Meeting to be held on 13th July 2026
(Appendices 1 and 2 refers)
Contact for further information – Deputy Chief Fire Officer Steve Healey
Telephone: 01772 866801
Executive SummaryThe draft Community Risk Management Plan (CRMP) 2027-2032 (Appendix 1) provides details of what Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service (LFRS) intends to do over the forthcoming five-year period to identify, assess and mitigate the full range of fire and rescue related risks within Lancashire. Our risk management planning processes provide the opportunity to demonstrate how we intend to fulfil our responsibilities in a clear, cohesive way, to our teams, communities, and other interested parties. In writing a CRMP each Fire Authority must pay due regard to the National Framework guidance issued by central government.
Maintaining a clear and current understanding of the risks that affect Lancashire’s communities underpins everything we do – driving both our governance and planning arrangements.
This paper explains the approach taken in producing the CRMP including timelines. It also outlines our approach to the service review which will entail reviewing all our services to ensure we are well prepared to deliver the activities and interventions in our new CRMP. The CRMP 2027-2032:- · Highlights Lancashire’s risks; · Explains how LFRS will manage and reduce fire and rescue related risk in Lancashire; · Sets out our priorities and values; · Identifies our core strategies · Sets out our ambitions against each priority and states how we aim to deliver these; · Illustrates how we will measure and assure performance.
Recommendation(s)1.The Planning Committee are asked to approve the draft CRMP 2027-2032 and consent to proceed to public consultation on 14 July 2026. 2.The Planning Committee are asked to note and endorse the revised timelines for the Service Review.
CRMP Consultation outcomes will be collated and fed into the final document where necessary. The final version of the Community Risk Management Plan will presented to Planning Committee on 16 November 2026, then to the Combined Fire Authority on 14 December 2026 for approval and publication thereafter. |
The Community Risk Management Plan (CRMP) 2027-2032 will be Authority’s replacement for the current CRMP 2022-2027.
The paper to Planning Committee on 17 November 2025 outlined our approach to the development of the CRMP. Initially it was intended that development work and consultation was to include a wider Service Review, delivered at the same time. Whilst elements of the Service Review are underway, it is proposed that the Response (Emergency Cover Review) element of the Service Review which will include public consultation, will now commence in July 2027.
Engagement and consultation are central to the development of the CRMP, ensuring that the views of the public, staff and stakeholders shape the Service’s priorities and approach.
A pre-consultation document was submitted in December 2025 to the full CFA meeting for approval to engage with communities and staff. Our two-phased approach to consultation allowed us to gather early insight to inform the development of the draft CRMP.
Carried out from 13 January 2026 to 15 March for nine weeks. We explained the challenges and drivers for change and invited views on our proposed direction of travel. Phase I allowed us to listen and learn about our communities’ and workforce priorities.
We shared evidence and asked for views on:
· how we plan to keep people safe
· the issues and risks we could face in the next 20 years, such as the impact of extreme weather, new technology, and how the area we serve grows and changes
· what people think we should prioritise for investment – such as training, equipment and community safety work
· how we use and organise our resources, including our people, according to when and where we know demand is highest
· how we use, modernise and share our buildings, so our sites serve our communities in the best possible way.
There were 2,223 responses to the consultation including:
· 1,911 residents representing every district in Lancashire.
· 119 partner agencies, parish and town councils, voluntary and community groups.
· 73 businesses.
· 110 employees.
There were high levels of agreement with overall views on LFRS including the degree to which people trust our safety advice, believe we serve the community well and deliver value for money. Awareness levels varied in terms of different services provided by LFRS and house fires were perceived as the greatest risk in communities.
High levels of agreement were received with future direction statements in the consultation which related to using resources more effectively, modernising, and delivering a high-performance efficient service.
The Phase One Consultation Report is attached at Appendix 2.
Following feedback from the pre-consultation, a draft CRMP and supporting strategies have been developed. A full consultation will now take place during summer 2026 where we will present and seek feedback on the CRMP 2027-2032. In Phase Two we will undertake structured engagement with a wide range of groups, including residents, businesses, partners and employees, to help us to understand what matters most to Lancashire’s communities and how proposed changes may affect them.
Feedback from both stages will help ensure the final plan reflects community needs and expectations and that our resources are prioritised effectively to manage risk, demand and vulnerability across Lancashire.
The new CRMP will go live from April 2027.
· 13 July 2026 Planning Committee: Draft CRMP approval to consult
· July – October 2026: CRMP full stakeholder consultation
· 16 November 2026 Planning Committee: Final draft CRMP recommending to full CFA
· 14 December 2026 Combined Fire Authority (CFA): Final CRMP for approval
· 1 April 2027: CRMP 2027-32 published
· Aligns to the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) best practice guidance and methodology.
· Is underpinned by the Strategic Assessment of Risk data which has helped us identify our highest risk activities/incidents.
· Includes areas of focus from our six core service strategies: People, Prevention, Protection, Response, Digital, and Financial which have been refreshed to align to national change and guidance. Key deliverables are included within the CRMP consultation.
Approval of the draft Community Risk Management Plan 2027-2032 will allow us to proceed to public consultation on 14 July for a period of 12 weeks. This approach will meet the guidance in the National Framework.
The Service Review:
A review of all our services and consulting internal and external stakeholders depending on the proposed change, including, as required, the public and our staff. The reviews will focus on options for how services could be delivered in future to align with the new CRMP, to address our challenges, and capitalise on opportunities to make Lancashire safer.
· Prevention review – A review is already underway to ensure the Service’s approach to prevention services continues to meet community needs into 2030 and beyond. The aim is to refresh our approach to targeted, person-centred and place-based activities, aligning resources to homes and communities where the likelihood and consequences of incidents are greatest. Some of the work is already progressing such as the procurement of a new prevention and protection digital system and the creation of an online training portal for partners. Over the coming months, we will be sharing more details and working with prevention staff to shape future plans.
· Protection review – A recent review of our Protection function evaluated work initiated in June 2020 through our Protection Transformation workstreams and informed by the work of the Built Environment Assessment Team (BEAT) in 2021. The review concluded that the original intent of these workstreams was successfully realised, with key capabilities now embedded within business-as-usual delivery. As a result, the Service is now able to transition to a more sustainable operating model, representing a natural progression from transformation to steady-state delivery, ensuring the Protection function remains efficient, effective and resilient.
· Response (Emergency Cover) review – We will undertake a review of response arrangements to ensure that our emergency response remains effective and efficient, and that we are well equipped and trained to respond to future challenges. This will look at risk and demand, including the types and location of incidents, to inform the number of people, buildings, and vehicles, as well as how we respond. Data will be analysed from Autumn 2026, options will then be developed and presented to CFA Planning Committee in July 2027 ahead of full public consultation before any CFA sign off in late 2027 for implementation in 2028 and beyond.
· Corporate Services review – This is designed to ensure that all other aspects of the Service are reviewed to consider options for any one-off and/or ongoing efficiencies or investment for how services may be delivered in the future. A template aims to provide Heads of Service with a clear and consistent framework to support the review and inform decision making.
Production of the CRMP is a business-critical planning function. LFRS must produce an CRMP in line with National Framework guidance issued by central government.
Inevitably there will be a requirement for a printed version of the CRMP (on request) however the approach taken will be ‘digital by default’ and therefore the environmental impact will be minimal with no sustainability issues identified.
Usual distribution media will be employed to assist persons with access to information. The CRMP will be made available in a variety of languages and/or a format suitable for impaired consultees.
Equality Impact Assessments have been drafted for the draft CRMP 27-32 and the draft supporting Core Strategies.
Data Protection (GDPR)
Will the proposal(s) involve the processing of personal data? N
If the answer is yes, please contact a member of the Democratic Services Team to assist with the appropriate exemption clause for confidential consideration under part 2 of the agenda.
No implications.
Production of the CRMP falls within existing budgets and no abnormal spends are anticipated. As with the publication of the last CRMP, the move to publishing in a fully digital format reduces costs compared to previous printed versions.
None identified.
Paper: Strategic Assessment of Risk 2025-2026
Date: 17 November 2025
Contact: Deputy Chief Fire Officer Steve Healey