Dear Sydney,

North Wales Fire and Rescue Service (NWFRS) hereby acknowledges receipt of your request for information as detailed below, which is being actioned under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. This is now receiving the Service’s attention and a response will normally be provided within 20 working days of the date of receipt.

To confirm, your request was received on Friday 15th March 2024, and you have supplied an email address for response.

Yours faithfully,
Olivia

Olivia Partington BA (Hons)
Cynorthw-ydd Gweinyddol Swyddogaeth Gweithrediadau | Operations Function Administrative Assistant
Swyddog Cefnogi Llywodraethu Gwybodaeth | Information Governance Support Officer
Uned Cefnogi Busnes | Business Support Unit
Gwasanaeth Tân & Achub Gogledd Cymru | North Wales Fire and Rescue Service
📞 Ffôn / Tel: 01745 586487

Nodwch: Fy nyddiau gwaith yw Dydd Mawrth - Dydd Gwener
Please note: My working days are Tuesday - Friday

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Dear Sir,

Further to your recent request to North Wales Fire and Rescue Service
(NWFRS) made under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act for the
comprehensive and up-to-date protocol regarding the handling of bullying,
harassment, and victimisation claims against members of the Service
Leadership Team, please see the below and attached for the response from
North Wales Fire and Rescue Service.

‘Kindly share the comprehensive and up-to-date protocol regarding the
handling of bullying, harassment, and victimization claims against members
of the senior leadership team (principal officers). This should encompass
the procedures for lodging a complaint, the designated recipient of the
complaint, and the subsequent course of action taken upon receipt of the
complaint, distinguishing between cases deemed unworthy of investigation
and those that warrant further examination (including the actions taken
and the authority responsible for making such determinations). Attached
are the relevant policies in relation to this query.

Please clarify whether the investigation is conducted internally or
externally, and the criteria utilized to make this determination. This
information is contained in the Disciplinary documentation.

In the event that a case is found in favour of the complainant, please
outline the subsequent steps taken. This information is contained within
the relevant policy and procedures.   Specifically, could you confirm if
the Nolan principles (or the equivalent code of conduct alignment with the
10 principles of public life as outlined in the July 2021 Independent
Review of the Ethical Standards Framework in Wales) are adhered to when
determining the outcome, considering the principal manager's involvement? 
The 10 principles of public life are reflected within the Service’s
[1]Core Values and the [2]NFCC Leadership framework which provides a
consistent approach to leadership and development for all staff.

If a case to answer is identified, what are the subsequent procedures?
Does this lead to a hearing? This information is contained within the
Discipline documentation. If so, please specify the composition of the
panel and whether an independent individual is present. This information
is contained with the Discipline documentation.

Furthermore, kindly provide all supporting documentation related to this
protocol, including any guidance notes for determining appropriate
disciplinary sanctions. In the absence of such guidance, please clarify
who is responsible for making these decisions and upon what criteria are
they based.’  This information is contained with the Discipline
documentation.

If you are dissatisfied with the handling of your request, you have the
right to ask for an internal review. Internal review requests should be
submitted within two months of the date of receipt of the response to your
original correspondence and should be addressed to:

The Freedom of Information Officer

North Wales Fire and Rescue Service Headquarters

Ffordd Salesbury

St Asaph Business Park

St Asaph

Denbighshire

LL17 0JJ

If you remain dissatisfied with the handling of your request, you have a
right to appeal to the Information Commissioner at:

The Information Commissioner's Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK9 5AF

Telephone: 08456 30 60 60 or 01625 54 57 45

Website: [3]www.ico.gov.uk

There is no charge for making an appeal.

Yours faithfully,

Swyddog Rhyddid Gwybodaeth/Freedom of Information Officer
Gwasanaeth Tân ac Achub Gogledd Cymru/North Wales Fire and Rescue Service

[4][email address].cymru / [5][email address].wales

Rydym yn croesawu gohebiaeth a galwadau yn y Gymraeg a’r Saesneg - byddwn
yn ymateb yn gyfartal i’r ddwy ac yn ateb yn eich dewis iaith heb oedi.

We welcome correspondence and calls in Welsh and English - we will respond
equally to both and will reply in your language of choice without delay.

Gwnewch yn siŵr eich bod yn profi’ch larwm mwg yn rheolaidd. Os nad oes
gennych larwm, neu os ydy’ch larwm wedi torri, ffoniwch 0800 169 1234,
anfonwch e-bost i [6][email address].cymru  neu ewch i
[7]www.tangogleddcymru.llyw.cymru am gyngor  ynglŷn â beth i’w wneud
nesaf.

Please make sure that you regularly check your smoke alarm.  If you do not
have one, or find that the one that you do have is not working, call 0800
169 1234, e-mail [8][email address].wales or visit
[9]www.northwalesfire.gov.wales for advice on what to do next.

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Dear Sir,

Further to your email of 21^st April, please see Page 7 of the Discipline
Policy, which states the following:

PRINCIPAL OFFICERS

Should disciplinary action be necessary in respect of a Principal Officer,
this policy will be applied, but may be varied as necessary on the
decision of the Fire and Rescue Authority.

The composition of any Hearing Panel for Formal Discipline or Appeal
processes will be as follows:

Employee Formal Discipline Panel Appeal Panel

Principal

Officer

Chief Fire Officer

Chair of the FRA

Clerk to the FRA

3 Members of FRA Executive Panel

Chief Fire

Officer

Chair of the FRA

Clerk to the FRA

3 Members of FRA Executive Panel

3 Different Members of

FRA Executive Panel

(FRA = Fire and Rescue Authority)

Please be advised that, other than as detailed above, the process for a
‘principal manager’ being under investigation is the same as it would be
for any other member of staff

Yours faithfully,

Swyddog Rhyddid Gwybodaeth/Freedom of Information Officer
Gwasanaeth Tân ac Achub Gogledd Cymru/North Wales Fire and Rescue Service

[1][email address].cymru / [2][email address].wales

Rydym yn croesawu gohebiaeth a galwadau yn y Gymraeg a’r Saesneg - byddwn
yn ymateb yn gyfartal i’r ddwy ac yn ateb yn eich dewis iaith heb oedi.

We welcome correspondence and calls in Welsh and English - we will respond
equally to both and will reply in your language of choice without delay.

Gwnewch yn siŵr eich bod yn profi’ch larwm mwg yn rheolaidd. Os nad oes
gennych larwm, neu os ydy’ch larwm wedi torri, ffoniwch 0800 169 1234,
anfonwch e-bost i [3][email address].cymru  neu ewch i
[4]www.tangogleddcymru.llyw.cymru am gyngor  ynglŷn â beth i’w wneud
nesaf.

Please make sure that you regularly check your smoke alarm.  If you do not
have one, or find that the one that you do have is not working, call 0800
169 1234, e-mail [5][email address].wales or visit
[6]www.northwalesfire.gov.wales for advice on what to do next.

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