Agenda and minutes

Venue: Webex link https://esfrs.webex.com/esfrs/j.php?MTID=edd8dee52669049832d9bff5efb393bb7 password 6YjBuzRm7J9

Contact: Abigail Blanshard  Email: democraticservices@esfrs.org

Items
No. Item

17.

Declarations of Interest

In relation of matters of the agenda, seek declarations of interest from Members, in accordance with the provisions of the Fire Authority’s Code of Conduct for Members.

Minutes:

There were none.

18.

Apologies for Absence

Minutes:

Apologies had been received from Cllr Powell.

19.

Notification of items which the Chairman considers to be urgent and proposes to take at the end of the agenda/Chairman's business

Any Members wishing to raise urgent items are asked, wherever possible, to notify the Chairman before the start of the meeting.  In so doing, they must state the special circumstances which they consider justify the matter being considered urgently.

Minutes:

There were none.

20.

Non-confidential minutes of the last meeting held on 18 March 2021 pdf icon PDF 288 KB

Minutes:

RESOLVED: That the non-confidential minutes of the Principal Officer Appointments Panel held on 18 March 2021 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

21.

Exclusion of Press & Public

To consider whether, in view of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings, the press and public should be excluded from the remainder of the meeting on the grounds that, if the public and press were present, there would be disclosure to them of exempt information. NOTE: Any item appearing in the confidential part of the Agenda states in its heading the category under which the information disclosed in the report is confidential and therefore not available to the public.

Minutes:

RESOLVED: That

 

       i.          Item 22 be exempt under paragraphs 1, 2, 3 & 4 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006 and accordingly not open for public inspection on the grounds that the report contains:

 

·             Information relating to any individual.

·             Information which is likely to reveal the identity of an individual.

·             Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

·             Information relating to contemplated consultations or negotiation in connection with labour relations matters arising between the Authority and its employees.

 

      ii.          Item 23 be exempt under paragraph 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006 and accordingly not open for public inspection on the grounds that the report contains:

 

·             Information relating to any individual.

 

22.

Confidential Minutes of the last meeting held on 18 March 2021

(Exempt under paragraphs 1, 2, 3 & 4 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.)

Minutes:

RESOLVED: That the confidential minutes of the Principal Officer Appointments Panel held on 18 March 2021 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

23.

Assistant Chief Fire Officer Post

Report of the Chief Fire Officer

 

(Exempt under paragraph 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.)

Minutes:

The Panel considered the report of the Chief Fire Officer providing a recommendation in relation to the recent recruitment and selection process for the vacant Assistant Chief Fire Officer (ACFO) role.

 

The Assistant Director People Services (ADPS) presented the report to the Panel reminding those present that the role of ACFO had become substantively vacant in October 2020 and the role went out for advert in February. To ensure that ESFRS accessed the best possible candidates it was determined that the Service would advertise the role across the national fire sector and externally, inviting those who had operational command experience at strategic level. The Service outsourced the recruitment phase to a professional executive search organisation who led on the advert, candidate marketing packs and made direct contact with eligible candidates from outside of the fire sector.

 

Applications were received from 15 applicants from a variety of backgrounds and sectors, this was a 400% on those previously applying for the role in 2016.  Shortlisting was conducted by the interview panel (the Chairman of the Fire Authority, Chief Fire Officer, Deputy Chief Fire Officer and Deputy Chief Constable of Sussex Police) and from a very strong group of candidates it was agreed that the top 6 would be taken to the formal assessment centre. Of these 6 candidates, 3 had a fire background and 3 were from other emergency and uniformed sectors.

 

The Assessment Centre was held on the 21& 22 May 2021 and each candidate had to undertake 5 elements in the process including:

 

·       A panel interview & presentation

·       A stakeholder Panel

·       Staff Forum

·       Incident Command Assessment (behavioural led) assessed by an external organisation, and included a range of staff and partners

·       Motivational Map, a psychometric process.

 

Following the Assessment Centre, a session was held to collate scores and feedback for each candidate which then enabled ta recommendation to be made for to the Panel for the successful candidate.

 

The Panel thanked the Chief Fire Officer and ADPS for the report and were very encouraged that there had been so many high quality candidates attracted to apply for the position.  The Panel agreed that the entire appointment process had been a robust, thorough and competitive and requested that their decision be published as part of this transparent process.

 

RESOLVED: The Panel agreed to approve the outcome of the selection panel and appointed Mark Matthews to the Assistant Chief Fire Office role in ESFRS.