Meeting documents

To consider Item 12

The Lead Member for People and Equality and Diversity advised Members that the Apprenticeship Diversity Champions Network (ADCN) was an initiative promoted by the National Apprenticeship Service. This report detailed the Apprenticeship Diversity Champions Network, its relevance to the Authority, the benefits of being a member and the requirements of becoming signatories to the Pledge.

The Lead Member for People and Equality and Diversity also advised Members that this Authority had lead the way in recruitment of apprentices and its diversity of the workforce had changed as a result of this in a positive way. This was about core principles and how the Authority challenges diversity of its workforce and to have a workforce that more closely reflects the communities across Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes.

The Director of People and Organisational Development advised Members that the National Fire Chiefs Council had recommended that up to four fire and rescue services joined this network as it fits with what fire and rescue services in the broader sector were trying to achieve around diversity and Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service was one of those four. The reason for bringing this proposal now was because it fits with the Authority’s priorities for next year and it also gives the Authority free tools and techniques to use. It is supported by the National Apprenticeships Service, part of the Department for Education, who want to promote careers in fire and police. The National Apprenticeships Service were promoting a joint fire and police apprenticeship event on the first day of National Apprenticeship week 5-9 March 2018.

The Employee Relations and Engagement Manager asked Members to note the benefits of signing this pledge and the core principles of the Apprenticeship Diversity Champions Network (ADCN). Membership included; employing apprentices; driving an inclusive culture; championing diversity, gathering data, reporting back; and making a pledge. If adopted, a number of activities would need to be developed to achieve the goal of increasing the diversity of our workforce through apprenticeships.

A Member asked who wrote the pledge, whether it was a standard format, what were the consequences of not signing and who was the dedicated diversity champion going to be and was advised that there was a template to use, but the pledge in this report had been written with guidance from the network. It was proposed that the Director of People and Organisational Development would be the diversity champion. The consequences of not joining the network would be that the Authority would need to invest more money in front end recruitment, by using the national apprenticeship network, the Authority can use their systems to advertise vacancies; receive help with free campaigns and use their expertise to help us reach the diverse groups within Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes.

A Member asked a further question regarding what was the time line for the pledge and was advised that most of the work the Authority was already undertaking in its four year equality and diversity inclusion which Members approved in 2016. What had been put in the pledge was measurable, so progress could be shown.

Members agreed that the Chairman should write to the Apprenticeship Minister to invite him to come and visit this service.

RESOLVED –

That the Pledge for the Apprenticeship Diversity Champions Network is endorsed for signature by the Chairman of the Authority, the Lead Member for People and Equality and Diversity and the Chief Fire Officer/Chief Executive.