Meeting to be held on 24 June 2024.
Contact for further information: Deputy Chief Fire Officer Steve Healey
Tel: 01772 866801
Executive SummaryThis report summarises Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service (LFRS) prosecutions pertaining to fire safety offences, in addition to convictions resulting from arson incidents which have been progressed via the criminal justice process.
Given the rapidly evolving regulatory change in building fire safety, an update on Fire Protection and Business Support is also provided, detailing how the Service is adapting delivery whilst developing our workforce, to ensure that we keep pace with the changes and improve public and firefighter safety within the built environment.
RecommendationThe Authority is asked to note the report. |
Three cases currently sit within the court system. Of these, one is set for sentencing on the 01 July 2024 in Crown Court with the other two set for plea and case management hearings on the 11July 2024. One of these cases has a trial start date set for 30 June 2025 for 10 days.
A fourth case is currently awaiting a Magistrates Court date following summons.
Protection teams continue to investigate and build files in relation to eleven further cases wherein offences are believed to have been committed under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, involving the following types of premises:
· Care and nursing home x 1
· House in multiple occupation x 2
· Residential flats x 2
· Mixed commercial and residential x 2
· Commercial car repair garage x 1
· Nightclub x 1
· Healthcare setting x 1
· Hotel x 1
The BFSC continues to offer greater business support with 3,372 checks undertaken in total during the 23/24 performance year.
87% (2,920) have been deemed satisfactory, with 452 deemed unsatisfactory and triaged by protection teams with both informal and formal enforcement taken.
Total: 790
Satisfactory: 687 (87%)
Unsatisfactory: 103
No recent changes to legislation have taken place.
Circa 2,300 audits have been undertaken in total during the 23/24 performance year, resulting in 164 formal enforcement notices and 24 prohibitions.
Alexandra Close, Clayton le Moors, Accrington.
Date and Time of Call – 29/11/2022, 04:02.
This incident involved the deliberate ignition of paper which had been placed in the letterbox of a first floor flat. No persons were in the property at the time of the incident and the fire was extinguished by a neighbour prior to the arrival of the fire service. The fire caused severe damage to the UPVC front door and moderate smoke damage throughout the flat.
Following a guilty plea to arson with recklessness as to whether life was endangered, the defendant was sentenced to 2 years imprisonment, suspended for 21 months and ordered to attend 30 hours rehabilitation activity.
Moderate – Members are made aware of prosecutions related to fire safety activity and / or arson within Lancashire, to satisfy themselves that the required robust approach is being pursued.
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Data Protection (GDPR)
Will the proposal(s) involve the processing of personal data?
No
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Reason for inclusion in Part 2 if appropriate: Insert Exemption Clause