Fire and Rescue Service Organisational Restructure.

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A decision made (25/10/2007) regarding: Fire and Rescue Service Organisational Restructure.

Decision Reference: MD-HA-2007-0074
Decision Summary Title :	2007 10 11DS Organisational Restructure		Date of Decision Summary:	11 October 2007
Decision Summary Author:	Paul Brown – Group Manager, Service Support		Decision Summary: Public or Exempt? (State clauses from Code of Practice booklet)	Public
Type of Report: Oral or Written?	Written		Person Giving Oral Report:	N/A
Written Report Title :	2007 10 11 WR Organisational Restructure		Date of Written Report:	11 October 2007
Written Report Author:	Mark James – Chief Fire Officer		Written Report : Public or Exempt? (State clauses from Code of Practice booklet)	Public
Subject: Fire & Rescue Service Organisational Restructure
Decision(s): The Minister approved the organisational restructure in line with the new States of Jersey Fire & Rescue Service Corporate Strategy.
Reason(s) for Decision: The decision to support the new organisational structure for the Fire & Rescue Service will ensure that resources are being most effectively used to reduce risk in the community and provide for appropriate development, succession and resilience whilst continuing to provide value for money.
Resource Implications: There are no resource implications resulting from this decision.
Action required: The Executive Officer, Home Affairs to inform the Chief Fire Officer of the decision, to ensure the institution of the new structure.
Signature:		Position: Minister for Home Affairs
Date Signed:		Date of Decision (If different from Date Signed):

Fire and Rescue Service Organisational Restructure.

Report

To: Senator W Kinnard, Minister for Home Affairs

From: Chief Fire Officer

Date: 11 October 2007

Subject: Fire & Rescue Service Organisational Restructure

1. Purpose

1.1 The purpose of this report is to advise the Minister of the proposal to change the organisational and managerial structure of the Fire & Rescue Service in order to pursue the aims of a new Corporate Strategy.

1.2 The new Corporate Strategy (also attached as a supporting document), which includes detail on the revised governance arrangements, is part of a wider development programme for the Fire & Rescue Service intended to ensure that it continues to meet its statutory obligations, reduce risk in the Island generally and provides value for money.

2. Background

2.1 Since my appointment as Chief Fire Officer in June of this year, I have been engaged in a strategic review of the Fire & Rescue Service which has included analysing operational, financial and managerial performance as well as assessing future challenges and our capacity to respond to them.

2.2 This review, which has been carried out in consultation with senior staff, front line personnel, employee representatives and external stakeholders has now reached the point where positive decisions can be made in order to plan and prepare for the work that will be required of the Fire & Rescue Service in the coming years.

2.3 One such decision is to restructure the Service so as to provide a greater emphasis on our strategic priorities which include reducing risk to the community, improving the way we work and developing our people and our culture. To that end I propose to bolster the Community Fire Safety team, streamline and prioritise the workload of the Technical Fire Safety team and provide for greater managerial support for both our Wholetime and Retained front line personnel.

2.4 The Service will be run along the lines of three directorates; the Emergency Response Directorate being the largest with its focus centred upon responding effectively to those in need of assistance. The Safer Communities Directorate will combine the efforts of both Technical Fire Safety staff (dealing with safety in the Island’s built environment and higher risk sites) and Community Safety staff who will continue their efforts to promote awareness and understanding of fire safety among Islanders. The Corporate Services Directorate combines the functions of the Training and Administration teams as well as being the single point of contact for our Human Resources and Information Systems Business Partners. All three of the directorates will be headed by existing Senior Officers currently working in similar roles.

2.5 The post of Deputy Chief Fire Officer, last held in 2005 will be reinstated in order to provide both an appropriate level of support to me and to secure local succession planning opportunities for the future.

2.6 The restructuring exercise will use existing staff and no increases in financial or human resource levels are required for the purpose.

3. Recommendation

3.1 It is my recommendation that the Minister approve the proposed new structure in order that implementing the new strategy can commence in January 2008.