Fire Authority Fails Residents of Berkshire
Fire Authority Fails Residents of Berkshire Berkshire Fire Authority has agreed to massive cuts in the service it provides to the people of Berkshire and made the frontline even thinner in the County. Instead of firefighters and fire engines, it will spend its money on new back office staff and new buildings. The Authority agreed a budget cut of £1.4 million that will see – a reduction to the number of firefighters at Newbury and Windsor a reduced attendance to automatic fire alarms in the County a 27% reduction in the number of operational and specialist officers a delayed attendance to incidents in rural areas the closure of Cookham Fire Station…
FBU raises concerns over Royal Berkshire Fire Authority budget proposal
FBU raises concerns over Royal Berkshire Fire Authority budget proposals The proposed budget for Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service will be discussed at the Management Committee meeting of the Fire Authority to be held on Monday 14th February. If approved the budget will proceed to a meeting of the full Fire Authority for final approval on Thursday 17th February. Among the proposals to cut £1,480,000 from the service budget over the next year are: A reduction of the number of fire engines responding to Automatic Fire Alarms (AFA)- If an AFA call develops into a fire situation the reduced or delayed attendance will limit crews in the actions they can take to…
ALL MEMBERS CIRCULAR BERKSHIRE
CIRCULAR: 2010HOC0658MW 22nd 2010 2010HOC0658MWBerks TO: ALL MEMBERS BERKSHIRE Dear Brother/Sister, HEALTH AND SAFETY – ASSISTANCE TO/FROM LONDON FIRE BRIGADE Members will be aware that strike action is due to take place in London as follows: 23rd October 2010 from 10.00 Hrs until 18.00 Hrs 1st November 2010 from 10.00 Hrs until 18.00 Hrs It is understood that London Fire Brigade (LFB) have requested extensive assistance on those dates at the following emergency incidents: 1. Incidents that present a risk to human life that are beyond the capability of the LFB’s contingency arrangements. 2. Significant incidents occur beyond the capabilities of LFB contingency arrangements, which threaten major loss of life, or potential…
BERKSHIRE FIRE BRIGADES UNION CONDEMNS MANAGEMENT ANNOUNCEMENT TO OUTSOURCE ITS CONTROL ROOM FUNCTION TO SURREY FIRE AND RESCUE
FIRE BRIGADES UNION BERKSHIRE FIRE BRIGADES UNION CONDEMNS MANAGEMENT ANNOUNCEMENT TO OUTSOURCE ITS CONTROL ROOM FUNCTION TO SURREY FIRE AND RESCUE The Fire Brigades Union has expressed serious concerns over management plans to outsource the control room to Surrey Fire and Rescue Service. The control room based at Dee Road in Reading, houses 35 firefighters (control) working 24/7 split into four shifts. They handle in excess of 10,000 emergency calls per annum, mobilise the appropriate resources to incidents and coordinate all operational activity throughout the County ensuring firefighter and public safety. Laura Fellows the RBFRS Command and Control Branch Representative of the Fire Brigades Union said: “Firefighters and Control members in the Royal Berkshire Fire…
Lease costs for South East Regional Control Centre announced
Lease costs for South East Regional Control Centre (SERCC) have been announced. The figures show that the South East Regional Emergency Fire Control has a 25 year lease costing £46 million. Breaking this down per annum is an annual cost of £1.84m. Dividing this figure down further to County level (for the nine counties for the RCC: Isle of Wight, Hampshire, Surrey, Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, West Sussex, East Sussex, Kent, Berkshire) means the cost per annum to the local tax payer will be £204,445. Additional figures that would have to be added to the above annual costs for the Regional Fire Control Centre (based in Fareham) would be £396,825 per annum (£44,091 for the Isle of Wight)…
Regional Control Meeting: Weds 7 April 2010
REGIONAL CONTROL MEETING 1230 WEDNESDAY 7 APRIL 2010 THE HAWTH HOTEL, CRAWLEY Please put the date above in your diaries – we have organised a joint Region 11 & 12 meeting for Control Room staff to update you on the current position on RCC’s and to give you a chance to ask any questions at this critical point in the RCC process. The meeting will be 1230 for lunch – 1300 start, hope to finish by approx 1600. Travel arrangements will be made for you depending on final numbers. Please contact your Brigade Chair or Sec to confirm your attendance. Alli Burrows …
Improper use of development rates of pay All member circular HOC0759SS
CIRCULAR: 2009HOC0759SS 14 December 2009 TO: Brigade Secretaries Dear Brother/Sister, CHALLENGE TO IMPROPER USE OF DEVELOPMENT PAY UPON PROMOTION UPDATE On 12th October 2009 a circular was distributed to Brigade Secretaries informing them of the situation whereby some FRAs may be misusing development pay upon promotion and attaching ideas for a model letter to raise it in your brigade should the problem be present. At the Executive Council meeting 8th, 9th & 10th December 2009 this issue was discussed in detail and it was felt that officials should be reminded of the importance of this challenge and encouraged to take this up at their earliest opportunity. Some officials have taken up the challenge with their…
FBU Matters
Please be aware that RBFRS is currently consulting the FBU on the following – Windsor Windsor Branch has rejected the brigade’s proposal of operating the Wokingham Shift Pattern at Station 13. They have requested that a change to the shift pattern is postponed pending the outcome of the Retained Viability Review, Heritage Review and a full impact assessment on the Wokingham model. Retained Viability Review This review has now started. The FBU is satisfied that it is being conducted in an open manner and without a pre-determined outcome, and requests that people engage with it fully. Your opinion is sought on this important IRMP process. Trauma/First Aid Training for Operational Crews This working party will commence soon….
