LFB Commissioner Farewell Rally/Guard of Honour

Response to this request is long overdue. By law, under all circumstances, London Fire Brigade should have responded by now (details). You can complain by requesting an internal review.

Dear London Fire Commissioner (London Fire Brigade),

The following information is requested under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA).
It is understood that a guard of honour/rally is being organised for the outgoing London Fire Commissioner as she leaves HQ on 23 December to start her enforced three months ‘gardening leave’ following criticism at the Grenfell Public Inquiry and a damning report on LFB published by the HMI.
The following questions regarding the rally/guard of honour are asked under the FOIA regarding LFB and the cost to the tax payer.

1. Have on-duty employees of LFB been permitted to participate in the above guard of honour/rally during working hours?
2. Who gave permission for on-duty staff to participate in the rally?
3. Are LFB staff considered to be working whilst participating in the guard of honour?
4. Have uniformed staff been given approval to wear LFB personal protective equipment clothing for the rally?
5. What is the cost borne by LFB of LFB employees participating in the guard of honour/rally, including: salary, NI, employers pension contributions etc?
6. Are rooms at HQ being allocated for the reception, changing of staff participating in the guard of honour/rally?
7. Who is bearing the cost of the use of the rooms identified at 6 above?
8. Who is paying for the cost of refreshments being arranged by LFB for the guard of honour/rally?
9. Are the Salvation Army being engaged to provide mobile refreshments for the guard of honour/rally (similar to an operational incident)?
10. Is LFB making a payment to the Salvation Army for the provision of refreshments at the guard of honour/rally event, and if so what is the cost borne by LFB?

I look forward to the response.

Yours faithfully,

G Henley-Blake

London Fire Brigade

Dear G,

Thank you for your request below.

This will be considered under the FOIA and, as such, we will respond within 20 working days.

Kind Regards,

Tavell

Tavell Carter
Information Access

London Fire Brigade
169 Union Street London SE1 0LL
T 020 8555 1200 x 30314
E [email address]

london-fire.gov.uk

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London Fire Brigade
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London Fire Brigade

Dear G Henley-Blake,

Thank you for your email received on 19 December 2019 in relation to the Guard of Honour event held outside LFB headquarters in December 2019.

I should advise you that this event was not organised by the London Fire Brigade so you may wish to approach the organisations who were responsible to see if they are able to provide further details. However, as the event took place outside of the LFB headquarters at Union Street, we are able to provide the following information held by the LFB that you may find useful:

1. Have on-duty employees of LFB been permitted to participate in the above guard of honour/rally during working hours?
Other than the Commissioner, no permission was given to LFB employees to attend this event whilst on-duty.

2. Who gave permission for on-duty staff to participate in the rally?
No permission was given to attend this event whilst on-duty. The event was not organised by the LFB and staff who wished to attend would have done so in their own time. However, before walking through the Guard of Honour arranged outside LFB headquarters, the Commissioner’s office invited staff working inside the building to come to the internal atrium balconies, and uniformed officers in undress uniform to form up on the central staircase, to mark the Commissioner’s service as she made her way through and out of the building just after 1.45pm.

3. Are LFB staff considered to be working whilst participating in the guard of honour?
No. However, if staff located at Union Street headquarters came to the building balconies, or formed up on the central staircase to mark the start of the event, during their normal working hours (and not during a lunch or other break) then they would have been considered to be at work for the approximate 10 minute period during which the Commissioner made her way through and out of the building.

4. Have uniformed staff been given approval to wear LFB personal protective equipment clothing for the rally?
No. LFB policy number 0320 - 'Wearing of uniform and personal appearance' states operational staff will not wear any item of PPE (personal protective equipment) whilst off duty.

5. What is the cost borne by LFB of LFB employees participating in the guard of honour/rally, including: salary, NI, employers pension contributions etc?
We do not hold a record of any on-duty staff who attended this event so cannot calculate any employment costs.

6. Are rooms at HQ being allocated for the reception, changing of staff participating in the guard of honour/rally?
No rooms at LFB HQ at Union Street were allocated for the reception or changing of staff participating in this event. At the same time the guard of honour took place, a retirement book was made available for anyone to sign in a room at Union Street.

7. Who is bearing the cost of the use of the rooms identified at 6 above?
There was no additional cost to the LFB for making the room available for the retirement book signing.

8. Who is paying for the cost of refreshments being arranged by LFB for the guard of honour/rally?
The LFB did not provide refreshments for this event.

9. Are the Salvation Army being engaged to provide mobile refreshments for the guard of honour/rally (similar to an operational incident)?
The LFB did not engage the Salvation Army for this event.

10. Is LFB making a payment to the Salvation Army for the provision of refreshments at the guard of honour/rally event, and if so what is the cost borne by LFB?
No.

I hope you find this information of use. Should you have any further questions please do let me know.

This request has been dealt with under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. If you are dissatisfied by this response you can request an internal review by writing to the Head of Information Management at the address below (or email [email address]).

Further information about your information rights (including how to raise a concern or make a complaint) is available from the Information Commissioner’s Office on their website at www.ico.org.uk or by writing to them at Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF.

Kind regards,

Zoe

Zoe Hughes
Information Access

London Fire Brigade
169 Union Street London SE1 0LL
T 020 8555 1200 x31075
E [email address]

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