1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Fire Services (Appointments and Promotion) (England and Wales) Regulations 2004 and shall come into force on 25th March 2004.
(2) These Regulations extend to England and Wales.
2. In these regulations—
“appointment” includes appointment on promotion;
“brigade” means a fire brigade maintained in England or Wales under the Fire Services Act 1947;
“IPDS” means the Integrated Personal Development System as described in Fire Service Circular 9/2002 published on 29th July 2002;
“National Occupational Standards” means those levels of knowledge, skills and understanding specified for the roles by the Emergency Fire Services Vocational Council and published in August 2001 and April 2003;
“Permanent appointment” means an appointment for more than twelve months; and
“Role” means a rank listed in Schedule 1.
3. These regulations prescribe the qualifications for appointment to any of the roles listed in Schedule 1.
4. Subject to regulation 7, a person is not eligible for permanent appointment to any role in a brigade unless, at the time of his appointment, he has satisfied the general requirements set out in regulation 5 and the specific requirements for that role set out in regulation 6.
5. Those general requirements are that
(a)he is of good character;
(b)he has attained the age of 18 years;
(c)either—
(i)he has attained such qualifications in educational or vocational subjects as the fire authority maintaining the brigade may require, being such qualifications as necessitate a reasonable standard of proficiency in communication and numeracy and such other subjects, if any, as the authority may require; or
(ii)the fire authority is satisfied that he is of such educational standard that it is unnecessary for him to attain any such qualification; and
(d)a medical practitioner selected by the fire authority is satisfied that his general state of health and fitness is satisfactory to carry out the duties of the role.
6. Those specific requirements are that he has demonstrated to the satisfaction of the authority by whom the brigade is maintained that he meets the National Occupational Standards specified for the role in question or, in the case of a person on his first appointment to a role in a brigade, is likely to meet those standards following initial training and development within IPDS.
7. Regulation 4 does not apply to the appointment of a person who, at the time when it is decided to appoint him to a role, is serving in that role as a member of another brigade.
8. The Regulations listed in Schedule 2 are hereby revoked.
Signed by authority of the Secretary of State
Nick Raynsford
Minister of State
Office of the Deputy Prime Minister
25th February 2004