PRESS RELEASE 23.01.04

“AN UNDERVALUED SERVICE” - COMMONS SELECT COMMITTEE VERDICT ON RETAINED SERVICE

FIRE SERVICE MODERNISATION THREATENED BY FAILURE TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN PERSONNEL

RETAINED PAY IS “A DOGS BREAKFAST”

The report on the fire service released today by the Select Committee on the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister says that the Retained Service, which provides over 60% of the UK’s fire service, is undervalued and under-recognised and is in need of urgent action to arrest its decline. The report calls for:

• Urgent action to deal with a 20% shortfall and a 10% annual turnover, which makes essential fire appliances unavailable in many communities. In 2001/2 the 38 fire brigades in England and Wales had 31,000 applications for wholetime posts and a 5% success rate, but only 3,800 applicants for retained posts, of which 40% were successful, but leaving 2,500 posts unfilled).

• The committee found the recruitment problems were due to the level of pay, lack of pension, inflexible working arrangements and lack of development opportunities-in short a lack of recognition of the contribution by Retained firefighters.

• Retained firefighters provide the fire and rescue service outside our major cities, yet have been treated as “second class” citizens in the fire service.

• The failure to recruit, retain, train and motivate Retained personnel threatens the whole modernisation of the fire and rescue service, as outlined in the White Paper published by the Government in June 2003, and backed up by the new Fire and Rescue Service Bill, introduced to Parliament earlier this month.

• The Government has already announced a review of the Retained Fire Service, which met for the first time this week. The Select Committee has called for immediate action to:

   

  • implement a more flexible retirement age, instead of the current arbitrary limit (the RFU can provide named individuals who are on notice of retirement, although they wish to continue serving)
  • a national recruitment campaign, similar to the TA advertising
  • faster processing of applications, which can take months, during which applicants lose interest
  • national and local government to lead by example in encouraging their staff to be Retained firefighters




• The Select Committee also recommend the current ODPM Review should look at:

• the job seekers allowance which financially penalises unemployed personnel who want to become Retained firefighters
• equality of entitlement to time off work to undertake Retained firefighter duties, similar to the statutory entitlement of all workers to paid time off to be councillors, magistrates, school governors and for jury service
• involvement of Retained firefighters in pro-active community safety initiatives in their local communities, with “bonus” payments for meeting targets.
  

 

• The Select Committee also calls for action to:
  

• consult with employers of Retained firefighters to provide incentives for them to release employees
• recognise of the support given by Retained employers to their local communities
• review of Retained pay, which is described as “ a dogs breakfast”, because a recent pay review has actually resulted in a reduction for many Retained personnel
• encourage more women and under-represented groups to join the Retained Service
• Improve the training of Retained firefighters, including flexible arrangements, such as e-learning
• Advocacy for Retained firefighters, and representation for the Retained Firefighters Union on the national negotiating bodies in order to end the second class status of Retained personnel
• Government action to implement all of these changes

Derek Chadbon, National General Secretary of the Retained Firefighters Union said he supported the findings of the Select Committee and expected a strong Government commitment to urgent remedial action.