Issued on: Thursday 20 June 2019

Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service Issue Statement in Response to Dispute Letter

The Combined Fire Authority (CFA) is disappointed to have received notice of a dispute from the Fire Brigades Union (FBU). The CFA and Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service are committed to maintaining good employee relations and will engage constructively with their workforce and the FBU to address the issues raised.

The dispute raises a number of complex issues which will require detailed examination and this may take some time to resolve.

The letter from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), received on Thursday 6 June 2019, relates to the Day Crewing Plus (DCP) duty system. This duty system was introduced in 2013, and has been extended to six fire and rescue stations.

Currently, 74 firefighters work this voluntary duty system and they are concerned about the possibility that the duty system may have to change.  The Service will respond to the HSE directly and will continue to work with staff and representative bodies to try to get the agreements needed.

Later this year, the CFA will commence consultation on its Integrated Risk Management Plan (IRMP) for service delivery for the period 2020-24. This will include the potential to implement alternative crewing arrangements in the event of changes being required to the current working duty systems.

The issues raised in the dispute will need to be taken into account in the development of the plans, and members of the public will be invited via the consultation process to engage and to help shape and influence the plans for the future of Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service.

ENDS

About the Service
Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service provides emergency response, prevention and protection services from 20 stations across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. Its headquarters is based in Birstall, Leicester.

The Service’s prevention, education, enforcement and inspection programmes have resulted in significant reductions in the number of incidents. In the last ten years, fire-related incidents have reduced by 43 percent. 

During 2016/17, the Service attended 694 road traffic collisions, of which 148 were extrications from vehicles, in addition to ­2,259 fires. 272 schools were visited as part of the Service’s schools programme, delivering fire and road safety education to pupils. Staff organised or took part in 1,613 community safety events, promoting fire and road safety and arson prevention, and 145 Virtual Fatal Four (VF4) events as part of the Service’s young drivers’ road safety project. 

Contact:
Corporate Communications
Direct: 0116 210 5592
corporate.communications@lfrs.org

Download PDF version here.

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