2004 No. 481

FIRE SERVICES, ENGLAND AND WALES

The Fire Services (Appointments and Promotion) (England and Wales) Regulations 2004

Made

Laid before Parliament

Coming into force

The Secretary of State, in exercise of the powers conferred upon him by section 18 of the Fire Services Act 19471, after consultation with the Central Fire Brigades Advisory Council, hereby make the following Regulations:

Citation and commencement1

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.

Interpretation2

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.

Appointment to roles3

These regulations prescribe the qualifications for appointment to any of the roles listed in Schedule 1.

Qualification for appointment

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.

Revocation8

The Regulations listed in Schedule 2 are hereby revoked.

Signed by authority of the Secretary of State

Nick RaynsfordMinister of StateOffice of the Deputy Prime Minister

SCHEDULE 1ROLES INTO WHICH PERSONS MAY BE APPOINTED AS MEMBERS OF BRIGADES

Regulation 3

  • Firefighter

  • Crew Management

  • Watch Management

  • Station Management

  • Group Management

  • Area Management

  • Brigade Management

SCHEDULE 2REVOKED REGULATIONS

Regulation 8

Regulations revoked

References

The Fire Services (Appointments and Promotion) Regulations 1978

The Fire Services (Appointments and Promotion) (Amendment) Regulations 1988

S.I.1978/436

S.I.1988/31

The Fire Services (Appointments and Promotion) (Amendment) (No 2)Regulations 1988

S.I.1988/1362

The Fire Services (Appointments and Promotion) (Amendment) (No 3) Regulations 1988

S.I.1988/2235

The Fire Services (Appointments and Promotion) (Amendment) Regulations 1991

S.I.1991/369

The Fire Services (Appointments and Promotion) (Amendment) Regulations 1992

S.I.1992/187

The Fire Services (Appointments and Promotion) (Amendment) (No 2) Regulations 1992

S.I.1992/2365

The Fire Services (Appointments and Promotion) (Amendment) Regulations 1993

S.I.1993/2946

The Fire Services (Appointments and Promotion) (Amendment) Regulations 1995

S.I.1995/2109

The Fire Services (Appointments and Promotion) (Amendment) Regulations 1996

S.I.1996/2096

The Fire Services (Appointments and Promotion) (Amendment) Regulations 1997

S.I.1997/959

(This note is not part of the Order)

These Regulations prescribe new qualifications for appointments to, and promotions within, the Fire Services following the replacement of the previous twelve ranks with seven, now referred to as “roles”.

Regulation 2 contains definitions. Fire Service Circular 9/2002 may be obtained at http://www.odpm.gov.uk/stellent/groups/odpm_fire/documents/page/odpm_fire_024503.hcsp, and the National Occupational Standards at http://www.fireservicecollege.ac.uk; the documents can also be obtained free of charge by writing to the Fire Services Efficiency Division, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, Zone 16A, Portland House, Stag Place, London SW1E 5LP.

Regulation 3 and Schedule 1 list the new roles to which the Regulations apply.

Regulations 4, 5 and 6 set out the general and specific qualifications for the roles, which do not apply to a person who is already serving in the same role as a member of another brigade (Regulation 7).

Regulation 8 revokes the regulations set out in Schedule 2.

A full regulatory impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as it has no impact on the cost of businesses, charities or voluntary bodies.