Enhancing UCL’s security service and experience

While there will be fewer roles in the proposed new structure, Bidvest Noonan will be doing everything they can to support colleagues through the consultation process and to mitigate any compulsory redundancies.  

These mitigations include:

• A hiring freeze over recent months meaning there are currently a number of vacancies already within the existing structure.
• Offers of redeployment to similar roles at Bidvest Noonan for staff that may leave their UCL-based roles – these staff would also receive a £4,000 financial incentive. Bidvest currently have 180 vacancies within London and 450 nationally.
• The offer of a financially enhanced voluntary resignation scheme.

Update: Bidvest Noonan recently shared an update that the risk of compulsory redundancy has been significantly reduced through the use of these mitigations, and that they are looking to establish mapping opportunities for the remaining colleagues to stay working at UCL. 

We expect that there will be 40 less roles in the new structure which means the vast majority of security colleagues will remain at UCL, however the final number will be decided as part of the consultation process.

As part of this consultation, Bidvest Noonan want to redefine roles and responsibilities including defining job titles and job descriptions for all security colleagues with greater clarity and consistency and moving to a new structure. They also propose that all security colleagues move on to the same Terms and Conditions as one another, which they are not on currently, and also align shift patterns.

The nature of these proposals means that all areas need to be formally consulted on the changes and that all security roles at UCL must be formally considered at risk of redundancy. As stated, the vast majority of these roles will stay at UCL and Bidvest Noonan are putting in a number of mitigations in place to avoid redundancies for the others, such as redeployment to other vacancies in their organisation.    

Update: Bidvest Noonan recently shared an update that the risk of compulsory redundancy has been significantly reduced through the use of these mitigations, and that they are looking to establish mapping opportunities for the remaining colleagues to stay working at UCL. 

The way security services at UCL currently operates means that we have some locations where officers work overtime and significantly longer hours, and other locations where officers are only required over a weekend. Colleagues are currently working a large variety of different shift patterns. 

Bidvest Noonan’s proposal is to standardise and align all colleagues to one of two shift patterns, both of which are common standards within the security sector:

• 4 on 4 off shift pattern where the average working week would be 42 hours
• Monday to Friday shift pattern where the hours range from a 40–60 hours working week

Bidvest Noonan is consulting on these proposals and is inviting feedback from security staff on this before any decisions are made. 

While this proposed change would mean some staff have their core hours reduced, these working hours are more in line with the average full-time employee at UCL and the industry standard, would improve the health and wellbeing of our security team and enable a better work-life balance, and would ensure our security services are more resilient.

Update: Bidvest Noonan have received detailed proposals submitted by UNISON, which aim to protect staff from reductions in hours and/or pay grades, as well as proposals regarding working patterns.  

No. Bidvest Noonan is not proposing to undertake any fire and rehire process. This has been confirmed in a joint statement from Unison and Bidvest Noonan.  

Bidvest Noonan is following the standard consultation process regarding the proposed changes and are working with Unison as part of the recognition agreement that’s in place. Furthermore it is committed to working with all colleagues regarding the proposals and have been in contact with other Trade Unions to engage in informal dialogue. 

We have invested over £10million per year to harmonise pay for our outsourced colleagues and to ensure parity of conditions with colleagues employed directly by UCL, including annual leave entitlement, pay grading, sickness benefits and pension contributions. 

Our security staff are valued colleagues and those who remain at UCL will be issued new contracts with Bidvest Noonan that will reference and honour the same conditions they are on now.  

There will be no decisions about changes to the security provision for any buildings until the end of the consultation. 

The proposal includes a shift from some staff positioned in desk-based roles within buildings, to more mobile, roaming security staff around campus. Some buildings with high footfall and specific needs will keep a stationary security position, while others will move to have security staff pro-actively patrolling zones.

Our security staff do vital jobs and are highly valued colleagues for us all. Increasing the visibility of our security teams will build on their status as a reassuring and engaging presence for the thousands of students and staff on our campus every day, and as a first port of call to visitors to help them feel welcomed and supported with queries.

We are aware that this kind of change process can be difficult and we are making sure that staff affected are fully supported and communicated with through it. UCL’s wellbeing support service has been made available to all security colleagues to access confidential, 24/7 mental health support.  

There will be no decisions about changes to the security provision for any buildings until the end of the consultation. 

Our proposal includes a shift from some staff positioned in desk-based roles within buildings, to more mobile, roaming security staff around campus. Some buildings with high footfall and specific needs will keep a stationary security position in place, while others will move to have security staff pro-actively patrolling zones.

The expertise of our security staff will be invaluable in allowing us to make changes and improve the security offering provided for our campus and large community of students and staff. There will be ongoing opportunities throughout the consultation process for security colleagues and their Trade Union representatives to provide their feedback and to shape the decisions being developed, which are being communicated directly to security colleagues.

UCL staff and students can raise questions or concerns, or share their feedback on the proposed changes, by contacting securitysystems@ucl.ac.uk. Your feedback will be shared with Bidvest Noonan for consideration as part of the consultation process. Specific questions or concerns will be considered by UCL Security where relevant. 

No. Bidvest Noonan has committed that all colleagues, under the UCL agreement on parity of terms, will remain on the same pension arrangements. There are no proposed changes to this.

As we are proposing to move more officers from static positions to a more mobile service, we will be able to support more buildings with a quicker response and with more staff available to respond. Mobile Security staff are trained in both First Aid and Seek and Search procedure, and will always be dispatched to First Aid and Fire incidents.

The Campus Experience Team can also support departments that have a reduced number of Fire Marshalls as a result of hybrid working, however it is important to note that Heads of Department or designated senior managers are responsible for ensuring an adequate cover of Fire Evacuation Marshals (FEM) in their buildings. 

Data shows that most incidents that require our security teams’ response happen outside of buildings and are responded to by staff that are in roaming positions. The proposed changes will increase our capacity to have more staff operating and visible across campus. With staff patrolling a wider area, it will allow security to react quickly to incidents no matter where they take place and to get to where they are needed most easily.  

All Access Controlled doors at building entrance points to the building will be secured, and buildings will be monitored by the security team via localised Security Smart Control Centres (SSCC) using tools such as CCTV in key areas, alarm monitoring systems and video intercoms installed for buildings.  

We will also continue to roll out, and innovate with, technology, for instance with the SafeZone app, which can be downloaded by all members of our UCL community. In the event of an emergency, the app allows you to quickly share your location and details with the security team who will be able to get the right assistance to you. You can also flag yourself as ‘lone working’ through the app to increase the number of patrols by your area.  

All deliveries to UCL buildings should go to the Logistics Centre at the rear of the IoE. In exceptional circumstances where deliveries need to be made directly to a building, couriers will be able to use the Video Intercom System linked to the Security Control Centres or (if applicable) directly to the department. 

Visitors to UCL buildings are the responsibility of the individual/department who organised their visit, so they should ensure arrangements are in place and communications with visitors have occurred. If visitors need support on arrival, then they will be able to use the Video Intercom System.

Staff who need help accessing a building or who have forgotten their card will also be able to use the Video Intercom System to speak with the Security Control Centre who will either contact the relevant department, or contact a member of the Campus Experience Team to assist.

Our security colleagues are highly valued and respected members of the UCL community, and we understand that in many cases they are a source of pastoral support for staff and students. However, security staff currently only cover a fraction of our buildings. 

The proposal seeks to increase the visibility of our security teams and build on their status as a reassuring and engaging presence for the thousands of students and staff on our campus every day, and as a first port of call to visitors to help them feel welcomed and supported with queries.

Decisions about which buildings may be impacted will not be finalised until the end of the consultation phase at which point any changes will be communicated locally.

At this stage, for those buildings affected, we will be sharing further FAQs to answer queries about the way that staff and students use their building may change, for instance new processes for visitors or forgetting access cards.

We do understand the importance of engaging with colleagues across UCL in relation to these proposals. Many discussions have already occurred or are booked with departments, to give them further background to the proposals and the opportunity to raise questions with the team involved. 

We understand that more colleagues would like to discuss the current proposal in further detail to better understand the rationale behind it. To enable this, we are arranging drop-in sessions with UCL’s Transformation Security Lead, Oliver Curran. 

These sessions will be held daily from Tuesday 11 to Friday 14 July between 11am and 1pm and from Monday 17 to Friday 21 July between 10am to 12 noon. Those wishing to book a slot for these sessions please contact securitysystems@ucl.ac.uk to book a suitable time. Please note each session will be for 30 minutes. 

No members of any trade union are being targeted through this consultation process. Bidvest Noonan are engaging with Unison as part of the recognised trade union agreement in place, and under this arrangement all areas of the proposed transformation are being reviewed. They are also engaging with all colleagues and have been in contact with other Trade Unions to engage in informal dialogue regarding the proposals. 

Update: As part of the Collective Consultation process all areas of the proposed changes are being reviewed, and a number of revisions have been adopted in response to conversations and feedback.  

Bidvest Noonan have received detailed proposals submitted by UNISON, which aim to protect staff from reductions in hours and/or pay grades, as well as proposals regarding working patterns.  

As a result, they have agreed to the UNISON request for an extension to the Collective Consultation process, which was originally due to conclude on 5 July 2023. The Collective Consultation will now conclude on 14 July. This extension has been made possible by the constructive dialogue which has taken place between UNISON and Bidvest Noonan and the belief is that an extended period of time to consult on these matters will provide positive outcomes for all involved.