25 September 2008

The agenda item "Proposed Changes to Operational Duty Patterns", which was due to be discussed at tomorrow's meeting of Buckinghamshire & Milton Keynes Fire Authority, has been deferred.

This is because the Fire Authority and the Fire Brigades Union are awaiting the outcome of a submission to the Joint Secretaries for the National Joint Council for Local Authority Fire and Rescue Services.

The item relates to a proposal to change the shift system worked at six of Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service’s stations. Firefighters at Aylesbury, Beaconsfield, Bletchley, Broughton, Great Holm and High Wycombe currently work two nine-hour days, starting at 9am, followed by two 15-hour nights, starting at 6pm, and then have four days off before the cycle is repeated.

Proposals to shorten the nights and lengthen the days were put to a meeting of the Fire Authority's Executive Committee in June this year, along with an option to keep things as they are.

A report by officers asked members to support the introduction of two 12-hour shifts, starting at 7.30am and 7.30pm. The Fire Brigades Union proposed 10-hour day shifts, starting at 8.30am, and 14-hour night shifts, starting at 6.30pm. The committee was also asked to consider an option for 11-hour days and 13-hour nights. In each case, a day shift plus a night shift equals 24 hours.

Members deferred the decision to tomorrow's full meeting of Buckinghamshire & Milton Keynes Fire Authority to allow more time for the relative merits to be explored. It has been deferred again until the outcome of the submission to the Joint Secretaries is known.