Agenda item

The Adrian Thomas Review on Conditions of Service as now presented, was published by the Home Office on 3 November 2016.  The report contained 45 key findings which needed to be reflected on by the various elements of the Fire Sector (Government, Local Government Association, Chief Fire Officers Association, Unions as well as individual authorities and services). 

The Review was confined to Fire & Rescue Authorities in England (46) but had a wider impact.  The findings were grouped into five areas: -

• The working environment;
• Documented Conditions of Service;
• Industrial Relations;
• Retained Duty System;
• Management of the Fire & Rescue Service.

In the body of the report, Lancashire Fire & Rescue Service was cited as having been visited in the review.  In reality Mr Warren was interviewed by Adrian Thomas on the recommendations of the Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser and a separate nomination by the Local Government Association as an adviser to the National Joint Council.  The discussion with Mr Thomas was therefore related to the general nature of the fire sector rather than specifics within Lancashire, although elements of the Service’s good practice were highlighted.

The publication of the report in November 2016 was two years after the Report was commissioned and a number of comments made had now become historical in context, or overtaken.  Similarly, LFRS could demonstrate its position in a favourable light in respect of many of the findings, as was done in respect of the Sir Ken Knight Review.  In effect, many of the issues directly in LFRS’ control were being progressed within existing activity.

However, the Authority and Service should consider the thrust and direction of the Report in framing and further developing LFRS’ main HR and organisational Development activities and it was noted that a gap analysis would be undertaken to identify the Service’s position to inform that consideration.  This gap analysis would also probably be beneficial in future interactions with the proposed inspectorate regime.

Key Themes

Employment costs were a significant element if not the majority of costs for all Fire Services.

The main findings were summarised in pages 12-18 of the Report.

The themes emerging for consideration in the sector were:

·        How could some authorities make progress whilst others did not;

·        Greater cross fertilisation of issues should be developed (institutional learning);

·        The Conditions of Service and negotiation arrangements should be “modernised” including Role Maps and Duty Systems and content;

·        Issues in respect of employee engagement including culture and trust, including equality & diversity and bullying and harassment issues;

·        National Leadership development/standards;

·        Remove the Right to Strike;

·        Greater use of Retained Duty System;

·        Future Recruitment.

The key strap line was “where change is common sense, it should become common practice”.

Contained within the findings were many other areas such as governance and pay statements. 

It was noted that all the findings would be addressed in the report to the February CFA.

RESOLVED: - The Authority: -

i)             noted the publication of the Report; and

ii)            noted that a detailed assessment of the Service’s position against the findings of the Report would be presented to the CFA meting to be held on 20 February 2017.