PAPER B
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FIRE AND PUBLIC SAFETY SELECT COMMITTEE –
16 AUGUST 2004 ISLE OF WIGHT FIRE AUTHORITY – LOCAL
SERVICE PAY AND CONDITIONS AGREEMENT – LOCAL VERIFICATION REPORT PHASE 2 REPORT OF THE PORTFOLIO HOLDER FOR FIRE, EMERGENCY PLANNING AND
CONSUMER PROTECTION |
REASON FOR SELECT
COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION
To give the Fire and Public Safety Select Committee the opportunity to discuss the Audit Commission Phase 2 Verification Report and consider the Action Plan.
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ACTION REQUIRED BY THE SELECT COMMITTEE To endorse the Action Plan and make suggestions for
changes where appropriate. |
BACKGROUND
1. As an integral part of the Pay and Conditions Agreement for firefighters that was agreed in June 2003 there were three pay increases to be paid.
1) 4% backdated to November 2002
2) 7% from November 2003
3) 4.2% from July 2004
The last two payments were subject to verification by the Audit Commission.
2. Although 3.5% of the second stage has already been paid “on account” the remaining 3.5% has yet to be released albeit the delay is not due to the outcome of the Phase One Verification Report.
3. The third stage payment of 4.2% is subject to the Phase 2 Verification Report and has also yet to be paid.
4. Both of the above factors have resulted in the FBU announcing that they will ballot for discontinuous strike action. The ballot will commence on 10 August 2004.
5. The National Employers have also stated they need to take a short time to consider the Phase Two Report and to work with those Authorities where the report has identified further progress needs to be made.
6. Members will note from the summary (circulated under separate cover) the status of our progress to date albeit that the Audit Commission themselves recognise that “some reasonable steps have been taken, these have not yet had an impact on the judgements”.
7. It is anticipated that the National Employers will be making contact although this has not happened to date.
8. The Audit Commission has also drawn up an Action Plan (attached as appendix two) for the Authority to take those issues of Modernisation that the Verification Study has investigated, forward. Members will be aware that the 8 key diagnostics are not the only factors that the Authority has to address in the Modernisation Agenda.
The proposed actions are recorded against each recommendation on the Action Plan.
9. The full Audit Commission Phase 2 Verification Report is available via email. Please contact [email protected] or [email protected]
Contact Point :
Richard Hards, Chief Fire
Officer, Telephone 823196 or
email richard.hards@iow.gov.uk.
Portfolio Holder for Fire, Emergency Planning and Consumer Protection