Purpose of Report

Members are asked to note and endorse the arrangements for agreeing the annual pay awards for Principal Officers for 2020.

Executive Summary

The annual pay awards for Principal Officers are agreed using the following national negotiating body arrangements:

(i) The National Joint Council for Brigade Managers of Local Authority Fire and Rescue Services (NJC) in respect of the Chief Fire Officer and Assistant Chief Fire Officers; and

(ii) The Joint Negotiating Committee for Chief Officers of Local Authorities (JNC) for the Assistant Chief Officers and the Treasurer.

The position for each negotiating body is set out below:

(i) The NJC has not yet reached agreement for 2020 in respect of the Chief Fire Officer and the Assistant Chief Fire Officers.

(ii) The JNC agreement confirms an annual increase of 2.75% with effect from 1 April 2020 applicable to the Assistant Chief Officers and the Treasurer.

Recommendation

 Members are asked to:

(i) note the negotiating and approval arrangements relating to the pay awards for Principal Officers;

(ii) approve the pay award of 2.75% for the Assistant Chief Officers and Treasurer with effect from 1 April 2020;

(iii) note the current position of the NJC with regards to the pay award for 2020 for the Chief Fire Officer and Assistant Chief Fire Officers; and

(iv) agree to the payment of the pending award for the Chief Fire Officer and Assistant Chief Fire Officers once the national NJC negotiations are concluded.

OBSERVATIONS FROM THE EXECUTIVE PANEL/AUDIT COMMITTEE

This report has not previously been considered by Members.

Background

The primary role of the NJC and JNC is to reach agreement on national frameworks of pay and conditions for Brigade Managers and Chief Officers in the UK. Within NWFRS the term Principal Officer refers to the posts of Chief Fire Officer, Deputy Chief Fire Officer, Assistant Chief Fire Officers, Assistant Chief Officers and Treasurer. The post of Deputy Chief Fire Officer is currently vacant.

Following the introduction of the Local Government (Wales) Measure 2011, the Local Authorities (Standing Orders) (Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2014 were updated. Although the majority of changes are directed towards local authorities, some are relevant to the fire and rescue authorities.

The 2014 Regulations make provision relating to remuneration of chief officers. This is to ensure any decision on the remuneration of chief officers (or those to be appointed as chief officers) must be made by full authority, without the possibility of delegating it to a committee of the authority.

Information

The NJC is the negotiating body in respect of the pay awards for the Chief Fire Officer and the Assistant Chief Fire Officers. The pay award for the period January 2020 onwards has not yet been finalised and negotiations are ongoing.

The JNC is the negotiating body in respect of the pay awards for the Assistant Chief Officer and the Treasurer. The pay award agreed with effect from 1 April 2020 is 2.75% which is consistent with staff groups across local authorities. A copy of the supporting document is provided in Appendix A.

IMPLICATIONS

Appendix A

Joint Negotiating Committee for Chief Officers of Local Authorities

To:     Chief Executives in England and Wales (N Ireland for information) (copies for the Finance Director and HR Director)

Regional Directors

Members of the Joint Negotiating Committee

24 August 2020

Dear Chief Executive,

CHIEF OFFICERS’ PAY AGREEMENT 2020-21

Agreement has now been reached on the pay award applicable from 1 April 2020.

The individual basic salaries 1 of all officers within scope of the JNC for Chief Officers  of Local Authorities should be increased by 2.75 per cent with effect from 1 April 2020 (NB: the percentage increases apply to individual salaries as well as pay points, if applicable).

The JNC has also agreed to conduct a joint survey of all local authorities in order to establish the extent of the gender pay gap among Chief Officers, after which they will agree a joint approach on how to remove any such gender pay gap.

The JNC has further agreed to enter into discussions to agree a new package to improve Chief Officers’ work-life balance.

This pay agreement covers the period 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2021.

Yours faithfully,

Naomi Cooke Karen Leonard

Joint Secretaries

cc Mike Short, UNISON

1 Basic salary should exclude other separately identified payments such as Returning Officer fees etc.