KENT AND MEDWAY FIRE AND RESCUE AUTHORITY. Meeting of the Authority. Wednesday, 14 December am

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1 KENT AND MEDWAY FIRE AND RESCUE AUTHORITY Meeting of the Authority Wednesday, 14 December am

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3 AGENDA KENT AND MEDWAY FIRE AND RESCUE AUTHORITY Wednesday, 14 December 2016, am Ask for: Stuart Ballard/Marie Curry Kent Fire and Rescue Service Headquarters, Telephone: (01622) ext 8206/8291 The Godlands, Tovil, Maidstone, ME15 6XB A UNRESTRICTED ITEMS (During these items the meeting is likely to be open to the public) Routine Business A1. Chairman s Announcements A2. Membership Changes and Apologies for Absence A3. Declarations of Interest in Items on this Agenda A4. Minutes of the Meeting of the Authority held on 18 October 2016 (Pages 5-7 for approval) A5. Minutes of a Meeting of the General Purposes Committee held on 8 November 2016 (Pages 9-12 for information only) A6. Minutes of a Meeting of the Planning and Performance Committee held on 29 November 2016 (Pages for information only) B For Decision B1. Proposed Calendar of Member Meetings for 2017/18 (Pages 17-22) B2. Pay Policy Statement 2017/18 (Pages 23-32) B3. Acquisition and Disposal of Land and Property (Pages 33-35) B4. Performance Update (Pages 37-45) C For Information C1. Fire and Rescue Service Reform Agenda (presentation) D E Urgent Business (Other items which the Chairman decides are urgent) Exempt Items (At the time of preparing this agenda there were no exempt items. During any such items which may arise the meeting is likely NOT to be open to the public). Stuart Ballard Clerk to the Authority 2 December 2016 Please note that any background papers referred to in the accompanying reports may be inspected by arrangement with the Lead/Contact Officer named on each report.

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5 KENT AND MEDWAY FIRE AND RESCUE AUTHORITY MINUTES of a Meeting of the Kent and Medway Fire and Rescue Authority held at Kent Fire and Rescue Service Headquarters, The Godlands, Tovil, Maidstone on Tuesday, 18 October PRESENT:- Mr N J D Chard (Chairman), Mr S A Tranter (Vice-Chairman), Mrs A Allen MBE, Mr M J Angell, Mr H G R Birkby, Mr D L Brazier, Mr D J Carr, Mr I S Chittenden, Mr G Cowan, Mr D S Daley, Mr J A Davies, Mr M C Heale, Mrs S V Hohler, Mr P J Homewood, Mr S Iles, Mr R A Latchford OBE, Mr T A Maddison, Mr S C Manion, Mr R J Parry, Mr C E T Simkins, Mr B J Sweetland and Mr N A Terry. APOLOGIES:- Dr M R Eddy, Mr P Godwin and Mrs P A V Stockell. OFFICERS:- The Chief Executive, Miss A Millington; the Director, Operations, Mr S Bone-Knell; the Assistant Director, Finance, Mrs A Kilpatrick; the Assistant Director, Policy and Performance, Mr J Finch; the Monitoring Officer, Mr G D Wild; and the Clerk to the Authority, Mr S C Ballard. UNRESTRICTED ITEMS 16. Membership (Item A2) (1) The Chairman reported the death on 2 August of Mr Robert Brookbank, who had served on the Authority from December 2010 until June Members and officers stood in silence as a mark of respect to Mr Brookbank. (2) Members noted that, since the last meeting, Ms S J Carey had resigned from the Authority and that Kent County Council had appointed Mr B J Sweetland in her place. The Chairman welcomed Mr Sweetland to his first meeting. (3) RESOLVED that the Authority place on record its thanks to Ms Carey for her contribution to the work of the Authority during her period of office. 17. Minutes - 16 June 2016 (Item A4) RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Authority meeting held on 16 June 2016 be approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record. 18. General Purposes Committee - 16 June and 15 July 2016 (Item A5) RESOLVED that the Minutes of the General Purposes Committee meetings held on 16 June and 15 July 2016 be noted. 19. Planning and Performance Committee - 16 June and 19 July 2016 (Item A6) RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Planning and Performance Committee meetings held on 16 June and 19 July 2016 be noted. 20. Hearings Panel 9 August 2016 (Item A7) RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Hearings Panel meeting held on 9 August 2016 be noted. Page 5

6 18 October Disposal of Land and Property (Item B1 - Report by Director, Finance and Corporate Services) (1) The Authority considered proposals for the procedure to be used for the disposal of the former Medway Fire Station, and for the sale of land adjoining surplus day-crewed houses at Faversham Fire Station. (2) RESOLVED that:- (a) (b) in order to secure the maximum potential capital receipt, the former Medway Fire Station be demolished and its site be sold on the open market subject to the purchaser obtaining planning consent; the land adjoining the surplus day-crewed houses at Faversham be sold to the organisation purchasing those houses. 22. Customer Focus (Item C1) (1) Members received a presentation from David Wales, the Operations Information Manager, on the emerging outcomes of the research he had led into the behaviour of people when faced with fires in their homes and the implications of this for the way in which fire and rescue authorities interacted with their customers. (2) RESOLVED that the presentation be noted with thanks. 23. Performance Update (Item C2 - Report by Chief Executive) (1) Members considered a report which provided an update on progress against the Corporate Plan and the Authority s performance targets. The report also set out the latest position on financial performance and budget monitoring, including a decision by the Senior Officer Appointment and Conditions Committee on a 1% pay increase for the Chief Executive and Directors with effect from 1 January (2) RESOLVED that the contents of the report be noted. 24. Monitoring Officer Appointment (Item C3 - Report by Chief Executive) (1) Members were advised that there had been a change in Mr Wild s role at Kent County Council, but that this change did not affect his current appointment as the Authority s Monitoring Officer for the period until March (2) RESOLVED that the contents of the report be noted. 25. Procurement (Item C4) (1) The Chief Executive gave an oral update on her work as the National Lead on Procurement for the Chief Fire Officers Association (CFOA). (2) RESOLVED that the Chief Executive s oral update be noted with thanks. 26. Response to Government Consultation on Business Rates (Item C5 - Report by Director, Finance and Corporate Services) RESOLVED that the Authority s response to the Government s consultation document Self- Sufficient Local Government: 100% Business Rates Retention, which had been finalised as urgent business in consultation with the Chairman in order to meet the closing date, be noted. Page 6

7 18 October Efficiency Plan (Item C6 - Report by Assictant Director, Finance) (1) Members were reminded that, last year for the first time, the Government had included within the funding settlement an offer to single-purpose fire and rescue authorities of a firm four-year funding allocation in return for a robust and transparent Efficiency Plan. The Authority had previously agreed in principle that the Government s offer should be accepted and so an Efficiency Plan had been prepared and submitted by the date set by the Government. Members considered the Plan. (2) RESOLVED that the contents of the Authority s Efficiency Plan be noted. Page 7

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9 KENT AND MEDWAY FIRE AND RESCUE AUTHORITY GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE MINUTES of a meeting of the General Purposes Committee held at Kent Fire and Rescue Service Headquarters, The Godlands, Tovil, Maidstone on Tuesday 8 November PRESENT:- Mr M J Angell (Chairman), Mrs A Allen MBE, Mr H G R Birkby, Mr D J Carr, Mr N J D Chard (substitute for Mr S C Manion), Mr G Cowan, Mr D S Daley, Mr R A Latchford OBE, Mr C E T Simkins, Mr B J Sweetland and Mr S A Tranter. APOLOGIES:- Mr P Godwin, Mr S C Manion and Mrs P A V Stockell. OFFICERS:- The Chief Executive, Miss A Millington; the Director, Finance and Corporate Services, Mr C Kerr; the Assistant Director, Channel Tunnel and Resilience, Mr P Flaherty; the Assistant Director, Finance, Mrs A Kilpatrick; the Assistant Director, Human Resources, Mrs K Irvine; the Assistant Director, Policy and Performance, Mr J Finch; the Corporate Governance and Risk Manager, Mr R Feltham; the Corporate Facilities and Environmental Manager, Mr P Austen; the Exchequer Accountant, Ms S Dawe; and the Clerk to the Authority, Mr S C Ballard. IN ATTENDANCE:- Mrs J Waghorn, Independent Person (for item B5); Ms E Hill and Mr T Blackman, Grant Thornton UK LLP (for item C1); and Ms S Buckland and Ms F Chivers, KCC Internal Audit (for item C2). UNRESTRICTED ITEMS 17. Membership (Item A1) Members noted that Mr B J Sweetland had been appointed to serve on the Committee in place of Ms Carey, who had recently resigned from the Authority. 18. Election of Vice-Chairman for Remainder of 2016/17 (Item A2) (1) Mr Angell moved, Mr Simkins seconded, that Mr Manion be elected Vice- Chairman of the Committee. (2) There being no other nominations, Mr S C Manion was declared elected as Vice-Chairman of the Committee for the remainder of 2016/17, in place of Ms Carey. 19. Minutes (Item A4) RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 15 July 2016 be approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record. 20. Financial Progress and Treasury Management Update 2016/17 (Item B1 - Report by Assistant Director, Finance) (1) The Committee considered a proposal in principle to purchase land at Herne Bay to enable a replacement fire station to be built on a new site. The Committee also received the latest forecast outturn position on the revenue and capital budgets for 2016/17 together with updates on Treasury Management issues, insurance matters, and the disposal of assets. (2) RESOLVED that:- Page 9

10 8 November 2016 (a) (b) the proposal for the acquisition of land in the Herne Bay area to enable a replacement fire station to be built on a new site be agreed in principle; the remaining contents of the report be noted. 21. Development of the 2017/18 Budget and Medium Term Financial Plan (Item B2) (1) The Committee received a presentation from the Assistant Director, Finance, on the development of the 2017/18 budget and the Medium Term Financial Plan. (2) RESOLVED that the approach being used to develop the Authority s budget plans, and the proposals for the public consultation on the Council Tax level for 2017/18, as described in the presentation to the meeting, be approved in principle. 22. Revised Code of Corporate Governance (Item B3 - Report by Corporate Governance and Risk Manager) (1) Members considered a revised Code of Corporate Governance, which had been updated and amended to reflect changes in CIPFA s recently-revised Governance Framework. (2) RESOLVED that the revised Code of Corporate Governance, as set out in Appendix 1 to the report, be approved. 23. Safeguarding Policy and Regulations (Item B4 - Report by Chief Executive) (1) Following a thorough review of the Authority s documentation relating to the safeguarding of both children and adults in the light of the Committee s approval of the new Feedback and Allegations process at its last meeting (Minute 13), the Committee considered a proposed new Safeguarding Service Order. The Committee also received a summary of the issues raised in the Government s consultation document Reporting and Acting on Child Abuse and Neglect, and a copy of the Authority s response to Kent County Council s Adult Social Care Vision and Strategy 2016/2021, which had been submitted as urgent action following consultation with the Chairman of the Authority. (2) RESOLVED that:- (a) (b) the proposed new Safeguarding Service Order, as attached at Appendix 1 to the report, be approved; the remaining contents of the report, including the Authority s response to Kent County Council s Adult Social Care Vision and Strategy 2016/2021, attached as Appendix 2 to the report, be noted. 24. Annual Report on Members Standards, Allowances and Activity 2015/16 (Item B5 - Report by Clerk to the Authority) (1) The Committee received the Annual Report on Standards, and Mrs Waghorn, the Authority s Independent Person, commented to the Committee on it. Members also received details of the allowances and expenses paid by the Authority to each Member during the 2015/16 financial year, together with a summary of the reports submitted by Members on their activities as Members of the Authority during the 2015/16 municipal year. The Committee then considered a proposal that the Member Activity Report process should be discontinued. Page 10

11 (2) RESOLVED that:- (a) (b) 8 November 2016 for the reasons set out in paragraph 12 of the report, the Member Activity Report process be discontinued forthwith; the remaining contents of the report and its appendices be noted. 25. External Auditors Annual Audit Letter 2015/16 (Item C1 - Report by Assistant Director, Finance) (1) The Committee considered the Annual Audit Letter prepared by Grant Thornton UK LLP (GT) in its capacity as the Authority s External Auditor. (2) Ms Hill, the GT Director responsible for the Authority s audit, introduced the Annual Audit Letter which confirmed that the audit for 2015/16 had been concluded and an unqualified opinion issued in relation to the 2015/16 financial statements. (3) The Assistant Director, Finance, reported that the Authority would be highlighted in the Public Sector Audit Appointments report as one of the local authorities which had received an unqualified opinion on its 2015/16 accounts by 31 July (4) RESOLVED that:- (a) (b) the contents of the report and of the External Auditors Annual Audit Letter (attached as Appendix 1 to the report) be noted; the Committee place on record its thanks to the External Auditors for an excellent Audit Letter, and to relevant officers for preparing the final accounts so speedily and accurately for the External Auditors consideration. 26. Internal Audit - Mid-Year Progress Report 2016/17 (Item C2 - Report by Assistant Director, Finance) (1) The Committee considered the Mid-Year Report on progress in delivering the current Internal Audit Plan. (2) Ms Chivers, on behalf of the Head of Internal Audit, introduced the Progress Report. (3) RESOLVED that the contents of the report and the Internal Audit Mid-Year Progress Report (attached as Appendix 1 to the report) be noted. 27. Caring for the Environment Update (Item C3 - Report by Corporate Facilities and Environmental Manager) (1) The Committee received the final emissions report for the 2015/16 financial year and was advised that work was in progress to determine the appropriate targets for measuring the reduction in the Authority s carbon emissions in future years. (2) RESOLVED that the contents of the report and its appendix be noted. 28. Corporate Health Performance (Item C4 - Report by Assistant Director, Human Resources) (1) Members received an analysis of how the Authority had performed against the strategic corporate health indicators relating to human resources between 1 April and 30 September 2016, and were advised that the Authority would be seeking re-accreditation against the Fire and Rescue Service Equality Framework by March Page 11

12 8 November 2016 (2) RESOLVED that the contents of the report be noted. 29. Corporate Risk Update (Item C5 - Report by Corporate Governance and Risk Manager) (1) Members considered the status of the revised Corporate Risk Register as at 30 September (2) RESOLVED that the latest position on the key corporate risks potentially facing the Authority over the medium to long term be noted. 30. Pension Board Update (Item C6 - Report by Assistant Director, Channel Tunnel and Resilience) (1) Members received the Minutes of the most recent meeting of the Pension Board for the Firefighters Pension Schemes. (2) RESOLVED that the contents of the report, and the Minutes of the Pension Board meeting held on 5 July 2016 (attached as Appendix 1 to the report), be noted. 31. Change of Date of Meeting April 2017 (Item C7) Members noted that the next meeting of the Committee would take place on Wednesday 12 April 2017 (and not on 19 April as previously agreed). 32. Visit by Home Secretary (Item D1) The Chairman agreed to take this item as urgent. The Chairman of the Authority informed the Committee that the new Home Secretary had, at her request, visited the Authority on the previous Friday, 4 November. The visit had been hosted at the Road Safety Experience and subsequent feedback from the Home Secretary and her team had been very positive about both the visit and the Authority s work. Mr Chard offered his congratulations to the staff involved for organising such a highly successful visit at such short notice. Page 12

13 KENT AND MEDWAY FIRE AND RESCUE AUTHORITY PLANNING AND PERFORMANCE COMMITTEE MINUTES of a meeting of the Planning and Performance Committee held at Kent Fire and Rescue Service Headquarters, The Godlands, Tovil, Maidstone on Tuesday 29 November PRESENT:- Mr N J D Chard (Chairman), Mr S A Tranter (Vice-Chairman), Mr M J Angell (substitute for Mr J A Davies), Mr H Birkby (substitute for Mr M C Heale), Mr D L Brazier, Mr D S Daley (substitute for Mr I S Chittenden), Dr M R Eddy, Mr P J Homewood, Mr R A Latchford OBE (substitute for Mr N A Terry) and Mr B J Sweetland (substitute for Mr R J Parry). APOLOGIES:- Mr I S Chittenden, Mr J A Davies, Mr M C Heale, Mrs S V Hohler, Mr S Iles, Mr T A Maddison, Mr R J Parry and Mr N A Terry. OFFICERS:- The Chief Executive, Miss A Millington; the Director, Operations, Mr S Bone- Knell; the Assistant Director, Channel Tunnel and Resilience, Mr P Flaherty; the Assistant Director, Community Safety, Mr M Adams; the Assistant Director, Finance, Mrs A Kilpatrick; the Assistant Director, Policy and Performance, Mr J Finch; the Assistant Director, Response, Mr C Colgan; and the Clerk to the Authority, Mr S C Ballard. UNRESTRICTED ITEMS 14. Mr Martin Adams (1) The Chairman reported that Mr Adams, Assistant Director, Community Safety, would shortly be retiring from KFRS and this would be last meeting of the Committee that he would attend. (2) RESOLVED that the Committee place on record its thanks to Mr Adams for his long and illustrious service and its best wishes to him for the future. 15. Minutes (Item A3) RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 19 July 2016 be approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record. 16. Kent Resilience Team (Item B1 - Report by Assistant Director, Channel Tunnel and Resilience) (1) The Committee was advised of the achievements of the Kent Resilience Team (KRT) since it had been established as a three-year collaborative project by the Authority, Kent County Council and Kent Police in April 2014, and considered the business case for the KRT to be made permanent. (2) RESOLVED that the proposal to establish the Kent Resilience Team on a permanent basis from April 2017, through a Shared Partnership Agreement between the Authority, Kent County Council and Kent Police, be approved. 17. Joint Kent Community Safety Team Future Direction (Item B2 - Report by Assistant Director, Community Safety) (1) The Committee received examples of the achievements of the joint Kent Community Safety Team (KCST) following its creation in September 2015, and considered proposals for the future direction and approach of the KCST. (2) RESOLVED that:- Page 13

14 29 November 2016 (a) (b) the proposals for the next phase and actions of the joint Kent Community Safety Team, as set out in the report, be approved; the remaining contents of the report be noted. 18. Station Build Programme Update (Item C1) (1) Members received a presentation from the Director, Operations, on the latest position with the Station Build Programme, covering those new stations currently under construction as well as plans for future developments. (2) RESOLVED that the presentation be noted with thanks. 19. Kent Police Control Room Project Consultation (Item C2 - Report by Assistant Director, Policy and Performance) (1) The Committee considered an overview and the timelines of a project recently commissioned by Kent Police, in partnership with Essex Police, to review its approach to 999 and non-emergency call handling. (2) RESOLVED that the contents of the report be noted. 20. Performance Update April to October 2016 (Item C3 - Report by Assistant Director, Policy and Performance) (1) The Committee received a written update report on the Authority s performance against its strategic service delivery indicators from April to September 2016, and a verbal update on performance during October (2) RESOLVED that the contents of the report and the oral update be noted. 21. Technical Rescue Review (Item C4 - Report by Assistant Director, Response) (1) The Committee was updated on the internal review of the Authority s Technical Rescue function which was currently being undertaken, and provided with an overview of potential new areas of work for the Technical Rescue team and the associated amendments to their work patterns that would be required as a result. (2) RESOLVED that the contents of the report be noted. 22. Emergency Services Mobile Communications Programme Update (Item C5 - Report by Assistant Director, Channel Tunnel and Resilience) (1) The Committee received an update on the latest developments relating to the Emergency Services Mobile Communications Programme. (2) RESOLVED that the contents of the report be noted. 23. Operational Exercises and Winter Preparations (Item C6 - Report by Assistant Director, Channel Tunnel and Resilience) (1) The Committee received a schedule of the operational exercises planned for January to March 2017, together with an overview of the preparations in place for the winter months. (2) RESOLVED that the contents of the report be noted. Page 14

15 29 November Building Regulations Sprinklers in Schools (Item C7 - Report by Assistant Director, Community Safety) (1) The Committee was advised of a recent consultation by the Department for Education about proposed amendments to its advice note on designing for fire safety in schools, and of the Authority s response to the consultation expressing concern at the proposal to remove the expectation that most new school buildings should be fitted with a sprinkler system. (2) RESOLVED that the contents of the report, including the consultation by the Department for Education on proposed changes to Building Bulletin 100: design for fire safety in schools and the Authority s response to that consultation, be noted. Page 15

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17 Item No: B1 By: Chief Executive To: Kent and Medway Fire and Rescue Authority 14 December 2016 Subject: PROPOSED CALENDAR OF MEMBER MEETINGS FOR 2017/18 Classification: Unrestricted FOR DECISION SUMMARY This report sets out the proposed calendar of Member meetings for 2017/18 and suggests a review of the arrangements for Member training. RECOMMENDATION Members are requested to: 1. Approve the proposed calendar of Member meetings for 2017/18 as set out in Appendix 1 and the proposal for a review of the arrangements for Member training (paragraphs 4 and 7 refer). LEAD/CONTACT OFFICER: Clerk to the Authority Stuart Ballard TELEPHONE NUMBER: ext stuart.ballard@kent.fire-uk.org BACKGROUND PAPERS: None Page 17

18 COMMENTS Introduction 1. It is the Authority s normal practice at the end of each calendar year to approve the programme of Authority and Committee meetings and Member training events for the forthcoming Authority year (June to June). Member Meetings and Training Events for the Remainder of 2016/17 2. The Authority has already set dates for its own meetings and those of its Committees, as well as for training events, for the remainder of the current Authority year (through to the Annual Meeting in June 2017). These dates, as well as the dates of operational exercises recently reported to the Planning and Performance Committee, are shown for completeness in the first part of Appendix 1. Members will recall that the date of the General Purposes Committee meeting in April 2017 was originally scheduled for the 19 th, but has subsequently been re-scheduled for the 12 th in order to avoid a clash with a Kent County Council (KCC) meeting that was moved to the 19 th. 3. It is suggested that the Member training events scheduled to follow the General Purposes Committee and the Planning and Performance Committee on 12 and 26 April 2017 respectively should be cancelled for the reasons set out in paragraph 7 below. Proposed Meeting Dates for 2017/18 4. Suggested dates for Authority and Committee meetings from June 2017 until June 2018 are shown in the second part of Appendix 1 for Members consideration and approval. Other currently known dates which have an influence on the meetings programme (such as national and local elections, LGA Conferences, and annual meetings of the constituent authorities) are also shown. 5. The suggested dates for 2017/18 follow a similar pattern to that adopted for 2016/17, with four Authority meetings and three meetings of each of the two main Committees during the year (avoiding school holiday periods as far as possible). 6. Identifying appropriate dates for meetings continues to be complex given the demands being placed on Members both by the Authority and by their constituent authorities. As usual, in drawing up the proposed programme for 2017/18, discussions have taken place with relevant officers at both KCC and Medway Council Page 18

19 to try to avoid any significant date clashes. However, it is important to emphasise that, while KCC has already published its calendar for the period until March 2018 (with some meeting dates identified through April and May), it has not yet considered its meeting dates for the remainder of the 2018 calendar year, and Medway Council has not yet considered any part of its calendar for the 2017/18 municipal year. Having said that, when both Councils do consider their future calendars, they will normally do their best to work around meeting dates already agreed by the Authority. Nevertheless, because it is often necessary for the constituent Councils to call meetings at short notice, it is unfortunately inevitable that clashes will occur from time to time, despite the best efforts of all parties. Member Training 7. Members will be aware that almost all the Member Training events for which dates were reserved in the Calendar of Meetings during the last year have been cancelled. This suggests that the time is ripe to take a fresh look at Members requirements for training and briefing. It is therefore proposed that a review of the arrangements for Member training/briefing should take place once the Authority has been reconstituted following next May s KCC elections, with a report back to the Authority meeting in October It is for this reason that it is suggested that the Member training events scheduled to follow the General Purposes Committee and the Planning and Performance Committee on 12 and 26 April 2017 respectively should be cancelled. 8. The proposed review will not affect operational exercises and Members will continue to be invited to observe these as and when they are arranged. IMPACT ASSESSMENT 9. All costs associated with the meetings are contained within existing budgetary provisions. RECOMMENDATION 10. Members are requested to: 10.1 Approve the proposed calendar of Member meetings and training events for 2017/18 as set out in Appendix 1 and the proposal for a review of the arrangements for Member training (paragraphs 4 and 7 refer). Page 19

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21 PROPOSED CALENDAR OF AUTHORITY AND COMMITTEE MEETINGS 2017/18 Appendix 1 to Item No: B1 Part 1: Remainder of 2016/17 - Previously Approved (with upcoming operational exercises added) 2017 Wednesday 18 January Saturday 21 January Operational Exercise, Dover Bi-National Operational Exercise, Channel Tunnel Monday 13 February Authority (Budget) Monday 13 February Tuesday 21 February Tuesday 28 February Operational Exercise, Maidstone Operational Exercise, Queenborough Operational Exercise, Tunbridge Wells 7-8 March LGA Annual Fire Conference, Gateshead Thursday 9 March Tuesday 14 March Operational Exercise, Maidstone Operational Exercise, Aylesford Wednesday 12 April* General Purposes Committee Member Training (to be cancelled) (*Changed from 19 April) Wednesday 26 April Planning and Performance Committee Member Training (to be cancelled) Thursday 4 May Wednesday 17 May Thursday 25 May KCC Election Medway Council Annual Meeting (provisional) KCC Annual Meeting Thursday 15 June Authority (Annual Meeting) Member Induction Page 21

22 Part 2: 2017/18 - Proposed Dates July LGA Annual Conference, Birmingham Monday 10 July Planning and Performance Committee Tuesday 18 July General Purposes Committee Wednesday 18 October Authority Thursday 9 November General Purposes Committee Thursday 16 November Planning and Performance Committee Thursday 14 December Authority 2018 Tuesday 13 February Authority (Budget/Safety Plan) early March (date TBC) LGA Annual Fire Conference Tuesday 27 March General Purposes Committee Thursday 26 April Planning and Performance Committee mid-may (date TBC) Thursday 17 May Medway Council Annual Meeting KCC Annual Meeting Thursday 14 June Authority (Annual Meeting) Page 22

23 Item Number: B2 By: Chief Executive To: Kent and Medway Fire and Rescue Authority 14 December 2016 Subject: PAY POLICY STATEMENT 2017/18 Classification: Unrestricted FOR DECISION SUMMARY Sections 38 to 43 of the Localism Act 2011 require that the Authority prepares and publishes a Pay Policy Statement for each financial year before the start of that financial year, and this report seeks approval to the Statement for 2017/18. RECOMMENDATION Members are requested to: 1. Approve the Pay Policy Statement for 2017/18 (paragraphs 3 to 5 and Appendix 1 refer). LEAD/CONTACT OFFICER: Assistant Director, Human Resources Karen Irvine TELEPHONE NUMBER: ext karen.irvine@kent.fire-uk.org BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS: None Page 23

24 COMMENTS Background 1. Sections 38 to 43 of the Localism Act 2011 require all local authorities to prepare and publish an annual Pay Policy Statement. The requirements in the Act originate from the recommendations set out in the Hutton Review of Fair Pay in the Public Sector. This recognised not only the need for high-calibre leaders but also the requirement for fair levels of pay reflecting individuals contributions whilst also reassuring the public that this was being achieved. The Authority s proposed Pay Policy Statement for 2017/18 is attached at Appendix The Hutton Review expressed concern over pay governance practices, in particular placing an emphasis on the pay and benefits received by Chief Executives. The Act specifically refers to the relationship between these and the lowest-paid employees by requiring that the ratio between the two is identified. Members will be aware that, under the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015, the Authority is already required to publish, as part of its Annual Statement of Accounts, details relating to senior employee salaries, defined as 50,000 and above. For the purposes of the Pay Policy Statement it is not intended to replicate this information but to provide the necessary link to it through the website. Proposed Pay Policy Statement for 2017/18 3. The proposed Pay Policy Statement for 2017/18 differs very little from that agreed for 2016/17. Changes have however been made to reflect the current establishment figures and the agreed pay increases for The Statement also provides Members with the assurance that the Authority currently pays all of its employees an hourly rate above the living wage. 5. Members are therefore asked to agree the Pay Policy Statement for 2017/18, which is attached at Appendix 1. Once the Pay Policy Statement has been approved it will be placed on the Authority s website so that it is available for the public to access. IMPACT ASSESSMENT 6. The draft Pay Policy Statement puts into context, for members of the public, the arrangements the Authority has in place for setting and amending the pay of its employees. 7. The draft Pay Policy Statement meets all current guidance issued by the Government for the production of such documents. Page 24

25 RECOMMENDATION 8. Members are requested to: 8.1 Approve the Pay Policy Statement for 2017/18 (paragraphs 3 to 5 and Appendix 1 refer). Page 25

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27 Kent and Medway Fire and Rescue Authority Pay Policy Statement 2017/18 Appendix 1 to Item No: B2 Introduction The Pay Policy Statement set out below has been compiled in accordance with Sections 38 to 43 of the Localism Act The Act requires Kent and Medway Fire and Rescue Authority to publish a Pay Policy Statement for each financial year. The information contained in this Statement is based on the pay position of employees as at 31 October 2016, unless otherwise stated. The purpose of a Pay Policy Statement is to provide information to the public on the pay arrangements that apply to employees of the Authority, including the Chief Executive and her direct reports. The Statement also includes information on how decisions to set or change pay are made. Structure of the Workforce As at 31 October 2016 the Authority employed 1,435 staff (1,408 full-time equivalents or FTEs). These employees span various pay groups which perform a variety of roles and have different working patterns to meet service delivery needs. In its simplest form these are employees who either have an operational role (firefighters working on fire stations, control operators and technical staff working in specialist areas) and wear a uniform, or those who provide administrative and corporate functions such as finance, information systems and human resources, and do not wear a uniform. The Authority has a third group of employees, namely the Chief Executive and two Directors, one of whom is uniformed and the other non-uniformed. Number of FTE Staff Employed by Category as at 31 October 2016: Staff Group Definition Number of Staff in Group Wholetime Firefighters Firefighters who work 42 hours a week to crew stations 24 hours a day either as firefighters located at the station, or as firefighters located at the station during the day and responding from their own homes on an on-call basis at night, or who work in specialist areas such as Technical Fire Safety. 701 (701 FTE) Control Room Staff who receive 999 calls. 29 (29 FTE) On-Call Firefighters A duty system where firefighters respond from their own homes or workplaces located near to the fire station on an on-call basis. 459 Support Staff Community Support Front Line Staff who typically do not wear a uniform and work in administrative and professional support functions. Specialist staff who provide fire and road safety prevention advice and offer home safety services and specialist advice for those more at risk. 200 (173 FTE) 46 (46 FTE) Pay Policy The overarching framework for pay and conditions of service for staff employed by the Authority is governed by three National Joint Councils (NJCs). These are the NJC for Local Page 27

28 Authority Fire and Rescue Services, the NJC for Local Government Services and the NJC for Brigade Managers of Local Authority Fire and Rescue Services. The principal role of each of these national bodies is to reach agreement on a national framework of pay and conditions of service for authorities to apply locally. Each NJC is made up of people who represent the employers and others who represent employees; the latter will typically be trade union representatives. The frameworks of pay and conditions set by each of these national bodies are locally referred to as the Grey Book (applies to uniformed staff); the Green Book (applies to staff who do not wear a uniform); and the Gold Book (applies to the Chief Executive and two Directors) respectively. Each NJC acknowledges that its national framework of pay and conditions will need to be adjusted locally to reflect local needs. Where appropriate this will be undertaken through local agreement, with recognised trade unions where they exist, or alternatively through local decision-making processes. The Equality Act 2010 gives women (and men) a right to equal pay for equal work. The Authority undertook an equal pay audit in 2012 to ensure that its pay and benefits policy and practice were not being applied inconsistently resulting in unequal pay for work of equal value for men or women. There were no areas of concern identified as a result of the audit. It is planned that a further audit will be carried out in 2017/18. Local Variations to Pay and Conditions of Service The national pay agreements and the terms and conditions constitute a minimum standard but it is acknowledged that these can be modified through local negotiation to reflect local needs. There is a mechanism in place to agree such changes. However, any changes to the pay or conditions of service of the Chief Executive and/or the Directors must be approved by the Authority s Senior Officer Appointment and Conditions (SOAC) Committee. The Authority s General Purposes Committee will be informed of any proposed changes to the pay or terms and conditions of all other employees. Pay Structure Each category of staff will be linked to a separate pay structure which is directly linked to a national pay agreement. When the pay agreement has been amended to reflect local needs, Members of the Authority will be updated accordingly. The pay structure for uniformed staff is based on the national pay agreement which is negotiated and issued by the NJC for Local Authority Fire and Rescue Services (link to NJC circular), and which is based upon six roles. The annual salary within each role is a fixed point salary. This means that unless the employee is promoted, or a national pay award is agreed, the salary will remain unchanged. Employees may move up the pay structure through promotion into a higher role. For an employee to do this they must be approved by their line manager as having demonstrated the type of behaviours and skills required of an employee operating at the higher level through the annual appraisal process, and then by being successful through interview for a role at the higher level. The pay structure is different for those staff who do not wear a uniform. Employees are appointed to a post which has a specific pay grade assigned to it. Within each grade there Page 28

29 are between five and six pay points (link to green book pay spine). The experience and skills of the employee are evaluated against the requirements of the job which will then determine the pay point to which they are appointed. Progression to higher pay points within the grade will be dependent on the employee demonstrating continued development and performance against the requirements of the role which is measured annually through an appraisal process. Pay Awards An annual pay increase is awarded based on the outcome of the relevant national pay negotiation process. Based upon the decisions taken at a national level by the NJCs relevant to this Authority, the Authority s Green Book staff received a pay award of 1% applicable from April 2016, and Grey Book Staff received a 1% award effective from 1 July The pay award for the Chief Executive and Directors is described below. How are Grades and Roles Determined? When a post is created or changes significantly it is evaluated in order that it can be matched against the appropriate grade for the role. A job evaluation process is used to determine the grade of a post. The process of job evaluation considers a range of factors relating to the demands of the job, including knowledge necessary to do the job; complexity; level of discretion in, and potential impact of, decision-making; and accountabilities in relation to people, finance and physical resources such as equipment or property. The job evaluation process ensures that the principle of equal pay for work of equal value is met and that the demands required of the post are assessed as objectively as possible. The job evaluation process includes input from trained individuals from across the organisation including union representatives. The Authority has an Establishment Group made up of relevant officers. The responsibilities and functions of this group include considering the future workforce structure. Within this, where uniformed vacancies arise or will occur at some point in the future, consideration is given to the post being converted from uniformed (Grey Book) to non-uniformed (Green Book) terms and conditions. Performance Appraisal The Authority operates a Performance Appraisal Procedure which applies to all employees. The purpose of the performance appraisal is to look at an individual s development needs and reflect on performance. This enables the manager to provide feedback to the employee on what could be done to improve performance, as well as considerations around job satisfaction and career planning. The appraisal should reflect the regular ongoing discussions which are already taking place between employees and their managers. This means that any concerns with regard to an individual s performance will not be introduced at the appraisal meeting: these concerns should already have been addressed and an action plan put in place. Where there are concerns about performance and an individual becomes subject to the Authority s formal capability procedure, this may have an effect on their pay, and the continued payment of a Continuous Professional Development payment (CPD). CPD is designed to recognise and reward experienced employees who are able to demonstrate continuous professional development. It is expected that employees will Page 29

30 maintain a high level of continuous professional development and commitment to their job to receive a CPD payment. With effect from 1 April 2017 the Performance Appraisal will be completed online through our Human Resources database. The online function will enable managers and staff to record their performance as and when it happens. In addition, for uniformed staff, it will record operational competency and identify individuals who are considered to be ready for promotion. The Authority does not currently have arrangements in place for Performance Related Pay or Buy Back as part of its performance appraisal process; neither does it have any arrangements in place for the payment of bonuses. Pension Arrangements The Authority currently administers five occupational pension schemes. There are four schemes for firefighters: the Firefighters Pension Scheme 1992 (FPS) (closed to new entrants from April 2006); the New Firefighters Pension Scheme 2006 (NFPS) (closed to new entrants from April 2015); the Modified Scheme 1992/2006 (specific to retained firefighters who served between 1 July 2000 and 6 April 2006); and the Firefighters Pension Scheme 2015 (FPS 2015). The employee contribution rates effective from 1 April 2016, determined by statute, currently range from 11.0% to 17.0% for the FPS and Modified 1992, 8.5% to 12.5% for the NFPS and Modified 2006, and from 10% to 14.5% for the FPS 2015, depending on salary level. Employer contribution rates are 21.7% for FPS and Modified 1992, 11.9% for NFPS and Modified 2006, and 14.3% for FPS 2015 of core pensionable pay respectively. Each scheme includes discretions which the employer decides how to apply. In November 2014 the General Purposes Committee approved an overarching Pensions Policy which defined five key principles, each of which the Chief Executive must ensure is considered before applying any such discretions on behalf of the Authority. As at 31 October 2016 no discretions have been awarded. Green Book staff have the right to belong to the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS). The employee contribution rates for this scheme currently range from 5.5% to 12.5% depending on salary level. The employer contribution rate is 12.5%. A new Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS 2014) came into effect on 1 April This Scheme is a Career Average Revalued Earnings (CARE) Scheme, unlike the original LGPS which is a final salary scheme. The new LGPS 2014 scheme introduced five employer discretions which were agreed by the General Purposes Committee in November Generally these discretions lead to enhanced benefits to scheme members, but result in additional costs which fall to the Authority and not to the pension scheme. As at 31 October 2016 no discretions have been awarded under the new LGPS 2014 scheme. Senior Officers The Authority is required to publish information relating to the pay of its most senior employees, which are defined as those employees whose annual salary is 50,000 or more. Page 30

31 This information is published on an annual basis in the Authority s Statement of Accounts. The most recent information published is for 2015/16. ( The SOAC Committee has a specific remit from the Authority to consider and make decisions about the remuneration and terms and conditions of employment of the Chief Executive and Directors. Decisions made by the SOAC Committee in the Period up to 31 October There were no SOAC Committee meetings held between 1 January 2016 and 31 October However the following decision was made through correspondence with SOAC Committee Members:- Pay award for the Chief Executive and Directors Pay awards in relation to this group of staff will generally follow the recommendations of the NJC for Brigade Managers of Local Authority Fire and Rescue Services. The NJC reached agreement on a pay award for 2016 of a 1% increase on basic pay. The SOAC Committee approved the application of this award to the Chief Executive and Directors. Ratio between Highest Earner and Average Earnings of the Organisation and Definition of Lowest Paid The Authority is required to publish information which expresses as a ratio the difference between the pay of its highest paid employee and the average pay for all other employees. The Authority is also required to publish its own definition of lowest-paid employees as it applies to the Authority s workforce. The Authority has a range of staff employed on different conditions of service and this means that it has a range of salary levels. Some staff are employed on contracts which are regarded as secondary employment. This means that they are able to undertake their contract in addition to other full-time employment. Specifically this relates to firefighters who work the On Call duty system, providing on-call availability from their home or place of work. These employees have full-time work outside the Authority. The Authority also has a group of staff employed on Voluntary Additional Hours contracts. These contracts are worked by staff that may have primary employment elsewhere. However, they could be staff who are already employed by the Authority but whose working pattern allows them to work some additional hours whilst still maintaining appropriate levels of rest. The individual will offer, on a voluntary basis, hours that they are available to work and if these hours suit the needs of the Authority they will be contracted to work the hours offered. For the purposes of publishing information on the comparison of pay in relation to the Authority s highest earner when compared to the rest of the workforce and a definition of the lowest paid in the context of the Authority, these groups of employees have not been included. This is because these posts constitute secondary employment and will typically be for a lower number of hours, which results in no true full-time equivalent salary. They would therefore skew the results of any comparison to full-time salaries. Page 31

32 The Table below sets out the difference between the pay of the highest paid employee (who is the Chief Executive) when compared to the average pay (total pay divided by the number of employees) of all other employees. The information illustrates that the Chief Executive s pay is 3.92 times more than the average pay of all other employees as at 31 October This differential is 0.05 lower than at October The Chief Executive received a pay award of 1% in January October 2015 October 2016 Degree of Change Chief Executive s Salary 145, , % Average Salary 36,750 37, % Ratio This ratio is calculated by dividing the Chief Executive s salary by the average salary for other staff The Authority s Definition of Lowest-Paid Employees The Authority regards its lowest-paid employees to be those employed on its Green Book conditions of employment. These are employees who do not wear a uniform and who work in administrative and corporate function areas. Employees can be employed on grades which range from 2 to 11. The Authority currently does not have any Grade 2 posts in its establishment, but it does have a few Grade 3 posts, which are support and administrative roles which have a minimal level of responsibility. This means that the Authority recognises that the necessary training and development can be provided in-house over a relatively short period and therefore specific skills or experience are not specified as essential at the recruitment stage. The salary range that applies to grade 3 is 17,597-19,838. The hourly rate for a grade 3 role is per hour, which is greater than the current National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage ( 7.20 per hour as at December 2016). The Authority has reinstated its apprenticeship programme and as at October 2016 it employed two apprentices in administrative functions. It is planned, during 2017/18, to employ at least an additional eight administrative apprentices. The apprentices are currently paid 5.50 per hour with the view that after six months, if they are performing well, they will be placed on the national minimum wage, which is greater than the current national apprenticeship wage ( 3.40 per hour as at December 2016). The Authority also plans to employ a number of operational apprentices during 2017/18 but is currently awaiting the sign-off on a national apprenticeship framework. Re-Engagement of Employees For Grey Book staff who are members of the Firefighters Pension Scheme (1992) and New Firefighters Pension Scheme (2006) a policy regarding re-employment and the treatment of pensions in payment has been in place since March This policy is based on the Regulations under each scheme and guidance provided by the Government. The principle and process of the policy is that any re-employment following retirement must be to an advertised vacancy, and as a result of a normal open and competitive selection process. Where re-employment is secured, the pension is adjusted (where relevant) so that the combination of pension and new salary does not exceed the individual s salary at the time of their retirement. This adjustment process is called abatement. The process of abatement is not included in the Local Government Pension Scheme regulations and therefore does not apply to Green Book employees. Page 32