Submitted by SWFBU on
FIRE BRIGADES UNION
IMMEDIATE RELEASE 15th JUNE 2011
FRONTLINE FIREFIGHTERS CUT, BUT THERE’S MONEY TO RECRUIT A ‘ZERO-BASED BUDGETING SUPPORT OFFICER’ AND A ‘PROCESS IMPROVEMENT OFFICER’
The Fire Brigades Union has hit out at Devon and Somerset Fire Service for advertising for a “Process Improvement Officer” and a “Zero Based Budgeting Project Support Officer” less than a month after 16 frontline firefighter posts were axed.
Despite election promises from both parties in the coalition that front line jobs would not be at risk as a result of austerity measures, or cuts, Devon & Somerset (a Conservative controlled Authority) agreed the loss of 16 front line firefighter jobs on the 27th May. Now these two posts arrive with a salary of over £22,000 each, more than the pay of a firefighter recruit.
John Drake, Regional Secretary of the South West FBU said “This is scandalous. Frontline firefighters are being cut, but there’s money for more bean-counters.
“This is not protecting the frontline but sacrificing it to pay for the back office. No one ever dialed 999 and asked for a zero-based budgeting project support officer.
“Government claims that front line services should not be affected by cuts. Yet the local Tories are doing the opposite, it’s outrageous.”
From the Devon and Somerset FRS website:
The Process Improvement Officer….will be supporting the Business Process Management Office (BPMO) Manager. You will be required to promote business improvement through the following: Facilitate/conduct process analysis, process mapping and identification of process measures ; Introduce relevant BPM/BPI tools, techniques and training.
Zero Based Budgeting Project Support Officer
We are looking for an enthusiastic, hardworking individual to join the Change and Improvement team to support the organisation’s Zero Based Budgeting project. Duties will include providing project assistance in the validation of financial data, to support in the development of new systems and processes within the organisation, planning arranging and facilitating meetings to check activity and financial data, giving advice on Zero Based Budgeting methodology and maintaining the software in relation to this.
Media contact: John Drake 07813 170755
