R13 Boundary Alignment Update 17

As previously advised, I will be sending regular updates on the progress of the Boundary Alignment Project. This is the seventeenth - GM’s Update re: - Boundary Alignment Project - Update No. 17/2010. I will continue to keep you informed as we move forward.

Please find below the minutes from the Joint Yarra and Westernport AMT meeting held on 27 April 2010.

JOINT YARRA AND WESTERNPORT AREA AMT MEETING ON BOUNDARY ALIGNMENT

Tuesday 27 April 2010 Belgrave Fire Station 9am – 11.30pm

Attendees

Yarra Area

• GM Lex de Man

• Peter Plant – Yarra Area Boundary Alignment Project Officer

• OM Gary Weir
• OO Steve Giddens

• MCS Ray Fritz

• FAM Scott Homewood

• MHR Kate Harrap
• A/MTD Richard Cromb

• MRM Matt Coughlan

• Mick Ryan Bushfire Recovery Projects

• Anne Sheedy - Media and Communications Adviser ESO Melinda Kurta
• Adviser ESO Melinda Kurta

Back to Boundary Alignment Project

Westernport Area

• GM Peter Schmidt

• A/OM Gavin Thompson

• MCS David Baker

• FAM Martin McPhee

• HRM Annette Molloy

Apologies

• OM (C&C Project) Graeme Armstrong

• OM Trevor Owen

• OO Colin Brown

• MTD Debbie Martin

• Ivan Smith - Westernport Area Boundary Alignment Project Officer

1. Welcome and Introduction

GM Lex de Man and GM Peter Schmidt welcomed all members to the meeting at the Belgrave Fire Station.

2. Boundary Alignment – Business Arising from Previous Meeting

GM Lex de Man reported that at the last GMF the Brigade Transition Template Peter Plant had developed has now become the basis of the state-wide template. It is currently up to version 5.  this new version has been reissued to brigades.

3. Project Deliverables

Welcome Pack

A welcome pack is currently being developed to include all the information on changes that will affect the Brigades transitioning from Region 13 and into the new District 8.

A meeting has occurred with both Boundary Alignment Project Officers and HR Managers from Yarra and Outer Metro Norwest Area to develop a framework for the welcome pack.  This task will be lead by HRM Shane Leversha however work will continue to progress together on this , with a completion date of 1 June 2010 being set.   

The Welcome Packs will be available to all members of the transitioning Brigade.  They may also be published on Brigades Online.

Brigade Summary/Profile by Function

Yarra Area Media and Communications Advisor, Anne Sheedy is currently undertaking the task of collating all the information on Brigades that are transitioning to the new District 8 into an Information Pack for the AMT.  Information that will be included is HR history, Training records and gaps, operational background and so on.  This functional information will provide an opportunity for the incoming AMT to gain an understanding of the brigade transitioning to the new District 8.

Human Resource Management Strategy – rather Employee Relations strategy.

To date there has been no corporate communication to Regions and Brigades, both staff and volunteers, on possible staff moves as part of the Boundary Alignment Project.  This has been raised by Peter Plant at a corporate level for resolution.

4. Various items

Brigade Template – Data Capture

Peter Plant reported that a new meeting scheduled had been issued.  Some brigades are well advanced in the data capture phase and some are just starting.

Of the 14 brigades transitioning from Region 13, Peter Plant has met with 12 of them.  Peter conducted a workshop with Kinglake, Kinglake West and Toolangi on Thursday 22 April.   

Some issues that have been identified across Region 13 include:

• Equipment and appliances

• Buildings and infrastructure

• PPC process and delivery

• Training – how it is conducted in Region 13 compared to other Areas

• Developing new relationships with the new Region

Peter Plant also reported that a bus tour had been organised in Region 14 to meet the 9 brigades transitioning on 1 July to the new District 14.

Peter also mentioned it was very positive to see OO Jim Dore meeting with Emerald and Clematis brigades.  At this stage the data capture phase for both of these brigades has been delayed pending a decision from the Chief Officer on whether the 2 brigades will be transitioning to District 8 or remaining in Region 13.

GM Peter Schmidt provided an update in the transition of the Bass Coast Group from Region 8 to Region 9.  The Bass Coast Group provided a presentation to the Westernport Area BA Project Officer and RPC working party has now been established to work through the issues raised by the Group.    

GM Lex de Man provided an update on the building projects at Emerald and Clematis.  Clematis is on the capital program to have an extension done to increase the building capacity.  Emerald’s new station is currently being built and should be finished around June / July 2010.  GM Peter Schmidt also mentioned there was 2 major building projects underway in the Bass Coast Group and he would like these to be completed before the transition to the new District 9.  Both GMs concurred that they would like to handover “finished” building projects to their new Regions.

5. Functional Priorities Overview

Operations

Issues / topics identified by both Operations Managers.

Currently there is an application / letter for exemption before the Chief Officer for Emerald and Clematis to not move over to the new District 8.  GM Lex de Man will be meeting with the Chief Officer to discuss the application / letter.

Communications has not been seen as an issue.

A/OM Gavin Thompson reported that a meeting was scheduled with the Cardinia Group on Thursday 29 April regarding Group structure and would report to OM Weir the outcomes of that meeting.

Community Safety

Issues / topics identified by both Managers Community Safety
Very few issues have been identified in relation to the Community Safety tasks transitioning across Regions.

A meeting is scheduled for Wednesday 28 April with both Community safety teams, to discuss these in more detail.  After this meeting is held, deadlines will be discussed and agreed on the tasks to be completed.   

A dinner has been organised with both Regions for the Region 13 and Region 8 summer presenters to get together.

Fire safety already has a mutual agreement in place and this will continue.

There is a lot of external focus around the community education aspects that will be affected.  These will be discussed at the meeting and a way forward will be developed.

Finance and Administration

Issues / topics identified by both Finance and Administration Managers.

Very few issues have been identified in relation to the Finance and Administration tasks transitioning across Regions.

Discussions have also occurred in relation to what tasks can start to occur prior to 1 July (ie ID cards for volunteers etc.)

Changes to the financial software SAP will be introduced over time, however there is very little that will change.

Huge impacts were identified by the FAMs if brigade numbers did not change with the transition.  An email was sent last week from GM Lex de Man to the corporate project team in relation to the major issues that have been identified.  Awaiting response.

Training

Issues / topics identified by both Managers Training and Development
A/MTD Richard Cromb has started to collate information for the brigade profile sheet Anne Sheedy is currently working on. 

Information currently includes which nights brigades meet for training, their training profile and appliances they currently have.
Both training departments would like a flexible approach in regards to the delivery of courses (ie if there are vacancies on a Region 13 course, happy for Region 8 participation if people are interested). 

Brigades are looking for a seamless change over.

Archived documents will need to be sorted and handed over to the new District 8.  This will be a very time consuming exercise.
Volunteers who have already completed some modules in the Crew Leader / Strike Team Leader qualification will be given preference on remaining modules to be completed to just get the qualification done.

Not changing of brigade numbers also significantly affected the training records.

A/MTD Richard Cromb will add some information into the brigade welcome packs about neighbouring training courses and how volunteers can access them.

Human Resources

Issues / topics identified by both HR Managers.

Due to the transition pending exemption from the Chief Officer the HRMs have not organised to meet with the Captains and BMTs of the 2 brigades yet.

HRMs also raised the issue of how many Brigades/Groups are allocated to each Operations Officer.

Topics to still be discussed are welfare and the handover of OHS.

Risk Management

Issues / topics identified by Manager Risk Management
MRM has spoken to OO Colin Brown regarding the Section 29 inspections of the 2 brigades.  This information will be captured in the Operations functional template.

6. Other items discussed at the meeting

As reported earlier, the Chief Officer has received a letter to consider exemption of Emerald and Clematis to move to the new District 8.  Joint AMTs had discussion about the submission and awaiting advice from the Chief Officer.

ACTION: Set next joint AMT meeting date after advice from the Chief Officer on the applications for Emerald and Clematis brigades.

Further Information

You are always welcome to contact me with any questions you may have or you can contact Peter Plant on 0408 116 851 or via email at peter.plant@ellissolutions.com.au.

As I have indicated I will continue to provide an update to the Region on a regular basis.

Regards,

Lex de Man
General Manager
CFA Yarra Area