Lancashire Combined Fire Authority
Meeting to be held on Monday 21 September 2026
Member Champion Activity Report and Feedback
Contact for further information – Assistant Chief Fire Officer, Sam Pink.
Tel: 01772 866802
Executive SummaryThis paper provides a report on the work of the Member Champions for the period up to 20 September 2026.
Members are invited to provide any feedback they may have for the period up to 20 September 2026.
Recommendation(s)The Authority is requested to note the report of the respective Member Champions and share any feedback received in relation to associated Service activities.
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Information
The concept of Member Champions was introduced in December 2007 with a review of the roles in 2017.
The Authority appoints its Member Champions at its Annual Meeting in June, and the current Member Champions are:
· Community Safety – County Councillor Andy Blake
· Equality, Diversity and Inclusion - Councillor Salim Sidat
· Health and Wellbeing & Climate Change – County Councillor Sohail Asghar
· Road Safety - County Councillor Joanne Ash
Reports relating to the activity of the Member Champions are provided on a regular basis to the Authority. During this period, all have undertaken their respective role in accordance with the defined terms of reference. Their activity to date is as follows:
Community Safety - County Councillor Andy Blake
During the reporting period, Lancashire Fire and Rescue (LFRS) prevention teams have continued to deliver targeted activity across Lancashire, focusing on identified community risks and working closely with partner organisations to improve safety, reduce incidents and engage those most at risk.
Water safety has remained a significant priority, particularly during the summer period. LFRS delivered water safety education across schools, youth groups, holiday activity programmes and community events, alongside targeted engagement at high-risk open water locations. Messages focused on cold-water shock, the dangers of entering open water and how to respond in an emergency, including the ‘Float to Live’ message. Across the Western Area alone, 1,445 pupils received water safety education, with 1,158 receiving face-to-face sessions and a further 287 virtually.
Home Fire Safety activity continued to support vulnerable residents through targeted Home Fire Safety Checks (HFSCs), community engagement and partnership referrals. For example, a joint community event in Preston resulted in 20 HFSCs being completed, with further residents receiving advice and information on accessing the service.
The ‘F.R.E.E. Protecting Your Tomorrow’ (Fire, Reintegration into the community, Enrichment and personal development, Education and future opportunities) programme has continued to develop through LFRS’s partnership working with HMP Lancaster Farms. The programme was established in response to concerns around deliberate fires within cells, fire safety awareness and the challenges prisoners face when preparing to return to the community.
Since September 2025, LFRS has delivered 15 sessions to 183 prisoners. The programme covers fire safety in the home, including electrical, cooking and smoking risks, alongside road safety, landlord responsibilities, housing and homelessness, employment and fire service recruitment. Information is also provided to support individuals returning to communities outside Lancashire, including referral pathways to neighbouring fire and rescue services. The programme is demonstrating encouraging early results. There were eight deliberate cell fires at HMP Lancaster Farms during April 2024 to March 2025, compared with three during April 2025 to March 2026, representing a 62.5 per cent reduction.
Youth Engagement and Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) remained an important area of prevention activity. LFRS worked with schools, youth services, sports programmes and partner agencies to engage young people around deliberate fire-setting, dangerous behaviour and the consequences of ASB. Direct engagement with young people who can be difficult to reach, demonstrated the value of operational crews and prevention staff working together to build trust and provide real-life insight into the consequences of emergency incidents.
Community safety campaigns were delivered in response to emerging and seasonal risks. The World Cup campaign provided targeted advice around alcohol consumption, cooking, social gatherings and safe celebrations. Community Safety Advisors engaged directly with communities through local events, supermarkets, markets and multi-agency drop-in sessions, working alongside police, councils and housing partners.
In addition, following a fatal e-bike fire, LFRS undertook targeted community engagement and HFSC activity whilst strengthening partnership working with police and Trading Standards to promote safer use and charging of e-bikes and e-scooters.
The breadth of activity delivered across Lancashire continues to reflect the Service’s commitment to prevention, early intervention and partnership working, helping to create safer, healthier and more resilient communities
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion – Councillor Salim Sidat
LFRS continues to deliver prevention, engagement and improvement activities that support community safety, staff wellbeing and future service delivery.
A service-wide cooking safety campaign ran from 08 June to 10 July 2026, and targeted groups at greater risk of cooking-related fires, including residents of flats, Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) and sheltered accommodation, and those with additional vulnerabilities. Key messages were promoted through HFSCs, community events, partner organisations and targeted prevention activity.
Staff attended the Women in the Fire Service National Training and Development Event in June, benefiting from leadership development, networking and shared learning opportunities that support inclusion and positive cultural change across the Service.
Community engagement remained a priority throughout the summer. LFRS attended the Caribbean Festival in Preston, promoting water safety, grass fire prevention and BBQ safety, while Armed Forces Day events in Lancaster and Morecambe provided opportunities to engage with the public, promote recruitment and strengthen links with the Armed Forces community. As part of the World Cup prevention campaign, teams also delivered targeted safety messages around alcohol consumption, social gatherings, cooking and celebrations.
Following feedback from operational crews and stakeholders, a new Incident Support Unit (ISU) is now operational. The vehicle provides welfare facilities at prolonged incidents, including refreshments, rest areas and toilet facilities, supporting the wellbeing of personnel during operational activity.
A refreshed digital exit interview process has also been introduced, providing a more accessible way to capture feedback from employees leaving the Service and helping to inform future organisational improvements.
The Service is currently consulting on the draft Community Risk Management Plan (CRMP) 2027-2032, following extensive engagement with staff, partners and communities which has generated more than 2,000 responses. Dedicated staff engagement sessions have also been introduced to ensure employees can contribute to proposals relating to future priorities, resource allocation and operational response, including Automatic Fire Alarm attendance.
Digital transformation work continues, with preparations underway for Service Delivery staff to transition to Windows 11 and Microsoft 365 tools. Staff are also being encouraged to join the Digital Champions Network to support colleagues and assist with the roll-out of new technology.
The King’s Trust Pendle Team has supported summer wildfire and water safety campaigns at Pendle Hill and Barley, working with local businesses and visitors to raise awareness and reinforce key prevention messages.
These activities demonstrate LFRS’s continued commitment to prevention, community engagement and continuous improvement. Through targeted interventions, staff investment and consultation on future priorities, the Service remains focused on delivering effective and inclusive services that meet the changing needs of Lancashire’s communities.
Health and Wellbeing and Climate Change – County Councillor Sohail Asghar
Climate Change and Environment
During Quarter 1 (Q1), there was strong engagement from Environmental Champions as part of the quarterly focus on ‘recycling in a throwaway society’. This theme provided an opportunity to reinforce the importance of reducing waste, reusing resources where possible, and supporting more sustainable behaviours across the Service.
As part of this activity, a clothing donation competition was delivered in partnership with The Fire Fighters Charity, encouraging staff to give clothing a second life while also generating charitable donations. This initiative supported both environmental and social value outcomes by diverting reusable items from waste streams and contributing to a recognised charity supporting the fire service community. Hyndburn achieved the highest volume of clothing donations and was recognised as the winning station, demonstrating positive engagement at station level.
In addition, several crews expressed interest in increasing biodiversity across station sites. This presents an opportunity to explore practical measures that can support local habitats and contribute to wider environmental objectives, while ensuring that operational safety and site suitability remain central considerations. This reflects a growing awareness among staff of the role stations can play in supporting environmental improvement at a local level.
Overall, attitudes towards recycling have improved significantly over the past 12 months, with progress continuing through Q1. The increased engagement from Environmental Champions, combined with targeted campaigns and improved awareness, is contributing to a greater proportion of waste being recycled and a reduction in the amount sent to landfill. This represents positive progress against the Service’s wider climate change and environmental priorities, and demonstrates the value of sustained communications, local ownership and practical action. Continued momentum will be important to ensure these positive behaviours are maintained and further embedded across all stations and workplaces.
Health and Wellbeing
During Q1, health and wellbeing activity continued to focus on strengthening the support available to staff and promoting positive mental health across the Service. As part of this work, two wellbeing workshops were delivered by The Fire Fighters Charity, covering ‘Managing Stress’ and ‘Introducing Relaxation and Mindfulness’. These sessions provided staff with practical tools and techniques to help recognise and manage stress, build personal resilience and incorporate simple wellbeing practices into day-to-day routines. Continued access to this type of preventative support helps reinforce a culture where mental health and wellbeing are openly discussed and proactively supported.
A paper has been approved by the Health, Safety and Environment Advisory Group to establish the LFRS ‘Wellness Walks’ group. The group will provide an inclusive opportunity for LFRS staff, retired members, families and friends to come together, be active and support their mental health and wellbeing in a sociable and accessible way.
Walking routes will be planned and led by a qualified lowland leader and will be no longer than three hours, including a refreshment stop halfway where possible. This approach will help ensure the walks are safe, well organised and suitable for a range of abilities, while also encouraging connection, peer support and time outdoors. It is anticipated that the first ‘Wellness Walk’ will take place in September 2026.
These activities are complemented by ongoing investment in physical wellbeing, including the servicing of gym facilities across Service sites and the completion of 579 fitness tests during Q1 of the 2026-27 testing period. This demonstrates continued engagement with physical fitness and supports the Service’s commitment to maintaining a healthy, capable and resilient workforce.
Road Safety – County Councillor Joanne Ash
June and July were busy months for ‘Alive to Drive’ road safety events, with events taking place in Leyland, Morecambe and Rawtenstall. LFRS were joined by staff from Lancashire County Council (LCC) Road Safety Team, North West Ambulance Service (NWAS), Institute of Advanced Motorists, Highways Agency and Lancashire Constabulary (LanCon).
At Rawtenstall and Morecambe, Car Seat Safety joined the team and carried out free car seat checks for members of the public. This was a very welcome addition to the events, given the recent increase in fatal and serious injuries due to children being poorly restrained.
The pinnacle of the event was the Road Traffic Collision (RTC) demonstration. This was a multi-agency demonstration between LFRS, NWAS and LanCon, which allowed members of the public to see what happened inside a road closure during an incident. Live commentary was given throughout the demonstration via a PA system, which explained each organisation’s role at these types of incidents. It also provided the opportunity to interweave key safety messages around Lancashire’s ‘Fatal 5’ and the factors which contribute most to serious and fatal RTCs: inappropriate speed, driving under the influence, mobile phone use, lack of seatbelt compliance and careless and reckless driving. Two smaller events took place in Darwen and Chorley which included road safety professionals, but no RTC demonstration.
An enhanced version of ‘Wasted Lives’ was delivered to 180 students at Penwortham Priory High School; LFRS were approached to do so following the death of an ex-pupil in an RTC. The session covered the usual ‘Fatal 5’ messaging but was adapted to focus more on passenger safety, including the importance of wearing a seatbelt, especially in the rear of the vehicle where the lack of seatbelt compliance is higher. This session was complemented by LCC Road Safety Team attending with their ‘e-bike and e-scooter’ stand and interactive ‘Batak’ reactions board.
A young farmers’ event brought crews from Carnforth and Kirkby Lonsdale in Cumbria together for a cross-border RTC demonstration, following an adapted ‘Wasted Lives’ session. This event was well received and attended by young people from the target audience age range of 15 to 22.
LFRS also attended Lytham Car Show with LCC and it proved to be one of the busiest events of the season, with lots of interested members of the public. The LFRS focus for the event was children’s car seats and information relating to the law was shared. The crashed car also drew a lot of attendance from the 8,000 car exhibitors. More staff were planned to attend next year, as it was a fantastic opportunity for positive engagement.
Member Feedback and Champion Contributions
Members are encouraged and welcomed to share verbal feedback on the content of this report and to contribute with any updates on event they've attended that they would wish to share.
Member Champions are kindly encouraged to provide updates within their respective areas, outlining progress, emerging issues, and opportunities for further engagement. This approach is intended to support informed discussion, enhance member involvement, and help ensure that Champion roles continue to add value to service delivery and governance.
Business risk
Whilst no formal obligation is placed on the Authority to have Champions, effective utilisation of such roles offers a number of benefits.
Sustainability or Environmental Impact
The Member Champion role provides leadership on environmental issues and assists in engaging Authority members in strategic objectives relating to protecting the environment.
Equality and Diversity Implications
The Member Champion role provides leadership on equality and diversity issues and assists in engaging Authority members in strategic objectives relating to equality and diversity.
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.
HR implications
Some Member and Officer time commitments.
Financial implications
Activities are within budget.
Legal implications
None identified.
Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985
List of background papers
Paper:
Date:
Contact: ACFO Sam Pink
Reason for inclusion in Part 2 if appropriate: N/A
Glossary
ASB - Anti-Social Behaviour
CRMP - Community Risk Management Plan
HFSC - Home Fire Safety Check
HMO - Houses in Multiple Occupation
ISU - Incident Support Unit
LanCon - Lancashire Constabulary
LCC – Lancashire County Council
LFRS – Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service
NWAS – North West Ambulance Service
Q1 – Quarter 1
RTC – Road Traffic Collision