Appendix 1

Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Culture Annual Report 2025 -2026 and Delivery Plan for 2026 - 2027

Contents

Content	Page
Background to the report	3
Introduction, aims, values and ethics	3
Meeting our legal duties and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion objectives	5
The communities of Lancashire	7
Workforce Profile	8
Summary, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Activity	8
Other areas of focus relating to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion	8
Values and establishing a culture where people thrive	12
Training and Development	13
Recruitment and Selection	14
Achievement, turnover and progression of wholetime firefighter apprentices	15
Workforce strategies and policies	15
Performance Management	16
Bullying and Harassment	16
Issues of concern of employees	16
Gender Pay Gap Reporting	17
Appendix A - Workforce Equality Profile	20
Appendix B - Recruitment Profile	28
Appendix C - Disciplinary, Grievance, Harassment and Bullying	31
Appendix D - Equality, Diversity and Inclusion completed Action Plan – 1 April 2025 – 31 March 2026	33
Appendix E - Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Action Plan – 1 April 2026 – 31 March 2027	72
Glossary	85

Background to the report

The Lancashire Combined Fire Authority (LCFA) is responsible for governing Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service (LFRS). The Service employs in the region of 1200 people who are employed on Grey Book (operational) and Green Book (support services) terms and conditions. These roles include managerial members of staff, operational firefighters, administrators, fire safety, community safety and business support staff. 

As an employer our aim is to recruit and develop a workforce which is diverse, can meet the needs of the diverse communities within Lancashire and to ensure that our workforce feels valued, can work with dignity and respect, protected from any type of prejudice or discrimination.

This Annual Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Culture Report highlights our performance in relation to:

· Meeting our legal duties over the year 2025 – 2026.

· Our workforce profile as of 31 March 2026.

· Our plans in relation to equality, inclusion and diversity for the period 1 April 2026 - 31 March 2027. 

· Activity we deliver which supports our employees to thrive.

· Key monitoring equality data/information.

It makes visible how we are meeting our legal obligations under the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) under the Equality Act 2010. It requires public authorities to consider how their policies and decisions might affect people with protected characteristics, aiming to advance equality and foster good relations.    

Introduction, aims, values and ethics

Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service aims

Making Lancashire safer is our commitment to making sure that everything we do improves the safety of our diverse communities. LFRS is committed to its purpose of “making Lancashire safer” and it has developed the following priorities to support this intention:

· Valuing our people so they can focus on making Lancashire safer.

· Preventing fires and other emergencies from happening.

· Protecting people and property when fires happen.

· Responding to fire and other emergencies quickly and competently.

· Delivering value for money in how to use our resources.

Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service Values

We define the expectations of our staff within our Annual Service Plan and our values define how we STRIVE to achieve our purpose of “making Lancashire safer” by ensuring what we do is guided by strong principles of:

· Service: Making Lancashire safer is the most important thing we do.

· Trust: We Trust the people we work with.

· Respect: We respect each other. 

· Integrity: We do what we say we will do. 

· Value: We actively listen to others.

· Empowered: We contribute to decisions and improvements.

Risk is dynamic, and fire impacts some demographic groups more than others. We focus on root causes and the most vulnerable people. Higher incident rates and poorer outcomes are concentrated in specific districts and wards, particularly those experiencing high deprivation, older housing stock, an ageing population, and for those with increased health and social vulnerability. Our strategic risk assessment identifies these factors, and our core strategies address and mitigate them.

The National Code of Ethics

We abide by the Core Code of Ethics which sets out a clear set of principles in terms of the professional standards of practice and behaviour. The code identifies five primary ethical principles which reflect best practice principles and has been designed to underpin the way we serve our communities, carry out our role, and work together:

· Putting our communities first – we put the interest of the public, the community and service users first.

· Integrity – we act with integrity including being open, honest and consistent in everything we do.

· Dignity and respect – making decisions objectively based on evidence, without discrimination or bias.

· Leadership – we are all positive role models, always demonstrating flexibility and resilient leadership. We are all accountable for everything we do and challenge all behaviour that falls short of the highest standards.

· Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) – We continually recognise and promote the value of EDI both within the LFRS and the wider communities in which we serve. We stand against all forms of discrimination, create equal opportunities, promote equality, foster good relations and celebrate difference.

We require all our employees and everyone in LFRS to behave in accordance with the Service values and to follow the Core Code, including those working with or on behalf of the Service. 

Meeting our legal duties and equality diversity and inclusion objectives  

Our Annual Service Plan 2026-2027 and Community Risk Management Plan outline our priorities and vision for "making Lancashire safer."

The Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Culture (EDIC) Annual Report, along with the Workforce Plan, Training and Organisational Development Plan, and Health, Safety and Wellbeing Plan, detail the initiatives supporting our mission, values, and People Strategy.

In 2024, the EDI Steering Group became the Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Culture Board to better oversee efforts in fostering an environment where everyone can thrive. Chaired by our Chief Fire Officer, the EDIC Board manages the governance and delivery of the actions detailed within the EDIC Annual Report.

The Equality Act 2010

The Equality Act 2010 states that everyone has the right to be treated fairly and equally.  The Act has two main purposes; it brings together and simplifies all the existing discrimination law and strengthens the law to further support progress on equality.

In the exercise of its functions (including any functions carried out by an external supplier or organisation) LFRS must have due regard to:

· Eliminating unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation and other conduct prohibited by the Act. Advancing equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not.

· Fostering good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not.

These are often called the three main aims of the general duty and are detailed in the Equality Act 2010 Section 149. The Equality Duty is supported by two main specific duties which require public bodies to:

· Publish equality information at least annually.

· Set and publish equality objectives at least every four years.

LFRS reports progress against its equality objectives and how it is meeting its obligations under the equality duty via the annual Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report.

The Human Rights Act 1998

The Human Rights Act 1998 requires all public bodies and organisations carrying out public functions to uphold the fundamental rights and freedoms afforded to individuals throughout the UK, regardless of nationality or citizenship. These rights are grounded in the principles of fairness, respect, equality, dignity, and autonomy—often referred to collectively as FREDA. The Act sets out a series of convention rights which must be protected and considered in the delivery of public services and in the exercise of organisational duties.

Equality Objectives

Further to our review of the risks within the communities of Lancashire, the Service has developed the following equality objectives in supporting:

Our Communities:

· Support local businesses to reduce the risk of fire and remain compliant within fire safety legislation.

· Reduce the number and impact of fire and other emergencies to our diverse communities across Lancashire.

· Develop and deliver a prevention service targeting our most vulnerable communities.

Our Workforce:

· Promote equality in our workforce policies and workforce practices.

· Develop our staff to ensure they can respond competently meeting the different needs of our diverse communities.

Protected Characteristics (or protected groups)

LFRS follows the requirements of the Equality Act 2010 regarding the protected characteristics listed below:

· Age

· Disability

· Gender reassignment

· Marriage and civil partnership (in respect of eliminating unlawful discrimination)

· Pregnancy and maternity

· Race – including ethnic or national origins, colour, or nationality

· Religion or belief – including lack of belief

· Sex (gender)

· Sexual orientation

Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) - Equality Analysis

Equality analysis and the completion of Equality Impact Assessments (EIAs) enable the Service to fulfil its legal obligations under the public sector equality duty by systematically identifying and evaluating the effects on staff and communities. This ensures a comprehensive understanding of these impacts and allows for effective mitigation of any adverse outcomes. EIAs are conducted whenever individuals or communities may be affected, with the Service utilising the NFCC toolkit to guide its approach.

In 2025-2026 work began to digitise the process with the establishment of a SharePoint site, to enhance the monitoring and quality assurance of EIA completion. This will continue to be embedded within the Service during 2026-2027. 

Commissioning and Procuring Services 

LFRS ensures all partnerships comply with equality principles and duties. Contracts must accept LFRS terms, including equality clauses, and additional scrutiny is applied to procurement when needed. Lead stakeholders are responsible for initial equality screenings and full assessments as required, ensuring changes are made before procurement proceeds. The Head of Property, is part of the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) National Fire Estates Group, helps advance dignified facilities and EDI standards.  

The communities of Lancashire   

According to the 2021 Census, Lancashire's population stands at 1,531,127, reflecting a 4.8% increase since 2011. The region contains some of the most deprived areas nationally, as indicated by the Indices of Multiple Deprivation (IMD), which may contribute to elevated community risk profiles. The largest ethnic group in Lancashire is white (86.6%), with other ethnicities comprising 13.4% of the population.

The Census also notes that 20.1% of Lancashire’s residents are aged 65 or over, 59.1% are between 18 and 64, and 20.8% are under 18.

In Pendle, 29.4% of the population belong to ethnic minorities (excluding white minorities), while this figure is 27.4% in Preston. Blackburn with Darwen reports the highest proportion of ethnic minorities at 39.6%. In contrast, Blackpool records just over 7,500 individuals from ethnic minority backgrounds, representing slightly above 5% of the population. Among minority groups, Asian British or Asian Welsh: Pakistani is the largest in Lancashire.

On Census Day in March 2021, 806,000 Lancashire residents identified as Christian, 479,900 reported no religion, 141,300 stated they were Muslim, 82,000 provided no response, and the remaining religious groups together totalled 22,000. Blackburn with Darwen (35.0%) and Pendle (26.0%) had the highest proportions of Muslim residents. In Ribble Valley, 66.4% identified as Christian. Notably, Preston has above-average representation of Hindus (3.0%) and the highest percentage of Sikhs (0.7%) within Lancashire.

Deprivation across England is assessed using the Index of Multiple Deprivation 2019 (IMD 2019), the official measure for Lower-Level Super Output Areas (LSOAs). Various forms of deprivation, such as health and environmental factors, often interact to increase vulnerability and risk. In 2019, Lancashire contained 186 LSOAs (5.7%) ranked among the top 1% most deprived neighbourhoods nationwide. The Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service (LFRS) incorporates IMD data into its fire risk model to optimise resource allocation and prioritise those most at risk.

Workforce Profile  

Public authorities must publish data showing compliance with the general equality duty, including information about employees or others affected by their policies who share relevant protected characteristics. LFRS provides workforce demographics (Appendix A) and recruitment analysis (Appendix B).

Tracking equality and diversity helps LFRS assess the impact of employment policies and spot potential disparities among staff groups. Demographics are monitored by the EDIC Board and Performance Committee.

Summary of Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Culture Activity (EDIC)

The detail of our progress in relation to EDIC is summarised in our 2025-2026 completed action plan attached at Appendix D.  The new Action Plan for 2026 -2027 is attached at Appendix E.

Other areas of focus relating to equality, diversity and inclusion  

Accessibility

During the year, the Communications team strengthened the organisation’s approach to accessibility, helping to ensure that information is easier for everyone to access, understand and use.

A more structured and strategic approach was developed, including the commissioning of external accessibility support and regular engagement with a specialist provider. An external accessibility audit on the website and debrief provided a clear assessment of current performance, identified areas for improvement, and established a baseline to inform future activity.

To build internal capability, a programme of accessibility training was delivered for staff. This included introductory and more advanced sessions on accessible document creation, complex documents and accessible data presentation. Colleagues from a range of teams took part, with the training focused on practical steps staff can apply in their day-to-day work to create content that meets accessibility standards and is easier to navigate.

Internal guidance was also promoted and embedded to support consistent practice across the Service. The accessibility guide continues to provide staff with clear advice on document formatting, plain language, use of images, alternative text and digital content. This helped establish a shared reference point for producing accessible and inclusive communications.

There is evidence that accessibility practices are becoming more embedded at a local level, with staff increasingly using built-in Microsoft accessibility tools to identify and address issues such as missing alternative text and document formatting errors. This reflects a positive shift towards considering accessibility as part of everyday communication and content creation, supported by initiatives such as Digital Champions and wider internal engagement.

This work supports the Service’s wider equality, diversity and inclusion objectives by helping to remove barriers and improve access to information for staff, communities and stakeholders. It also links with broader inclusion activity, including support for neurodiversity.

Engagement and Consultation

The Service has a consultation strategy, providing a framework for understanding public opinion on significant policy changes. This strategy was reviewed in February 2026 to ensure compliance with relevant legislation and guidance, as well as to incorporate insights gained from previous public consultation exercises. In 2025-26, two public consultations took place.

From December to February, the public were consulted regarding the proposed council tax precept. There were 970 respondents. 99% were Lancashire residents with broad geographical representation, an equitable distribution between male and female participants, and inclusion of all age groups, and 23% identified as disabled. 94% of respondents identified as White, 2% as Asian and 4% as other ethnic groups.

From January to March, consultation on the Service’s next Community Risk Management Plan was carried out in the first phase of our Shaping our Service for the Future consultation to understand community needs and expectations. It was promoted in a variety of ways to give communities opportunities to take part. This included: digital advertising; printed postcards signposting to the survey were distributed by community fire safety teams while doing community engagement activity; direct mail and emails to people who had used our services in the past two years; and media activity.

There were 2,223 responses to the consultation, the highest number achieved to-date, including: 1,911 residents representing every district in Lancashire; 119 partner agencies, parish and town councils, voluntary and community groups; 73 businesses; and 110 employees. 69% were aged 60 and above, 60% of respondents were women and 36% were men, and 25% indicated they had a disability. Some respondents opted to select ‘prefer not to say’ in answer to the equalities questions and they are not obliged to answer the questions in order to take part in the consultation.

The consultation feedback showed 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 feedback was used to shape the CRMP 2027-32 and the public will be consulted again in 2026-27 in a second phase of consultation.

Routine surveys are conducted with members of the public who have experienced emergencies, enabling the Service to monitor satisfaction levels. In 2025-26, the overall public user satisfaction rate reached 98.56%. During the year, the survey was redeveloped to include more questions about the service received and subsequently more insight into resident experiences.

Social media engagement varied across platforms during 2025-26, with average engagement rates above the industry average on Facebook (6.25%), LinkedIn (8.83%), and TikTok (4.07%), contrasted by lower engagement rates on Instagram (1.62%) and NextDoor (0.76%). The Service continuously evaluates the demographics of followers and content performance across each platform to determine optimal channels for reaching diverse groups. Targeted social media advertising helped to reach more people with campaign messages with a low cost-per-engagement rate demonstrating good value for money. To inform its wildfire prevention campaign and tailor communications, the Service ran a social media survey to understand perceptions, awareness levels and behaviours relating to this issue.

Email newsletter subscribers increased from 101,061 to over 105,000 and the Service’s website saw an increase in visitors from 624,000 to 792,000. The website includes an accessibility tool called 'Assist Me' which enables visitors to change colour contrasts, change the size of the text and change the way the text appears to make it easier for people with dyslexia and ADHD, for example, to read. It is mainly used to make the site easier to view by changing colours of titles which indicates users with mild, cognitive issues needing help to navigate the site.

On-call recruitment and fitness for firefighter recruitment were the topics of episodes published in the Service’s podcast series, Out of the Ashes: Stories from Lancashire. Pendle Community Radio was a key platform for engaging diverse communities throughout the rear on topics including fire safety, seasonal campaigns such as water safety and wildfire prevention, and electrical safety.

A new fire safety initiative for churches was launched across Lancashire, working with local dioceses and stakeholders to promote preventative measures. The project focused on awareness, training, and practical steps such as candle and electrical safety during festive periods, aiming to protect heritage buildings and strengthen community engagement.

An internal communications strategy details the approach to staff engagement, supported by a structured programme of activities reviewed annually. Staff engagement is tracked as a key performance indicator and reported to the Combined Fire Authority. Engagement activities include station visits, digital staff sessions, appraisals, and team meetings.

During 2025-26, principal officers, directors, and area managers completed 92 station visits, and several in-person extended leadership events were held for middle and senior managers. There were 176 wellbeing interactions including workshops, support dog visits, and station drop-in.

The latest comprehensive staff survey ran from 2 July until 29 August 2025. An independent research service coordinated the survey. It was delivered online and via paper copies which were sent to all stations. The survey was supported by 51 visits to on-call and wholetime crews on station by the communications team. Three focus groups with on-call staff, wholetime supervisory managers, and support staff were also held to gain qualitative feedback to complement the survey data. In total, 511 responses to the survey were received (equating to 44% of staff). The responses reflected good representation across different roles, ranks, and geographical areas of the service

The survey provided insights into leadership, management, training, development, and equality, diversity, inclusion and culture.  It also included a staff engagement index measuring pride, advocacy, attachment, inspiration, and motivation. The 2025 index score was 69%, down from 74% in 2023. The score varied significantly by staff group; for wholetime firefighters the score was 53%, and for both on-call firefighters and service support staff, it was 81%. The survey results highlighted areas of success as well as areas for development and the feedback is used to inform current and future planning.

During the year, the Service engaged with staff over several topics relating to our fleet and equipment, including several trials, and topics such as optimising crewing, social media use, a new operational welfare unit, and using Microsoft 365 tools and apps. An On the Menu staff session was held on the topic of equality impact assessments, their importance, and a new submission process, with the opportunity for attendees to ask questions throughout the event.

In November, the Service held its annual Celebration of our People event to recognise dedication and achievements across the organisation. More than 50 people were honoured with Long Service Good Conduct Awards, Star Awards, Chief Fire Officer's Commendations, Bravery Awards, Academic Achievements and Humanitarian Medals. One hundred and thirty-six submissions were received from members of staff nominating their colleagues for a Star Award.

The Service launched a new Modern Ways of Working Forum during the year, to encourage staff across the Service to submit ideas for smarter ways of working using technology that leads toimprovements in efficiency and productivity. A new regular Watch Managers' Forum was also established to keep wholetime and functional watch managers informed of what is happening in service delivery and give them the opportunity to share feedback and be involved in changes.

The Engine House, the Service’s intranet, hosts a discussion forum ("Shout Up") where staff contribute ideas, feedback, and participate in equipment trials and process innovation. In 2025-26 there were 81 discussions with 304 engagements in those conversations.

Partnerships remain integral, particularly within the Lancashire Resilience Forum, which includes local authorities and other emergency services. In 2025-26, the Service published eight stakeholder e-newsletters with these partners in mind: Prevention Matters and Protection Matters offering fire safety information to prevention partners and businesses respectively; and Hot Topics, which provides Service news and is distributed to partner organisations, MPs, town and parish councils, and community groups.

Five employee voice groups, representing race and religion, women and families, LGBTQ+, neurodiversity, and disability, offer valuable perspectives for policy development, recruitment, education, and intelligence sharing about emerging communities. These groups facilitate consultation and feedback, ensuring that potential negative impacts are identified and addressed.

Business fire safety, community fire safety, and operational crews actively engage with communities through preventive initiatives, such as visiting wildfire risk sites during hot weather, and routine safety checks, furthering the goal of keeping Lancashire residents safe.

Consultation with Trade Unions occurs via both formal and informal meetings, with the Service recognising the Fire Brigades Union (FBU), Fire and Rescue Service Association (FRSA), Fire Officers Association (FOA) and UNISON. Workforce-related decisions and documentation are reviewed collaboratively with trade union representatives and other staff members.

Values and establishing a culture where people thrive

Numerous cultural reviews have been conducted across various Services, resulting in a range of recommendations, including those provided by HMICFRS. The EDIC Board has been established as the mechanism for monitoring progress on these recommendations and overseeing activities designed to foster a positive Service culture where all staff members can thrive. Additionally, the EDIC receives reports and details pertaining to grievances and misconduct. The Service Management Team is informed about instances where disciplinary action has been taken and the key themes.

The anonymous reporting helpline remains an effective channel for employees to raise concerns, with appropriate actions and interventions implemented in response to certain reports. Standard DBS checks are routinely completed for all staff, accompanied by a role-based risk assessment to determine if an Enhanced or Enhanced with Barred List check is necessary. The Legal Services and Standards Manager oversees all misconduct cases and staff-related complaints, ensuring that such matters are addressed fairly, consistently, and promptly. Welfare Officers are assigned to support any staff member under investigation, internal complainants, and, in some cases, internal witnesses throughout challenging processes.

Workplace wellbeing sessions will be delivered across all watches, units, and teams to support the Service’s Safety, Health and Wellbeing Plan. These sessions will introduce a library of bite-sized videos designed to raise awareness of key wellbeing topics and support the development and maintenance of personal resilience among staff. Topics include personal resilience, trauma management, effective wellbeing conversations and nutrition. Additionally, the Wellbeing Support Dog (WSD) cohort has been refreshed, and available to support post-incident trauma response resources, alongside delivery of TRiM and TiB sessions.

Training and Development

The Service implemented 360-degree feedback for all Watch Managers and above, including Senior Leaders and non-uniform equivalents. The questionnaire is associated with STRIVE and is periodically used upon request for development purposes. LFRS provides access to external coaching for all staff members, and has launched an internal mentoring scheme, Lift and Climb.  Since its inception, 57 individuals have requested a mentor, with 12 requests from women.

In October 2024 and March 2025, LFRS partnered with LanCon and NWAS to offer three leadership development events, which addressed resilience and well-being, effective crisis communication, and generational differences. Further training opportunities in collaboration with LanCon and NWAS are planned for 2026-2027. Get a Grip of your Leadership Development Programme is a 3-day programme delivered between April - September 2026. This programme has been created to support leaders to step up confidently, take ownership, and lead teams in a way that builds capability rather than dependency. The 3 modules are: It Always Starts with You; Your Team Culture and Feedback and Accountability.

Training and management development opportunities are provided to both grey and green book staff members and promoted through the Engine House (or via a Talent Management Gateway). These opportunities include Level 3, 5 and 7 Leadership and Management qualifications; Strengths Based Coaching, Performance Management and Confident Conversations, Managing Effective Investigations; Report Writing and Project Management. 

Recruitment and Selection

Recruitment and progression data is analysed and reported to the EDIC Board. The demographic profile of the Service is reported quarterly to the Performance Committee.  LFRS continues its journey to improve the diversity of the workforce to ensure that it represents the community it serves. The Service has taken an integrated approach in relation to delivering positive action and promoting LFRS as an employer of choice; colleagues from human resources and operational staff work together to deliver attraction events, termed “Have a Go” events, supported by other colleagues from the Service’s employee voice groups. Further “Have a Go” events will be planned for 2026-2027 to support the recruitment of under representative groups to Wholetime and On Call Firefighter roles.

The “Have a Go” days offer taster sessions simulating physical assessments and are designed to attract under-represented groups, including women, ethnic minorities, and LGBTQ+ individuals. 

Previously an internal audit was carried out on the Service’s approach to positive action and concluded that “the current recruitment activity adopts Positive Action approach, the processes and controls that are in place are adequate, efficient, and effective at ensuring the right person is recruited to each individual role”, with no actions or recommendations identified.

Whilst no Wholetime Firefighter recruitment took place in 2025-2026, 59 other recruitment campaigns associated with Grey and Green Book staff occurred between 01/04/2025 and 31/03/2026, full details are included at Appendix B.

The Service's talent gateway enables faster advancement for operational staff with high potential, and functional routes support those not wishing to pursue incident command. The Leadership and Development Pathways Service Order clarifies available development and promotion options, complemented by 'On the Menu' sessions and a visual flipbook outlining career pathways.

Achievement, turnover and progression of wholetime firefighter apprentices

LFRS provides firefighter operational apprenticeships. As of 31 March 2026, 153 firefighter apprentices completed their end point assessment, with 15 earning distinctions. There are currently 9 apprentices progressing through the programme. 

Workforce Strategies and Policies

LFRS has numerous policies which support employees with a protected characteristic including:

· Bullying and Harassment Policy.

· Maternity Handbook (incorporating Paternity, Adoption Neonatal and Bereaved Partner Parental Leave).

· Shared Parental Leave.

· Grievance Policy.

· Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy.

· Flexible Working.

· Recruitment and Selection.

· Living with the Menopause.

· Supporting People with Dyslexia.

· HIV.

· Equality Impact Assessment/Equality Analysis.

· Code of Conduct.

· Flexitime Policy.

· Neurodiversity.

· Transition at Work.

· Domestic Abuse.

· Career Breaks.

· Modified and Alternative Duties.

In 2024, The Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Act introduced a duty requiring employers to take "reasonable steps" to prevent sexual harassment at work. This is likely to be updated in October 2026 and the Employment Rights Act 2025 will place an obligation on employers to take all reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment of their workers instead of reasonable steps.

The Act also introduces employer liability for third-party harassment. This liability is not just limited to sexual harassment, but extends to harassment on the grounds of age, disability, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.

Guidance on the Service intranet, Engine House has been updated. The guidance outlines what constitutes sexual harassment, its impacts, prevention measures, and support for employees. The LFRS Bullying and Harassment Service Order and eLearning materials have been updated to reflect the requirements set out in the duty.

LFRS monitors the demographics of employees who are involved in disciplinary action, grievances and harassment and bullying complaints. A profile is attached at Appendix C. However, the full details in some areas of the profile are not reported in public due to the low numbers and the need to preserve confidentiality of the employee.

Performance Management

The Annual Service Plan outlines yearly activities to implement our Community Risk Management Plan (CRMP), with major tasks overseen by the Leadership Team via the Corporate Programme Board. Local Delivery Plans support strategy execution at the departmental and district level.

Staff participate in performance appraisals to establish objectives that are consistent with organisational priorities and to receive feedback related to core values. The appraisal system offers the opportunity for career discussions, which supports individual development and workforce planning. Completion rates for appraisals were 93% for Wholetime staff, 91% for On Call, and 90% for Green Book employees.

Bullying and Harassment

LFRS follows a bullying and harassment procedure to address employee complaints about inappropriate behaviour. Complaints are investigated under this procedure or the disciplinary process, depending on the information provided. See Appendix C for details.  

Issues of concern of employees

The Service addresses employee concerns primarily through its grievance procedure for a broad range of issues beyond misconduct. The Standards Toolkit encourages informal resolutions by managers, escalating to formal processes if needed, which has proven effective. Senior Managers supplement this with station visits and cross-checking reported concerns to identify underlying themes. The anonymous ‘Safe Call’ reporting line allows volunteers, staff, and cadets to raise issues; 10 reports have led to investigations, training, or action. The LFRS Safeguarding Policy now includes guidance on managing allegations against staff.

Gender Pay Gap (GPG) Reporting

The government has completed its consultation on the proposed Equality (Race and Disability) Bill, which seeks to introduce mandatory ethnicity and disability pay gap reporting for larger employers. In March 2026, the Government confirmed its intention to legislate for these requirements, aligning them closely with the existing gender pay gap reporting framework.

While these reporting obligations are not yet in force and the implementation timetable is still to be confirmed, it is expected that they will apply to employers with 250 or more employees, including LFRS. The Service is therefore undertaking preparatory work to review data availability, quality and disclosure rates to ensure readiness for future reporting requirements.

Provision of Gender Pay Gap Information

In accordance with the Equality Act 2010 (Gender Pay Gap Information) Regulations 2017, LFRS is obligated to publish an annual Gender Pay Gap report. Organisations with 250 or more employees must disclose their Gender Pay Gap data using a snapshot date of 31 March 2026. This information must be made available on both the LFRS and Government websites and provides an assessment of the disparity in hourly earnings between male and female employees.

The Gender Pay Gap serves as an equality metric, illustrating differences in average earnings between men and women within the workforce. It does not measure pay inequality for equivalent roles—unequal pay for men and women is prohibited by law. Rather, it reflects variations in hourly pay rates and bonuses received by gender, thereby highlighting any areas of imbalance. The factors contributing to the Gender Pay Gap are multifaceted; for instance, a higher proportion of women pursue careers in lower-paid sectors such as administration. Additionally, some industries remain predominantly male, and a significant proportion of women work part-time, with part-time staff typically earning less than their full-time counterparts.

Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) continues to show a gradual downward trend in the Gender Pay Gap. For all employees the gap decreased from 13.1% in April 2024 to 12.8% in April 2025. For full-time employees, the gap reduced slightly from 7.0% to 6.9%, while part-time employees continue to show a negative gap, with women earning marginally more than men. These figures demonstrate that gender pay disparities remain driven primarily be workforce composition, occupational distribution and working patterns rather than unequal pay for equivalent roles.

Employees for the purposes of the Gender Pay Gap

As of the snapshot date, 31 March 2026, LFRS employed 1,148 individuals. The Service employs a considerably higher percentage of men than women, primarily due to the larger number of operational roles, which have historically been filled predominantly by men and low turnover. In contrast, women represent a greater proportion of staff in support positions.

Mean Gender Pay Gap

The mean (average) Gender Pay Gap is calculated by comparing the average hourly earnings of male and female employees. At LFRS, the mean Gender Pay Gap is –24.6%, meaning that the average hourly rate of female employees is higher than that of male employees. A female earns on average £18.06 and a male £14.49, a difference of £3.57 per hour.

This differs from the UK national average of approximately 12.8%, where men typically earn more than women. However, the LFRS position is influenced by workforce composition rather than difference in pay for equivalent roles. In particular, the Service employs a significant number of on-call firefighters, who are predominantly male and have lower hourly rates, which reduces the overall male average.

Median Gender Pay Gap

To calculate the median Gender Pay Gap, women's hourly earnings are ranked, as are men's, to determine the middle value for each group. The difference between these values is referred to as the median pay gap. At LFRS, the median Gender Pay Gap is 0%, meaning that when comparing the midpoint of earnings, there is no difference between make and female employees.

The inclusion of On-Call and dual contracted staff, who are predominantly male, has a significant impact on both the mean and median Gender Pay Gap. The structure of their earnings results in a higher concentration of men with lower hourly pay at the bottom of the ranking, which influences the overall calculations.

Occupational Group 

Analysis shows that 97% of employees in the lowest quartile are On-Call staff, who are predominantly male and have lower hourly rates due to the nature of their contracts.  This has a significant impact on the overall Gender Pay Gap.

Female employees are primarily concentrated within support roles and are most represented within the lower middle pay quartile. Most female part-time support staff are in the lower-middle quartile, with fewer in the upper quartiles. The proportion of women in the upper quartiles matches their overall representation at LFRS. Since most Firefighters are men, the upper-middle quartile is male dominated.

Men employed under 'Grey Book' terms and conditions receive extra allowances not available to 'Green Book' support staff, who are mostly women; this raises Grey Book average earnings, placing them in the lower-middle quartile.

Women are notably under-represented among operational staff. LFRS aims to increase female firefighter recruitment as part of its EDIC Action plan, launching initiatives to attract diverse applicants and monitoring local recruitment activity to identify and address barriers.

Appendix A - Workforce diversity profile as at 31 March 2026

Employment monitoring data is collected and reported annually for all protected groups, except for gender reassignment, because of the sensitive and confidential nature of this information.

Workforce Demographics LFRS

Total No of roles	White or unknown	BME	Male	Female	Disability	LGBT+	Average Age
1303[1]	1254	49	1028	275	53	58	40 yrs
%	96.2	3.8	78.9	21.1	4.1	4.5

Since 2024/25, the proportion of women employed increased from 20.8% to 21.1%. The percentage of employees identifying as BME increased from 3.5% to 3.8%. The proportion of staff declaring a disability rose from 3.4% to 4.1%.

Workforce Demographics LFRS Grey Book

Total No of roles	White or unknown	BME	Male	Female	Disability	LGBT+	Average Age
1045	1010	35	936	109	37	51	39
%	96.7	3.3	89.6	10.4	3.5	4.9

The proportion of females in grey book positions rose by 0.1% over the past year. BME representation rose from 3.1% to 3.3%. Disability declarations increased by 0.5%, while LGBT+ representation stayed the same.

Workforce Demographics Prevention and Protection

Protection: Business Fire Safety Staff

	White	BME	Male	Female	Disability	Average Age in years
%	97.3	2.7	64.9	35.1	8.1	48

The number of employees declaring a disability has risen from 2.7% to 8.1%, whilst this indicates a significant increase, it is low numbers reflective of the low proportion compared to members of staff who do not declare themselves disabled.  BME representation has fallen from 5.4% to 2.7%. 

Prevention: District Community Safety Staff and HQ Prevention Staff 

	White	BME	Male	Female	Disability	Average Age in years
%	89.4	10.6	31.9	68.1	8.5	46

Within Prevention, there has been a slight reduction in female representation (69.4% to 68.1%); an increase in employees declaring a disability (6.1% to 8.5%), whilst BME representation has remained stable. 

Prevention: Kings Trust Programme Support Green Book staff

	White	BME	Male	Female	Disability	Average Age in years
%	100	0	20	80	0	36

The number of female employees working within the King’s Trust (formerly Prince’s Trust) has slightly decreased, while more men have joined, increasing departmental diversity. The number of BME employees remains unchanged.

Workforce Demographics Response Grey Book Operational staff including resilience and specialist capability

Wholetime Firefighters (including apprentices): 224, Flexible Day Crewing and DCP duty roles

Role	Total No of staff Headcount	White	BME	Male	Female	Disability	Average Age
Strategic	8	8	0	6	2	0	48
Middle Manager (Group Manager Station Manager)	39	38	1	33	6	1	46
Supervisory (Watch Manager Crew Manager)	144	143	1	136	8	5	43
Firefighter	337	321	16	294	43	12	39
Total excluding Day Duty	528	510	18	469	59	18	41

The number of females in the wholetime Service has slightly decreased (61 to 59), while BME representation and the proportion of people declaring a disability remain unchanged from last year.  

On-Call – includes dual contract

Role	Total No of On-call staff	White	BME	Male	Female	Disability	Average Age
Watch Manager	29	27	2	28	1	1	44
Crew Manager	93	90	3	89	4	4	42
Firefighter	329	318	11	294	35	9	34
Total	451	435	16	411	40	14

The On-call Service has seen an increase in the number of females and BME employees, along with a slight rise in staff declaring disabilities.

Support Staff Grey Book (Including Leadership and Development Center, Control, Day Duty staff - refers to terms of employment)

Total No of staff	White	BME	Male	Female	Disability	Average Age
43	42	1	37	6	2	44
%	97.7	2.3	86	14	6.6

The percentage of women, BME and those declaring a disability have all increased, however this is due to an overall decrease in the number of staff employed (48 to 43).   

Female Firefighter operational workforce[2]

Women employed in operations remained at 109.

Crewing System	Rank	Female	BME
224	Firefighter	39	11
224	Crew Manager	5	0
224	Watch Manager	1	0
Day Crewing	Firefighter	2	2
Day Crewing	Crew Manager	1	0
Day Crewing	Watch Manager	0	0
Day Crewing Plus	Firefighter	2	3
Day Crewing Plus	Crew Manager	0	1
Day Crewing Plus	Watch Manager	1	0
Day Duty (including Protection)	Crew Manager	3	0
Day Duty (including Protection)	Watch Manager	6	1
Day Duty (including Protection)	Station Manager	1	0
Flexi Duty Officer	Station Manager	1	1
Flexi Duty Officer	Group Manager	5	0
Brigade Manager	Area Manager	1	0
Assistant Chief Fire Officer	Assistant Chief Fire Officer	1	0
On-call	Firefighter	35	11
On-call	Crew Manager	4	3
On-call	Watch Manager	1	2
TOTAL		109	35

The total of 109 represents all women, broken down as follows:

Wholetime Firefighters (including apprentices): 224, Flexible Day Crewing and Day Crewing Plus duty roles	59
On-Call – includes dual contract	40
Support Staff Grey Book (Including Leadership and Development Center, Control, Day Duty staff - refers to terms of employment)	14
Fire Safety	5

There are now 22 female supervisory managers (Crew and Watch Managers), a reduction from 24.

BME Firefighter operational workforce[3]

The numbers of staff who are BME has increased from 32 to 35.

Crewing System	Rank	BME
224	Firefighter	11
224	Crew Manager	0
224	Watch Manager	0
Day Crewing	Firefighter	2
Day Crewing	Crew Manager	0
Day Crewing	Watch Manager	0
Day Crewing Plus	Firefighter	3
Day Crewing Plus	Crew Manager	1
Day Crewing Plus	Watch Manager	0
Day Duty (including Protection)	Crew Manager	0
Day Duty (including Protection)	Watch Manager	1
Day Duty (including Protection)	Station Manager	0
Flexi Duty Officer	Station Manager	1
Flexi Duty Officer	Group Manager	0
On-call	Firefighter	11
On-call	Crew Manager	3
On-call	Watch Manager	2
Trainee Recruit	Firefighter	0
Total		35

The total of 35 is represented as follows:

Wholetime Firefighters (including apprentices): 224, Flexible Day Crewing and Day Crewing Plus duty roles	18
On-Call – includes dual contract	16
Support Staff Grey Book (Including Leadership and Development Center, Control, Day Duty staff - refers to terms of employment)	0
Fire Safety	1

There are now 7 BME supervisory managers, down from 8 in the previous year.

Workforce Demographics Business Support Staff Green Book

Total No of staff	White	BME	Male	Female	Disability	Average Age
182	174	8	69	113	12	46
%	95.6	4.4	37.9	62.1	6.6

BME staff have decreased from 4.9% to 4.4%. The proportion of women in support services is high and has increased from 60.7% to 62.1%.

Turnover

Staff Category	Male	Female	Total	BME	Disabled	% of females	% of BME
Wholetime	37	3	40	2	2	7.5%	5%
On Call	52	6	58	1	2	10.3%	1.7%
Control	0	0	0			0	0
Service Delivery (CFS)	2	2	4	0	0	50%	0
Support Staff	14	19	33	0	2	57.6%	0
TOTAL	105	30	135	3	6

There has been a slight increase in the number of females (from 28 to 30) and people with declared disabilities (from 5 to 6) leaving the service compared to the previous year.  The main reasons for leaving were identified within these groups as resignation or retirement, with only one female wholetime employee leaving, to transfer to another Service.   

Slightly fewer BME individuals have left.

Age Profile

Staff Category	Age	Age	Age	Age	Age	Age	Age
	Under 34	35-39	40-44	45-49	50-55	56-60	61+
Wholetime	105	168	101	90	104	23	3
On Call	177	115	68	37	29	19	6
Control	0	0	0	0	1	0	0
Service Delivery (CFS)	11	9	7	6	9	9	7
Support Staff	42	25	26	28	32	26	20
TOTAL	335	317	202	161	175	77	36

The proportion of individuals aged under 34 years employed in the Wholetime Service has declined, but this group still represents 22% of the workforce, consistent with the previous year.

Appendix B - Recruitment Profile

Applications during the period 1.4.2025 – 31.3.2026

Total Applications	% of Male	% of Female	% of BME	% of LGBTQ+	% of Disabled
1514	63.7	22.3	22.3	5.9	6.7
Shortlisted
497	65.8	33	16.3	6.8	7.2
Successful
113	74.3	23	8	6.2	4.4

Number of applications

Total applications for LFRS roles fell by almost 9% compared to 2024/25. Male applicants decreased by around 11%, and now account for approximately 64% of applications, a slight reduction from 65% in the previous year. The number of female applicants declined by around 13%, from 34.5% in the previous year.

BME applicants increased by just over 2%, continuing an upward trend, and now represent 22.3% of all applicants compared with 19.9% previously. LGBTQ+ applicants decreased by 1%, with their overall representation reducing from 6.9% in the previous year.

There was a 16% reduction in disabled applicants; however, they continue to account for a notable proportion of the total, at 6.7%, only slightly below the previous year’s 7.3%.

Overall, LFRS continues to attract a diverse range of candidates, with increased representation from some under-represented groups despite a reduction in total application volumes.

Shortlisting

The proportion of female candidates shortlisted increased to 33%, up from 29.3% in the previous year, continuing a positive trend in female representation at this stage.

BME applicants made up a larger proportion of those shortlisted, rising from 11.1% to 16.3%, showing a notable improvement in representation.

LGBTQ+ representation among shortlisted candidates remained relatively stable, increasing slightly from 6.6% to 6.8%.

The proportion of disabled applicants shortlisted also increased from 6.5% to 7.2%.

Overall, the Service has seen improved proportional representation across all under-represented groups at the shortlisting stage.

Appointments

The total number of appointments decreased compared to the previous year, however this is consistent with there being fewer vacancies advertised (99 to 59).  Male appointees made up a slightly higher proportion of successful candidates at around 74.3% (up from 73.8%), while female representation increased from 23% to 26.3%.

The proportion of appointees from BME backgrounds increased notably from 4.4% to 8%, indicating an improvement in representation at the final stage.

LGBTQ+ representation among new appointees also increased, rising from 4.4% to 6.2%.

In contrast, the proportion of appointees declaring a disability decreased from 7.5% to 4.4%.

Overall, while fewer appointments were made, there was improved representation among BME and LGBTQ+ groups, although this was offset by a decline in female and disabled representation.

Grey Book Promotion Recruitment Stats: April 2025 – Mar 2026

Temporary Area Manager – February 2026

Successful	1
Male	1
Female	0
BME	0

Group Manager Talent Gateway – December 2025

Successful	10
Male	7
Female	3
BME	0

Station Manager Talent Gateway – February 2026

Successful	16
Male	16
Female	0
BME	0

Supervisory Manager Talent Gateway – Crew and Watch Manager – July 2025

Successful	27
Male	24
Female	3
BME	1

Appendix C - Disciplinary, Grievance, Harassment and Bullying

Disciplinary Cases for the period 1.4.2025 – 31.3.2026  

From 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026, there were 22 disciplinary investigations - 4 more than the previous year.  

3 of the 22 investigations included multiple individuals, accounting for a further 15 people who have been included in the below breakdown, totalling 37 individual formal investigations over the period.  

Of these collective formal investigations 1 investigation involved 8 individuals. A further investigation involved 3 individuals. In addition to a third investigation involving 4 individuals. 

Male	Female	BME	Disability	LGBTQ+	Appeals	Appeal Upheld
32	4	5	1	1	2	0

Outcomes of these cases were: 

· 2 - dismissals 

· 3 - final written warnings (18 months) 

· 5 – first written warnings (12 months)  

· 3 - recorded oral warnings (6 months) 

· 10 - management letters 

· 8 - no case to answer or no further action 

· 1 - resigned before the hearing. This would have been considered Gross Misconduct and would have resulted in dismissal. 

· 1 – retired prior to a formal investigation; therefore, no disciplinary sanction was determined.  

· 4 - ongoing into 2026-27 

Disciplinary investigations during the 2025-26 reporting period continued to address alleged breaches of Service policy and misconduct.

No disproportionate impact was found on any minority group. 

Matters of Grievance for the period 1 April 2025 – 31 March 2026  

There were 6 grievance cases recorded between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026, representing a decrease of 4 cases compared to the previous year. 

Male	Female	BME	Disability	LGBTQ+	Appeals	Appeal Partially Upheld
6	0	0	0	1*	1	1

3 of the grievances were partially upheld, 1 was not upheld and 2 were withdrawn.  

1 appeal was received, and both the original grievance outcome and the appeal outcome were partially upheld. 

Grievance investigations during the 2025-26 reporting period addressed a range of employee concerns relating to workplace conduct and organisational practices.These included concerns regarding management style and leadership approach. Additional matters raised included issues relating to pay, and concerns arising from workforce planning and recruitment processes. Further grievances related to the allocation of leave entitlement and perceived breaches of data protection requirements. 

No evidence of disproportionate impact on minority groups was found. 

Harassment and Bullying Cases 1 April 2025 – 31 March 2026  

During the period 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026, no new cases were raised under the Bullying and Harassment policy. However, one case from the previous reporting period, 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025, carried over into this period and was concluded, with the outcome being partially upheld.

Appendix D - Completed Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Culture Action Plan 2025 – 2026

Equality Objectives: Our Communities

1. Support local business to reduce the risk of fire and remain compliant within fire safety legislation.

2. Reduce the number and impact of fire and other emergencies to our diverse communities across Lancashire.

3. Develop and deliver a Prevention Service targeting our most vulnerable communities.

	What we will deliver	Measure of Success	Owner	Target Date	In Progress
1	Present the EDI Annual Report to the Fire Authority.	Members are aware of their commitments and accountabilities under the Public Sector Equality Duty. Members are aware of progress to date.	Chief Fire Officer	September 2025	The EDI Annual Report was considered by Resources Committee on 24 September 2025 and subsequently went to the Fire Authority.
2	Reduce accidental fires in the home through targeting those people who are at risk due to a range of factors including age, disability and lifestyle.	Reduce accidental fires. 1.3 Accidental Dwelling Fires 1.4 Accidental Dwelling Fire Casualties	Head of Prevention and Protection	March 2026	Community Fire Safety (CFS) teams attend sessions on rotation to promote Home Fire Safety Checks (HFSC) and address accidental dwelling fires. To address the increased number of cooking related accidental dwelling fires in Brierfield, LFRS partnered with community leaders and the local Imam to host a Fire Safety Surgery at a mosque during Friday prayers. The event generated 66 HFSC referrals and strengthened trust within the community. Feedback highlighted risks linked to the use of tandoor ovens among elderly residents, informing future targeted prevention work. The number of accidental dwelling fires has risen to 742 which is an increase of 52 compared to 2024-25. However, this remains the third lowest annual total recorded since 2009-10, with the previous year representing the lowest on record. Cooking-related fires continue to be the most common cause of ADFs, although the number recorded in 25-26 was slightly lower than the previous year and the lowest seen in the last five years. Analysis also indicates that fires were generally more contained than the five-year average, with a higher proportion resulting in heat and smoke damage only. Increases were noted in fires where the ignition source was linked to the spread of secondary fires, particularly during warmer months, suggesting a correlation with external environmental factors. Smaller increases were also identified in incidents involving electric sources and white goods, highlighting the need for continued targeted prevention activity. Offered 30,596 Home Fire Safety Checks and completed 21,976.
3	Work with at risk groups and local partners to contribute to the reduction and severity of road collisions in Lancashire.  Young People are at particularly high risk of being killed or seriously injured.	Reduce those killed or seriously injured.	Head of Prevention and Protection	March 2026	LFRS marked the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims on 16 November 2025, with the Assistant Chief Fire Officer and the Prevention Support Officer attending a multifaith service at County Hall, Preston. The event honoured those killed or seriously injured on the roads and reinforced our commitment to road safety and community support. Road safety awareness work was delivered in partnership with Blackburn Rovers FC, with digital safety adverts displayed across the stadium’s screens throughout the Christmas period. These messages reached large matchday audiences, promoting safe driving and highlighting seasonal road risks. The collaboration enhanced the Service’s ability to engage diverse communities through high visibility platforms and supported wider road safety objectives.
4	Ensure our services are accessible and meet the needs of people in the community by ensuring that fire prevention activity is linked to a range of risks including cultural risks.	LFRS Meets the needs of different groups	Head of Prevention and Protection	March 2026	During Eid Milad un-Nabi, LFRS delivered an electrical safety campaign across the Pennine district, distributing leaflets on cooking and electrical safety in local shops. The initiative focused on safe use of decorative lighting and preventing overnight fire risks, resulting in zero electrical fires during the period. This engagement strengthened community trust and generated Home Fire Safety Check (HFSC) opportunities.
5	Use a wide range of communication channels ensuring our safety messages meet the different needs of our communities in terms of timing of the campaign and types of risk.	Reduction in KPI activity.	Assistant Director of Communications and Engagement	March 2026	A letter regarding wildfire prevention and open water safety was distributed to the Lancashire Council of Mosques and shared with affiliated councils in Greater Manchester, Bolton, Bradford, and the UK Islamic Mission. To reinforce the message, safety posters are being displayed in mosques and madrassahs throughout the summer. This initiative supports inclusive communication and ensures key safety advice reaches diverse communities across the Northwest. LFRS worked with EG On the Move to display wildfire and water safety adverts free of charge on digital screens across Northwest petrol forecourts until the end of August 2025, helping reach thousands of people each day. The Chief Fire Officer visited the Blackburn site to thank EG On the Move for its support and discuss future partnership opportunities. Building on this partnership, LFRS worked with EG On the Move and NFCC to share bonfire safety messages nationally on forecourt digital screens free of charge. The campaign ran until 9 November 2025 and supported seasonal prevention activity. · To support wildfire and water safety awareness, targeted digital advertising was deployed in high-risk areas during hot, dry weather. This was complemented by: · 32 outdoor banners placed at wildfire risk sites. · 669 letters sent to residential properties offering safety advice and tailored HFSC’s. · 87 businesses contacted with commercial-specific prevention guidance. · Rural fire safety advice shared with farmers, anglers, and gamekeepers via ‘In the Know’ emails and distributed to parish and town councils. These actions reflect our commitment to inclusive, location-specific prevention messaging. LFRS Eastern area has established a partnership with Blackburn Rovers Football Club (BRFC) to share fire and road safety messages with matchday audiences via digital screens and scoreboards. The collaboration includes community initiatives with BRFC’s Community Trust and safety sessions for academy players, which started in December 2025. Pendle Community Radio continues to be a key platform for engaging diverse communities. Through the regular ‘Community Hour’ programme, LFRS has shared safety messages and built trust, featuring guests such as the ACFO on female empowerment and fire safety, and Pendle CFS teams discussing seasonal campaigns including water safety and wildfire prevention. CFA Vice Chair Councillor Arif Usman appeared on Pendle Community Radio’s ‘Community Hour’ to promote winter fire safety and smoke alarm checks. He highlighted the CFA’s role, praised LFRS’s use of digital engagement, and reinforced the importance of community connection and safety awareness during the festive season. Northern area continues to strengthen relationships with HMP Lancaster Farms through regular prevention work. 300 Christmas cards with supportive messages and fire safety advice were shared with vulnerable prisoners, helping promote wellbeing and reduce fire risk during a challenging period. The Central CFS Team Leader joined Pendle Community Radio to share electrical safety advice ahead of the festive period, highlighting risks linked to increased seasonal appliance use, lithium battery safety, and the importance of buying certified electrical products. The session helped raise awareness across diverse communities, promoting safer choices throughout the holidays. Across our social media platforms, we align key safety messaging with religious and cultural events such as Lent, Holi, Hanukkah, Ramadan and Diwali, tailoring advice to reflect specific risks linked to those celebrations (for example, cooking, candles and open flames). We also recognise national awareness days including International Women’s Day, International Men’s Day, Remembrance Day, Neurodiversity Week and World Mental Health Day, resharing relevant content such as podcast episodes and wellbeing resources to engage different audiences. In addition, we provide social media toolkits to local station accounts and partners, enabling consistent, risk-based messaging to be amplified at a community level and delivered at the most appropriate time. The Service continues to support Muslim communities during Ramadan by promoting key fire safety messages linked to fasting and increased cooking activity. Engagement work includes sharing advice on safe meal preparation, checking in on vulnerable family members, and reducing the risk of cooking-related fires during suhoor and iftar. Alongside this, staff observing Ramadan are supported through considerate scheduling and flexibility where possible. These efforts strengthen our relationship with local Muslim communities and help ensure a safe and peaceful holy month for all. For the cooking safety campaign, Mosaic data was used to identify the groups most likely to be involved in cooking-related incidents in Lancashire. People who live in social housing and sheltered accommodation were identified as higher risk. In response, a new poster and leaflet were produced for these settings, with clear cooking safety advice and information about how to request a Home Fire Safety Check. These materials are being shared by Community Fire Safety staff in social and sheltered housing settings during March. Advertising on buses along routes in areas with high concentration of these groups also took place.
6	Attend FRS hosted conferences and events to identify learning and best practice and create networking opportunities for minority members of staff	Engaged communities who are confident in LFRS’s aim of keeping them safer	All Heads of Department	March 2026	Attended NFCC Autumn Conference 9 and 10 October 2025. The conference provided some useful networking opportunities and sharing of policies regarding agreed shift system changes, being cognisant of their Equality Impact Assessment.
7	Attend Pride events in 2025/26 promoting LFRS Prevention and Protection work streams and LFRS as an employer of choice.	Engaged communities who are confident in LFRS aim of keeping them safer	Head of Service Delivery	March 2026	Attended Blackpool, Blackburn with Darwen, Morecambe and Lancaster Pride events during summer 2025.  This was an opportunity to promote safety messages and LFRS as an employer of choice.
8	Identify opportunities to improve engagement with diverse community groups across Lancashire	Engaged communities who are confident in LFRS aim of keeping them safer	Assistant Director of Communications and Engagement	March 2026	A Western CFS team member appeared on two live shows on Awaaz Radio, discussing electrical safety, BBQ safety, and wildfire prevention during hot weather. The broadcasts addressed public protection orders and engaged listeners in Gujarati and Urdu, encouraging safer alternatives like picnics instead of BBQs. This initiative supported inclusive communication and strengthened engagement with diverse communities. A Safety During Hajj presentation was delivered ahead of Hajj 2025, offering tailored advice on fire safety, crowd awareness, and simple safety measures for pilgrims. This bespoke session supported culturally relevant engagement and promoted safety during a significant religious event. Social media posts were shared to mark key cultural and historical events, including Pride Month, the 80^th anniversary of VE Day, and Easter celebrations. These posts reflect our commitment to recognising and celebrating the diversity of our communities and workforce. In partnership with Benefit Mankind, a community awareness morning was held to engage with diverse communities and recognise the contributions of volunteers. The event highlighted the value of working with grassroots organisations and supported relationship building aligned with our wider inclusion goals. LFRS proudly supported Visit My Mosque in October 2025. This year’s theme, #OurStories #OurNeighbourhoods, highlights how mosques are not just places of worship, but part of the fabric of our neighbourhoods and wider society. The campaign celebrates the many ways mosques – and the people within them – help to build and support the communities around them. LFRS attended Diwali celebrations at BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir on 22 October 2025, led by the DCFO and CFA Vice Chair. The event promoted cultural understanding, unity, and fire safety though the introduction of battery-operated tea lights. LFRS will share this best practice nationally to support safe celebrations and strengthen community partnerships. LFRS has launched a fire safety initiative for churches across Lancashire, working with local dioceses and stakeholders to promote preventative measures. The project focuses on awareness, training, and practical steps such as candle and electrical safety during festive periods, aiming to protect heritage buildings and strengthen community engagement. Northern CFS team and Lancaster red watch delivered Bright Sparx fire safety education at The Ridge Estate Half Term Club on 30 October 2025. Activities focused on fireworks and seasonal safety, engaging young people in an area with high ASB and fire risk. The visit strengthened community relationships and promoted proactive prevention ahead of bonfire night. As part of the Bright Sparx campaign, LFRS engaged high-risk communities in Burnley through a Fire Safety Surgery at a local mosque during Friday prayers, supported by the CFA Vice Chair. The event promoted bonfire and fireworks safety, generated HFSC referrals, and strengthened community relationships. To mark Hanukkah, LFRS’s CFS Team visited Shalom Lodge in Fylde to deliver fire safety advice to elderly residents, covering cooking, electrical safety, and safe candle use. HFSC’s were completed, and residents were encouraged to raise concerns. This engagement reinforces our commitment to building strong relationships with the Jewish community and ensuring safety for all. As part of the 2026-27 Council Tax and Shaping our Services for the Future consultations, the community engagement officer helped community members complete paper copies of the consultation papers. The Shaping our Services for the Future consultation was promoted via a wide range of methods to give communities opportunities to take part. This included: digital advertising; printed postcards signposting to the survey were distributed by CFS teams while doing community engagement activity; direct mail / email to people who had used our services in the past two years; media activity; stakeholder newsletters and internal communications. A social media advert was targeted at people living in postcodes within very high and high risk super output areas. The aim was to encourage feedback from people who are most at risk in Lancashire, so their views were better represented in the consultation. The advert reached 64,693 people and generated 2,846 clicks through to the survey. The Service attended the Lancashire Faith Forum, a multi-faith partnership event held in Blackburn that brings together faith communities and the public sector. LFRS already has strong relationships with faith groups across the county, and the Forum expressed interest in the Service signing the Faith Covenant, which would make LFRS the first fire and rescue service in the country to do so. This opportunity will be considered as part of ongoing engagement with faith communities. A visit was arranged on 2 February 2026 to a newly opened mosque in Blackburn. All staff were welcome to attend, and further details were shared via the Engine House. This visit supported continued engagement with local faith communities.
9	Embed the equality impact assessment process	Leading to better policy development and the needs of staff and the community are full considered	Director of People and Development	March 2026	Work is underway to utilise SharePoint as the platform for managing Equality Impact Assessments (EIAs). Supporting policy, guidance, and forms are currently being updated to improve accessibility and consistency across the organisation. An On the Menu session was held on Friday 6 March 2026, which talked about what an Equality Impact Assessment is, the importance of EIA’s and the new submission process, with the opportunity for attendees to ask questions throughout the presentation.  Further sessions will be delivered in 2026/27.
10	Develop a list of buildings which do not meet accessibility requirements.	LFRS Meets the needs of different groups	Head of Property	October 2025	Building Conditions Surveys were completed in January 2026, with findings informing the development of the 2026/27 Property Asset Management Plan. This work supports the identification of opportunities to improve accessibility, inclusivity, and suitability of Service buildings for staff, visitors, and community use.
11	Review and improve internal systems in relation to accessibility	LFRS Meets the needs of different groups	Head of Digital Transformation / ICT	March 2026	Copilot Chat is now available to all staff through the existing Microsoft 365 licence, supporting improved communication and reducing administrative workload across the Service. Guidance, example prompts and learning resources are available via the Microsoft 365 Hub, with Digital Champions providing additional support. A series of webinars will also be delivered to help staff understand how to use Copilot effectively in their roles. Procurement processes have been updated so that all relevant digital solutions must meet WCAG accessibility standards. This ensures new systems are compliant and accessible from the point of purchase. Key corporate templates, including Service Orders and Standard Operating Procedures, have been updated into accessible formats to improve readability and support staff with diverse needs. Read & Write assistive software is now available to all employees, offering tools such as text-to-speech and reading support to enhance accessibility and inclusion across the workforce. DDaT continues to work closely with Employee Voice Groups and external focus groups to better understand accessibility needs and ensure user requirements are reflected in digital improvements. Accessibility considerations are now built into all internally developed digital systems from the outset, helping ensure new tools meet inclusive design standards. User interface and user experience guidance, along with WCAG-based accessibility advice, is also being shared with new Power BI developers to support the creation of dashboards that are clearer, more inclusive, and easier for all users to understand. Corporate Communications has engaged Web Usability Partnership Ltd to review internal and external systems using the WCAG-EM methodology, helping ensure ongoing accessibility compliance. Accessibility training has been delivered to key departments this year to prepare staff who will be responsible for developing and writing major Service documents over the next 12 months, ensuring accessible practice is embedded from the outset.
12	Reduce community risk by providing safety advice, engaging with migrant communities, refugees, asylum seekers, seasonal workers and students	LFRS Meets the needs of different groups	Heads of Service Delivery	March 2026	The Western CFS team delivered fire safety talks to local asylum seekers and refugees, including a tailored ESOL presentation at the Metropole Hotel for individuals from 16 nationalities. Clothing-related fire risks were identified, particularly among women, and a follow up safety package is being developed. The initiative aimed to build trust and reinforce key safety messages within vulnerable communities. To mark Refugee Week, teams across Lancashire engaged with residents who have sought refuge in the area, focusing on home fire safety education. This initiative supported inclusive outreach and helped build trust with vulnerable communities. Work is ongoing to maintain up to date risk information on the current Hotels being used to house migrants within Lancashire. Work has started with ‘New Neighbours Together’, supporting asylum seekers and ESOL learners to improve fire safety awareness, particularly for those living in HMOs and alternative housing arrangements. Engagement is ongoing with eligible personnel residing at the Tickled Trout Hotel since their arrival in May last year. The work has focused on increasing awareness and understanding of evacuation procedures to ensure safety and support for the group. It was also noted that the appropriate terminology is ‘eligible personnel’ rather than ‘refugees’.
13	Promote Water Safety targeting underrepresented groups	LFRS Meets the needs of different groups	Heads of Service Delivery	March 2026	A Western CFS team member met with key leaders in Blackpool to plan visits to local madrassahs, aiming to promote water safety through culturally sensitive engagement. This supports proactive relationship building and tailored safety education. To mark World Drowning Prevention Day (25 July 2025), LFRS launched a joint water safety campaign with regional Councils of Mosques and UKIM, targeting madrassahs across the North of England. A digital letter was distributed via mosque portals, reaching over 45,000 students, with many mosques incorporating safety messages into Friday sermons. This was our first use of digital platforms for this audience, supporting inclusive, culturally responsive communication.
14	Develop targeted education packages for Home Schooled and mobile children	LFRS Meets the needs of different groups	Heads of Prevention and Protection	March 2026	A range of home education packages have been delivered this year through both virtual sessions and in-person visits, ensuring flexibility and accessibility for families with diverse needs. These packages have supported children educated at home with essential fire safety knowledge, tailored guidance, and opportunities to engage directly with prevention staff. As part of the Prevention Review, recommendations now focus on further refining and developing this offer, including exploring how the programme can be formalised and mainstreamed into future years to ensure a consistent, sustainable, and high-quality intervention for home-educated children across Lancashire.
15	Review of rural farm safety messaging	Reduce the number of fires within rural communities	Heads of Prevention and Protection	March 2026	A review of our rural fire safety packages is currently underway to ensure they remain relevant and responsive to emerging risks. New materials are being developed to strengthen prevention activity in rural communities, with a particular focus on wildfire risk and safety within rural workplaces such as farms. This work aims to provide more targeted guidance, improve engagement with rural stakeholders, and enhance overall community resilience in isolated or higher-risk areas.
16	Deliver targeted Business Safety advice to ethnic minorities	Reduce the number of fires in businesses and the need for prosecution	Heads of Prevention and Protection	March 2026	Targeted interventions have been delivered to support responsible persons from ethnic minority communities. This has included the development of bespoke fire safety leaflets, tailored engagement sessions with business leaders, and dedicated support for places of worship. These activities aim to improve understanding of legal duties under fire safety legislation and to help responsible persons comply effectively with their obligations.

Equality Objectives: Our Workforce

1. Promote Equality in our workforce policies and practices

2. Develop our staff to ensure they can respond competently meeting the different needs of our diverse communities.

	What we will deliver	Measure of Success	Owner	Target Date	Completed Actions
17	Recruit, promote and retain a workforce which is diverse and which meets the needs of the community we serve	Identify any key trends in relation to the workforce.	Director People and Development	March 2026	On Call Support Officers delivered four practical On Call recruitment sessions as Accrington and Rossendale College and Nelson and Colne college, engaging around 160 students. Activities included fitness tests and equipment challenges to showcase role requirements. 70% of participants were from BAME backgrounds and 7% were neurodivergent, supporting ongoing efforts to raise awareness and improve diversity in recruitment.
18	Engage and communicate with staff through: Regular engagement with representative bodies Supporting external diversity and inclusion networks which promote Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and share information. Supporting existing internal networks	A workforce which feels inclusive and is more engaged	Chief Fire Officer EDI Steering Group DCFO EDI leads	March 2026	Internal communications covered a range of EDI and community safety topics, including Refugee Week fire safety, neurodiversity, Pride events, Preston’s Gujarati Hindu community anniversary, Healthwatch Lancashire’s Disability Voices survey, Hajj safety messaging, and guidance on supporting colleagues during Ramadan. Women in the Fire Service (WFS) weekend was held in June and had again proved to be a successful event. LFRS had seven delegates attend, with two delegates supporting the event by delivering some sessions. Further work is underway to understand the steps needed for the Service to progress towards White Ribbon accreditation, which demonstrates an organisation’s commitment to preventing harassment, abuse, and violence against women and girls. To mark Dyslexia Awareness Week, LFRS celebrated being awarded the Bronze Dyslexia Friendly Quality Mark, recognising our commitment to accessibility and inclusive workplace practices. This achievement reflects the efforts of the Neurodiversity EVG and provided a foundation to work toward silver accreditation. The FBU has developed an Allyship School to strengthen support for LGBTQ+ members and promote inclusive behaviours within the fire and rescue sector. The programme focuses on developing understanding, advocacy skills, and active allyship, enabling participants to help create safer and more supportive workplaces. Attendance will be offered only to active members of the relevant EVG, ensuring participants are already engaged in representing workforce voices and contributing to cultural improvement. The updated Transition at Work Policy has been positively received by the LGBTQ+ EVG, reflecting strengthened support and clearer guidance for trans and gender-diverse staff. Following this, LFRS was approached by a representative from NWAS expressing interest in collaborative working. An invitation has been extended for NWAS to attend a future LGBTQ+ EVG meeting to explore opportunities for shared learning, alignment of best practice, and the development of a joined-up regional approach to supporting staff through workplace transition. The Race and Religion EVG discussed the need to improve access to Chaplaincy support for staff across the Service. This action will be raised with the Safety, Health & Wellbeing Advisor and a Station Manager to identify options for enhanced spiritual and pastoral provision. The Disability EVG discussed the challenges On-Call staff face in participating in EVG meetings due to their working patterns. To improve inclusion and ensure wider access to EVG communications, the Director of People and Development will attend an evening On-Call Unit Managers meeting to explore options for sharing updates more effectively. The Service continues to support staff observing Ramadan by encouraging line managers to hold early, respectful discussions about reasonable adjustments, including time for prayers, arrangements for breaking the fast, and annual leave around Eid. Guidance has been shared to help managers consider staff welfare during fasting.
19	Job Evaluate Green Book posts as per the National Evaluation Scheme.	Ensure equality of pay and grading as per legislative requirements	Director of People and Development	March 2026	Job roles are evaluated using the agreed job evaluation scheme.
20	Develop a strong organisational culture where the behaviours of our leaders are understood and championed with a view to embedding our values.	Strengthen leadership and line management to support organisational change.	Director of People and Development	March 2026	The Supervisory development programme has been updated utilising some of the learning from NFCC Allyship and Active Bystander Training supporting inclusive behaviours and a positive workplace culture.
21	Support relevant campaigns promoting awareness of issues impacting on minority ethnic communities.	A workforce who is engaged and feels valued and contributes to effective decision making	All EDI leads	March 2026	A Station Manager appeared on Pendle Community Radio to launch our Cooking Safety Campaign, aimed at supporting Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) communities. The broadcast also introduced our new Language Name Badges, designed to strengthen connections with diverse communities. The interview sparked positive local conversations and reinforced our commitment to inclusion, safety, and trust across Lancashire.
22	Involve representatives from EDI groups in relation to any proposed changes to property or equipment and ensure an EIA is completed.	A workforce who is engaged and feels valued	Head of Property	March 2026	Property personnel are now represented at most EVG meetings, with plans to expand involvement further as capacity allows. This supports broader inclusion and cross departmental collaboration. EQIA process is followed for projects as appropriate.
23	Refresh the EIA Policy and Process	An organisational culture where EDI is valued and understood	Director People and Development	August 2025	The refresh is in draft. To strengthen governance, accountability, and ongoing oversight of Equality Impact Assessments (EIAs), an Equality Progress Update Report will be presented at every EDICB meeting from April 2026. This regular reporting will provide updates on completed EIAs, outstanding actions, trends or gaps identified, and any required organisational improvements. The process ensures EIAs remain active, monitored, and fully integrated into strategic decision making across the Service.
24	Improve the EIA workflow, logging of actions and retention of Data	Continue to empower our people to access information and data easily on a range of systems and devices, invest in new technology, and drive efficiencies through digitisation.	Director People and Development	October 2025	A dedicated SharePoint site has been launched to host all Equality Impact Assessments (EIAs), ensuring transparency and easy access across the Service. All new and updated EIAs must now be uploaded to this site using updated templates, with an automated approval and publication process similar to Service Orders. Employee Voice Groups should be consulted during drafting, and a prompt is being built into the Service Order update process to remind authors to review and update relevant EIAs.
25	Invest in our estate to upgrade station facilities to meet the needs of the users	A workforce who has facilities to operate from that are fit for purpose.	Head of Property	March 2026	Building Stock Condition Surveys undertaken in quarter 2 and quarter 3 of 25-26. Reports received and under review – January 2026. The findings will inform future investment decisions across the estate, supporting safe, accessible, and inclusive environments for all staff and visitors. Inclusive infrastructure improvements: · Blackpool upgrade works completed in December 2025. · Preston interim improvements ongoing – anticipated to be complete by Spring 2026. · LDC Masterplan planning submission under review. · Revenue-funded upgrades planned across various stations in 25-26 - going - covering essential repairs and minor projects (such as Fulwood Fire Station new kitchen complete). These improvements support safe, accessible, and inclusive working environments across the estate. New furniture supply agreement has been awarded to Gresham Office Furniture, who bring experience working with Fire and Rescue Services nationwide. This marks a key step in enhancing our workspaces, aiming to create more comfortable, inclusive, and productive environments for staff.
26	Identify any learning from cultural reviews and deliver interventions accordingly	An organisational culture where EDI is valued and understood	Director of People and Development	March 2026	A gap analysis was prepared against two independent cultural review reports into North Wales and Mid and West Wales fire and rescue services, which was presented at the EDICB meeting in July 2025. The purpose of this analysis was to identify areas of learning and improvement, which will be captured and included in the EDI Annual Report.
27	Improve welfare facilities for members of staff.	A workforce where everyone feels valued	Head of Service Improvement Head of Property	March 2026	Funding has been secured to improve staff welfare at incidents. A survey was shared via the Engine House to ensure the new welfare vehicle is designed to meet the needs of all staff effectively and inclusively. Property investment – see section 25 above.
28	Embed information in relation to the talent gateway and develop a shared understanding of talent	Promotion pathways are transparent and properly understood	Director of People and Development	March 2026	The most recent Supervisory Manager Talent Gateway process concluded in July 2025, with outcomes and interview topic areas shared openly via the News page on the Engine House. This step was taken to promote transparency and ensure that all employees have a clear understanding of the expectations and criteria involved in the process. For the first time, candidate feedback was actively requested following the Talent Gateway. This marks a significant shift toward promoting employee voice, demonstrating our commitment to listening, learning, and continuously improving our internal development pathways. By embedding feedback mechanisms, we aim to make our talent processes more inclusive, responsive, and reflective of the diverse experiences of our workforce.
29	Respond to any areas of improvement/recommendations from the LFRS HMICFRS inspection	An organisational culture where EDI is valued and understood	Director of People and Development	March 2026	An area for improvement was in relation to equality impact assessments.  A new approach to completing, recording and reviewing equality impact assessments has been implemented.
30	Deliver Menopause Awareness	A workforce where everyone feels valued	Head of Service Improvement	March 2026	As part of the Women and Families Group, a menopause nutrition session was delivered on Friday 16 January 2026 by Caroline Hill, a registered dietician specialising in supporting women through perimenopause and menopause. This initiative promotes inclusive practice by increasing awareness of menopause, providing practical guidance, and offering accessible support to staff across the Service. FireFit is conducting research on female firefighters and menopause to develop evidence-based toolkits and guidance. The project focuses on improving fitness, health, and wellbeing nationally. Participants have been sought internally to participate in an online survey that explores their experience during the menopause transition while working as a Firefighter. A news article has been shared on the Engine House from the NFCC Menopause in Fire Conference, including sessions by Dr. Newson and Hayley Douglas. These resources provide best practice and evidence-based guidance to support female firefighters through menopause, promoting health, wellbeing, and inclusion across the sector.
31	Explore how aspiring Firefighters and Crew Managers wish to access leadership development events, deliver training interventions that meet those needs.	An organisational culture where EDI is valued and understood	Director of People and Development	March 2026	Firefighters and Crew Managers highlight a preference for leadership development opportunities that are flexible, accessible and compatible with operational demands. Delivery of development focuses on a blend of face-to-face learning, virtual sessions and shorter bite-sized interventions that can be accessed around shift patterns and other commitments. Leadership development is designed and delivered using a range of formats, ensuring that learning opportunities are inclusive, accessible and responsive to the needs of different employee groups.
32	Conduct a comprehensive staff survey	A workforce where everyone feels valued / Encourage and listen to employee voice	All	March 2026	The staff survey was launched on 2 July 2025 and closed on 29 August 2025. 511 members of staff completed the 2025 survey, raising over £500 for charity and providing valuable feedback to shape future policies. Key findings include: 91% believe their work makes Lancashire safer; 89% know how to raise concerns; 88% feel supported by their team. Areas for improvement include job enjoyment, feeling informed, and feeling valued. Feedback will inform the Annual Service Plan 2026-27, with actions communicated in the coming months.
33	Develop Religion and Belief Policy	An organisational culture where EDI is valued and understood	People Manager – Business Partnering	September 2025	A Religion and Belief Policy has been drafted and shared with Employee Voice Groups for consultation. Feedback is currently being reviewed, with a revised draft to follow. This work will carry forward into the 2026-27 EDI Action Plan to ensure continued development and alignment with staff needs.
34	Establish two workplace assessors	A workforce where everyone feels valued	Director of People and Development	March 2026	In July 2025, the EDICB approved training for two Workplace Needs Assessors to support inclusive workplace practices. Volunteers were sought at the Neurodiversity EVG on 2 October. The training, funded via the Member Champion budget, will lead to a Level 4 qualification and is a key step toward achieving the Gold Dyslexia Friendly Quality Mark. Assessors will be based in functional departments with capacity to visit stations, ensuring tailored support for staff with specific needs. Two existing members of staff have now achieved the Level 4 qualification and work is underway to introduce the roles into Service.
35	Determine if there is a more effective way of communicating outcomes and decisions of complaints	LFRS Meets the needs of different groups	Director of People and Development	March 2026	A range of different communications tools are utilised including, team meetings, station visits, utilising of Teams, extended Leadership meetings and Watch Manager catch ups.
36	Refresh the Exit Interview process	Identify any key trends in relation to the workforce	Head of People	March 2026	Work to refresh the Exit Interview process is ongoing, with an online form currently in development and pending approval. Once approved, testing will be undertaken to ensure functionality and user accessibility. Implementation of the new process will take place in the next financial year, with this action carried forward into the 2026-27 EDI Action Plan.
37	Provide coaching and mentoring opportunities to improve access and progression for under-represented groups	A workforce where everyone feels valued and supported	Leadership and Development Manager	March 2026	In 2025/26, 28 people accessed an external coach - 13 females; 15 males; 10 uniformed; 18 non-uniformed. 26 people engaged with the Lift and Climb Mentoring Programme – 3 females; 23 males; 24 uniformed staff; 2 non-uniformed staff.

Appendix E - Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Culture Action Plan 2026 – 2027

Equality Objectives: Our Communities

1. Support local business to reduce the risk of fire and remain compliant within fire safety legislation.

2. Reduce the number and impact of fire and other emergencies to our diverse communities across Lancashire.

3. Develop and deliver a Prevention Service targeting our most vulnerable communities.

	What we will deliver	Measure of Success	Owner	Target Date	In Progress
1	Present the EDI Annual Report to the Fire Authority.	Members are aware of their commitments and accountabilities under the Public Sector Equality Duty Members are aware of progress to date.	Chief Fire Officer	September 2026
2	Reduce accidental fires in the home through targeting those people who are at risk due to a range of factors including age, disability and lifestyle.	Reduce accidental fires. 1.3 Accidental Dwelling Fires 1.4 Accidental Dwelling Fire Casualties	Head of Prevention and Protection	March 2027
3	Work with at risk groups and local partners to contribute to the reduction and severity of road collisions in Lancashire. Young People are particularly at high risk of being killed or seriously injured.	Reduce those killed or seriously injured.	Head of Prevention and Protection	March 2027
4	Ensure our services are accessible and meet the needs of people in the community by ensuring that fire prevention activity is linked to a range of risks including cultural risks.	LFRS Meets the needs of different groups	Head of Prevention and Protection	March 2027
5	Use a wide range of communication channels ensuring our safety messages meet the different needs of our communities in terms of timing of the campaign and types of risk.	Reduction in KPI activity.	Asst Director of Communications and Engagement	March 2027
6	Attend any FRS hosted conferences and events to identify learning best practice and create networking opportunities for minority members of staff	Engaged communities who are confident in LFRS aim of keeping them safer	All Heads of Department	March 2027
7	Attend Community events in 2026-27 promoting LFRS Prevention and Protection work streams and LFRS as an employer of choice.	Engaged communities who are confident in LFRS aim of keeping them safer	Head of Service Delivery	March 2027
8	Identify opportunities to improve engagement with diverse community groups across Lancashire	Engaged communities who are confident in LFRS aim of keeping them safer	Asst Director of Communications and Engagement	March 2027
9	Embed the equality impact assessment process	Leading to better policy development and the needs of staff and the community are full considered	Director of People and Development	March 2027
10	Review and improve internal systems in relation to accessibility	LFRS Meets the needs of different groups	Head of Digital Transformation / ICT	March 2027
11	Implement ideas from our new Modern Ways of Working Forum to drive improvements across the organisation through digital innovation and better use of technology utilising the equality impact assessment process ensuring all members of staff are engaged with the change	LFRS Meets the needs of different groups	Head of Digital, Data and Technology	March 2027
12	Reduce community risk by providing safety advice, engaging with communities at higher risk including migrant communities, eligible personnel, asylum seekers, seasonal workers and students	LFRS Meets the needs of different groups	Heads of Service Delivery	March 2027
13	Support local businesses to reduce the risk of fire and remain compliant within fire safety legislation	Reduce the number of fires in businesses and the need for prosecution	Heads of Prevention and Protection	March 2027
14	Host the Winter AFSA Conference creating opportunities for learning and development	Members of staff develop their leadership skills and how to develop interventions which reduce the risk to those most at risk	Asst Director of Communications and Engagement	November 2026
15	Develop and deliver a prevention service targeting our most vulnerable communities	Reduce the number of incidents within vulnerable communities	Head of Prevention & Protection	March 2027
16	Reduce the number and impact of fire and other emergencies to our diverse communities across Lancashire	LFRS Meets the needs of different groups	Heads of Service Delivery	March 2027
17	Consult with a wide range of stakeholders including residents, businesses, partner agencies and employees to produce a new CRMP for 2027-32	LFRS Meets the needs of different groups	Head of Service Improvement Asst Director of Communications and Engagement	December 2026
18	Review our Prevention Services ensuring that the most at risk are targeted	LFRS Meets the needs of different groups	ACFO	September 2026

Equality Objectives: Our Workforce

1. Promote Equality in our workforce policies and practices

2. Develop our staff to ensure they can respond competently meeting the different needs of our diverse communities.

	What we will deliver	Measure of Success	Owner	Target Date	In Progress
19	Recruit, promote and retain a workforce which is diverse which meets the needs of the community we serve.	Identify any key trends in relation to the workforce.	Director People and Development	March 2027
20	Engage and communicate with staff through: Regular engagement with representative bodies Supporting external diversity and inclusion networks which promote Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and share Information. Supporting existing internal networks	A workforce which feels inclusive and is more engaged	Chief Fire Officer EDI Steering Group DCFO EDI leads	March 2027
21	Job Evaluate Green Book posts as per the National Evaluation Scheme.	Ensure equality of pay and grading as per legislative requirements	Director of People and Development	March 2027
22	Develop a strong organisational culture where the behaviours of our leaders are understood and championed with a view to embedding our values.	Strengthen leadership and line management to support organisational change.	Director of People and Development	March 2027
23	Support relevant campaigns promoting awareness of those at higher risk.	A workforce who is engaged and feels valued and contributes to effective decision making	All EDI leads	March 2027
24	Involve representatives from EDI groups in relation to any proposed changes to property or equipment and ensure an EIA is completed.	A workforce who is engaged and feels valued	Head of Property	March 2027
25	Develop an approach supporting partners aimed at reducing violence against women and girls	A workforce who is engaged and feels valued	ACFO	December 2026
26	Invest in our estate to upgrade facilities to meet the needs of the users with a specific focus on the replacement of training props	A workforce who has facilities to operate from that are fit for purpose.	Head of Property	March 2027
27	Develop our Property Asset Management Plan to inform decisions about short, medium, and long-term investment required in our property and estates assets	A workforce who has facilities that are fit for the future.	Head of Property	March 2027
28	Respond to staff survey results	A workforce where everyone feels valued / Encourage and listen to employee voice	All	March 2027
29	Develop Religion and Belief Policy	An organisational culture where EDI is valued and understood	People Manager – Business Partnering	September 2026
30	Embed the workplace needs assessors, monitor utilisation and impact to ensure effective support for employees	A workforce where everyone feels valued	Director of People and Development	March 2027
31	Develop a mechanism to ensure appropriate support reaches members of staff who identify as neurodivergent.	A workforce where everyone feels valued	Head of People	March 2027
32	Roll out the new Exit Interview process and analyse leaver data to inform future retention strategies, workforce planning, and targeted EDI initiatives to improve employee experience and inclusion	Identify any key trends in relation to the workforce	Head of People	March 2027	.
33	Take proactive steps to support workers through menopause	A workforce who has facilities to operate from that are fit for purpose.	Head of People	March 2027

Glossary

Acronym	Meaning
ACFO	Assistant Chief Fire Officer
ADHD	Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
AFA	Automatic Fire Alarm
BME	Black and Minority Ethnic
CFA	Combined Fire Authority
CFO	Chief Fire Officer
CFS	Community Fire Safety
CM	Crew Manager
CRMP	Community Risk Management Plan
DBS	Disclosure and Barring Service
DCP	Day Crewing Plus
EDI	Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
EDIC	Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Culture
EIA	Equality Impact Assessment
FBU	Fire Brigades Union
FF	Firefighter
FOA	Fire Officers Association
FRSA	Fire and Rescue Service Association
FREDA	Fairness, Respect, Equality, Dignity and Autonomy
GM	Group Manager
GPG	Gender Pay Gap
HMICFRS	His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services
HQ	Headquarters
HR	Human Resources
IMD	Index of Multiple Deprivation
LCFA	Lancashire Combined Fire Authority
LDC	Leadership Development Centre
LFRS	Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service
LGBTQ+	Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning and others
LSOA	Lower-layer Super Output Area
MP	Member of Parliament
NFCC	National Fire Chiefs Council
NJC	National Joint Council
NWAS	Northwest Ambulance Service
ONS	Office for National Statistics
PSED	Public Sector Equality Duty
SM	Station Manager
SLT	Senior Leadership Team
STRIVE	Service, Trust, Respect, Integrity, Value and Empowered
TiB	Trauma-informed Briefing
TRiM	Trauma Risk Management
UNISON	Public service trade union
WM	Watch Manager
WSD	Wellbeing Support Dog

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[1] The figure refers to the total number of posts occupied by members of staff which allows for dual contracted members of staff to be included twice due to them undertaking two roles. 

[2] Day Duty included, not included in the operational response section

[3] Day Duty included, not included in the operational response section