are outside the remit of the existing GFCO. 53K provided by the ODPM under the New Burdens Budget for this financial year.

2 May 2006 to

2 May 2008

Watch Manager `B' (2 posts)

Internal secondment for Command Training

( non establishment posts)

PO's meeting of 23/3/06 agreed to second 2 x WM'B' to SHQ Training Centre to develop Command Training.

1 April 2006 to

31 March 2007

Total

4 FTE

The following is a summary of all other existing arrangements that are in place:

Post Title/Area

Funding Source

End Date

Area Manager Regional Secondment South East HR Partnership

SE HR Partnership

13 February 2008

Group Manager internal secondment shift pattern project

Internally funded from modernisation reserve

31 March 2007

Station Manager (1 x `B' and 1 x `A' posts) secondment to ODPM

ODPM

30 June 2006

23 February 2007

Station Manager `B'

Civil Protection

ODPM

30 June 2006

Station Manager `A' secondment partnership support Southampton City Council

Southampton City Council

13 June 2006

Station Manager `A' training co-ordination and audit

Review May 2006

Station Manager `A' Business Education Unit Manager

Business Education income

31 March 2007

Station Manager `B' USAR

ODPM

Reviewed annually

Station Manager `B' secondment HCC Partnership Liaison Officer

Hampshire County Council (HCC)

Funding extended to 31 March 2007

Station Manager `A'- Secondment MCA Liaison

Maritime Coastal Agency (MCA)

31 March 2007

Watch Manager

(3 posts) USAR

ODPM

Reviewed annually

Watch Manager (2 posts) Business Education Training

Business Education income

31 March 2007

Crew Manager (3 posts) USAR

ODPM

Reviewed annually

FF (3 posts) USAR

ODPM

Reviewed annually

Ff Light Duties

Funding from pool

Currently vacant as previous postholder retired in March 2006.

Total

23 FTE

Note 1: End dates may be reviewed depending on funding/Project/Task need.

Note 2: The USAR posts above are those posts which are on a full time contract to provide UK based support, although all the above team members have retained USAR contracts as well. Funding is provided by ODPM as per their requirements, it is reviewed annually with no end date given.

Note 3. Outreach Worker funding for 1 x Firefighter to be reviewed.

Retained Duty System Establishment - Represented as 24 hour cover units (See Note 1 Below)

Rank

Authorised

Establishment (FTE)

Actual Establishment (FTE)

Watch Manager A

46

52.75

LFf

112

100.5

Ff

470

431.25

Total

628

584.5

(43.5 FTE under establishment)

Note 1: Retained cover is measured in units with 1 unit equalling a period of full cover (1 FTE), a part unit equals 0.75 cover (0.75 FTE).

Note 2: Increase in actual establishment 580 to 584.5 FTE

Externally Funded Team

Funded by ODPM - Urban Search and Rescue Team (UK Team - On Retained USAR Contracts)

Authorised

Establishment (Head Count)

Externally/Other Funded (Head Count)

Actual Establishment (Head Count)

0

33

33

Note 1: As recorded under the wholetime establishment externally/other funded posts, 10 posts also have one of the above 33 USAR retained contracts. The USAR retained employees provide cover in a similar way to retained duty system employees. However, they are shown above as head count only.

Note 2: USAR retained contract establishment structure has recently been finalised, this has involved the setting up of 3 sections (Red, White and Blue) with 11 employees in each section, for which the ODPM has provided funding. The team is now fully up to establishment and training is ongoing.

Control Establishment

Authorised Establishment

(FTE)

Externally/Other Funded

Actual

Establishment

(FTE)

39*

1**

38.5

(1.5 FTE under establishment)

* In view of sensitivities from existing Control employees regarding the regionalisation of Control, 2 posts have been funded by wholetime establishment to assist with the regionalisation. The Firefighter FTE has been reduced by 2 until the regionalisation control project is completed, 2008/2009 at the latest. Thereafter these posts will revert back to wholetime positions.

** Radio Project Manager. The funding source is ODPM New Burdens. The post is covered by secondment of a Control Group Manager, open ended position currently.

*** One long serving member of Control retired in May 06 and a second member retires in mid June, two replacement employees will be joining at the beginning of June on fixed term contracts.

Green Book Establishment (Including Incident Support Teams (IST))

Authorised

Establishment

(FTE)

Externally/Other Funded

Actual Establishment (FTE)

IST

48

(Head Count)

-

42

(Head Count)

Other

249.89

11.26*

239.76

297.89

11.26*

281.76

(Other 10.13 FTE under establishment)

(IST 6 Head Count under establishment)

Note: IST. Whilst they do not cover 1 FTE, they are counted in the above figures as 1 Team Member equalling 1 FTE. The IST which includes the Emergency Catering Team and the Incident Command Team has a head count establishment of 48 included in above.

* Externally/other funded posts

Externally/Other Funded Posts Breakdown

The following details new posts since that are to be externally or alternatively funded, the funding source and end date. These changes have occurred during the period 17 March 2006 to 17 May 2006.

Post Title/Area

Funding Source

End Date

Data Inputter - Community Safety

1 year temporary position

ODPM

1 May 2007

Communications Executive

1 year temporary position to fulfil the objectives outlined in the Corporate Marketing and Communications Strategy Document.

Modernisation Budget

31 March 2007

Total

2 FTE

The following details posts externally/other funded, the funding source and end date.

Post Title/Area

Funding Source

End Date

Civil Protection- currently filled by Grey Book secondee

ODPM

June 2006

USAR Administrator

ODPM

Reviewed annually

Arson Forum Co-ordinator

LPSA

March 2007

GDA Home Fire Safety Visits (2 FTE)

ODPM

March 2008

Schools Fire Safety Instructor (0.7 FTE)

Childrens Fire and Burns Trust

July 2008

Princes Trust Delivery Partner Manager

Princes Trust

Subject to funding reviewed annually

Princes Trust Co-ordinator

Princes Trust

Subject to funding reviewed annually

Princes Trust Basic Skills Next Steps Facilitator

Princes Trust

1 Year - Review November 2006

CFRMIS Project Officer

(part time post)

HFRS holding a WT Ff establishment vacancy

Funded until 1 September 2006.

Total

9.26 FTE

5

Variations to Establishment

Under the Chief Officer's delegated powers, the following variations have taken place to the establishment ( excluding grading changes) in the time period 17 March 2006 to 17 May 2006 and have not been previously reported to the Human Resources Committee:

Post

Action

Position Number

Communications Executive

Effective: 1.4.06

Temporary 1 year funding from modernisation reserve.

50036683

Temporary Communications Facilitator ( Grey Book CM post

Effective : 1.4.06

Temporary funding from existing posts.

50021744

Arson Task Force Officer

Effective: 1.9.06

HFRS are partners in the Local Public Service Agreements with HCC and Portsmouth City Council with a specific target to reduce the number of deliberate fires in these areas. Funding has been received from HCC to establish an Arson Task Force in partnership with Hampshire Constabulary.

Funding for 1 year from 1 September 2006

To be created

Temporary Assistant Chief Officer ( HR)

Effective: 1.5.2006

As the Head of HR vacancy was not filled the existing temporary appointment of an ACO has been extended to 1 April 2007.

Funding from vacancy to cover additional salary costs.

50036721

Secretary to `L' board

Effective: 1.4.06

Post deleted from the establishment from 1 April 2006 following the phasing out of statutory examinations.

40007539

Temporary Fire Safety Engineer Enforcement

( Grey Book GM `A')

Effective: 1.5.06

Temporary Fire Safety Engineer Enforcement post created for an initial three month period. Zero budget implications as a vacancy is being carried in TFS at present.

50037593

Watch Manager `B' (2 posts)

Effective: 1.4.06

PO's meeting of 23/3/06 agreed to second 2 x WM'B' to SHQ Training Centre to develop Command Training. Additional posts.

50037406

50037407

Contingency Planning Officers ( 2 part time posts)

Effective: 1.5.06

Due to increased workloads imposed by the Civil Contingencies Act and Business Continuity the hours for each postholder have been increased from 18.5 to 22.2 per week. Funding from the equivalent number of hours unused in Risk Intelligence.

50003690

50003691

Fire Safety Engineer TFS West Group

( SM'B)

Effective: 1.4.06

Withdrawal of post now transferred to Green Book Conditions of Service

40009009

CFS Office Manager

( Station Officer 42)

Effective: 1.4.06

Withdrawal of post now transferred to Green Book Conditions of Service

40009017

Sub Officer

Effective: 1 4 06

Withdrawal of post.

40009072

6

Financial Implications

All posts are being funded by the existing budget arrangements, which where advised includes external/other funding.

7

Consultation

This report has been compiled in conjunction with the finance department and aligns with the information forwarded to the Finance and General Purposes Committee.

8

European Convention on Human Rights and the Human Rights Act 1998

The proposals within this report are compatible with the provisions of the European Convention on Human Rights and the Human Rights Act 1998 and considered in the light of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000.

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