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National Joint Council for local authority fire and rescue services continual development scheme
Introduction
1. This Scheme is designed to recognise and reward experienced employees who are able to demonstrate continual professional development over and above that required at ‘competent’ level under each of the national standards set out in the attached Guidance to Applicants document. All parties to the process should be clear that to succeed in their application employees would be required to show that they have achieved this level of continual professional development against each of the national standards. It is the expectation of the National Joint Council that the vast majority of eligible employees will both achieve, and maintain, these standards.
Eligibility
2. To qualify for the payment employees will be required to demonstrate that their application is indicative of continual professional development against each of the national standards.
3. Employees covered by the NJC’s Scheme of Conditions of Service (Grey Book) who have served the minimum period of time following attainment of ‘competent’ level in their respective role (Firefighter to Area Manager and control equivalents) may apply for this payment. At Firefighter (or Control equivalent) the minimum period shall be five years. Continual Professional Development payments will not be retained on promotion. However, once individuals at Crew Manager (or Control equivalent) level, and above, have attained competence in their new role, data in respect of his or her portfolio of evidence may be gathered over the subsequent year with a view to accessing a Continual Professional Development payment from the following July. It is recognised however that it may be appropriate to include some data relating to a period outside of the previous year.
4. Successful applicants will receive the payment with effect from the 1 July each year.
5. Employees who apply for but do not satisfy the requirements of the Scheme in any one year can reapply only after a period of twelve months has elapsed since their last unsuccessful application.
6. The first payments under this Scheme will be made from 1 July 2007. The payment will be retrospective, pensionable (subject to acceptance by the respective pension scheme regulators), taxable, and paid in accordance with normal pay periods.
7. Eligible employees will be able to submit their application for the payment by 1 March in the year in which they first become eligible. Decisions will then be notified by 1 June.
8. Until such time as a Fire and Rescue Service has in place a process for assessing competency in role for a period of 5 years, employees with 8 years service who have been deemed competent for pay purposes through the 2003 Pay and Conditions Agreement should be deemed competent for the purpose of being eligible to apply for a CPD payment. This is subject to the provisions of paragraph 3 above; therefore employees who have been promoted to a new role and are in development are not eligible to apply for a CPD payment until after they have been assessed as competent. In those authorities without a formal process for assessing competence, these employees should be deemed competent for the purpose of being eligible to apply for a CPD payment after a period of 18 months.
Application process
9. In the first instance, individual employees are responsible for applying for the payment, which will be by completion of a standard application form. Employees will be required to complete the application form in accordance with the guidelines provided. This will include specific examples of success/achievement against each of the criteria under the national standards.
10. On application, examples should relate to experience and knowledge gained since attaining competence in role (see paragraph 3 above).
11. The completed application form will be submitted to the appropriate designated manager who will consider the application and refer his/her recommendation to the verification manager for final decision.
12. From then on the respective fire and rescue service will review and assess those in receipt of a Continual Professional Development payment to determine their on-going eligibility. Individuals will be notified of the outcome, in writing, prior to 1 June each year. The expectation is that non-renewal of the payment will be the exception. Please see paragraphs 15 and 16 below.
Level of payment
13. The level of payment in each Fire and Rescue Service has been determined by the National Joint Council. These amounts have been agreed taking into account estimated net savings resulting from the 15-year long service increment being phased out and reasonable assumptions about the number of eligible employees. A breakdown of the level of payments within each Fire and Rescue Service is attached. These figures will rise in accordance with the pay award reached each July.
14. The National Joint Council recognises the importance of the Continual Professional Development scheme in rewarding employees whose experience, skills, and knowledge bring value to their Fire and Rescue Service. Consequently, and where appropriate, whilst the Continual Professional Development payment rates for individual Fire and Rescue Services have been calculated and agreed by the National Joint Council each Fire and Rescue Service is encouraged to explore ways in which the value of a Continual Professional Development payment can be brought up to a minimum level of £500 per annum (full-time equivalent) within the constraints of affordability and other priorities for the Fire and Rescue Service.
Unsuccessful applications
15. Individuals are entitled to raise the decision not to award/continue the payment through their Fire and Rescue Service’s grievance procedure on the following grounds:
- proper account was not taken of the material presented
- account was taken of irrelevant or inaccurate factors
- unfair treatment
- the Fire and Rescue Service failed to fully take into account all evidence to justify continuance of the payment.
16. Reasons for not awarding or renewing a Continual Professional Development payment must be given to the individual in writing, with reasons, by 1st June.
Maintaining standards
17. It is expected that employees awarded the payment will maintain this high level of continual professional development and commitment to the job necessary to achieve the payment. Each Fire and Rescue Service should put in place local procedures that will support and encourage employees to maintain those standards.
18. Where, under any formal management procedures, including the performance assessment process operated by the Fire and Rescue Service, concerns are identified with respect to the maintenance of this continual professional development by an employee in receipt of the payment, managers will inform the applicant in good time and provide opportunity for those concerns to be rectified prior to the renewal date.
Relationship to basic pay
19. A Continual Professional Development payment will be treated as basic pay for all pay-related purposes i.e. maternity leave, annual leave, pensionability, sickness.
Transfers, secondments and maternity leave
20. For the purposes of this scheme continuous service in the UK Fire and Rescue service will count towards eligibility.
21. In addition to paragraph 19 above, on return to work following any period of unpaid maternity leave an individual’s Continual Professional Development payment will be reinstated and subsequently become subject to the normal re-assessment process the following July, or following a period of six months whichever is the sooner.
Part-time employees
22. Part-time employees including those employed on the retained duty system must not be treated less favourably than whole-time employees in the assessment process. All such employees will be paid on an individual pro-rata basis, subject to a minimum payment of 25% of the full-time equivalent rate.