Lancashire Combined Fire Authority

Planning Committee

Meeting to be held on 18 November 2024

His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) Update

Contact for further information – Steve Healey, Deputy Chief Fire Officer

Tel: 01772 866801

Executive Summary

This report provides an update on His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) activity.

Additionally, it provides information regarding Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service’s (LFRS) ongoing preparations for HMICFRS Round 3 inspection, the inspection process, and wider HMICFRS activity including misconduct, and values and culture within Fire and Rescue Services.

Recommendation

Planning Committee are requested to note and endorse the update.

Round 3 Overview

HMICFRS commenced Round 3 inspections in early 2023, the three pillars; effectiveness, efficiency, and people remain the same as Round 2. Likewise, the 11 diagnostics under each pillar which inspectors make graded judgements against.

Although LFRS have not yet received confirmation of the new inspection date, it is anticipated that our inspection will take place over February and March 2025. We are still to be allocated our new Service Liaison Lead; however HMICFRS Inspecting Officer, Viv Horton, remains LFRS point of contact. Viv met with members of the executive board in August and is in regular contact with LFRS Service Liaison Officer, Area Manager Tom Powell as part of the engagement process.

The Organisational Assurance Team within the Service Improvement Department continue to track progress against our previous inspection, monitor national themes and prepare LFRS for our Round 3 inspection.

HMICFRS have now published 24 Round 3 inspection reports.

A summary of the gradings for all 24 FRSs inspected so far in Round 3 can be found below.

Effectiveness

Understanding the risk of fire and other emergencies

Preventing fires and other risks

Protecting the public through fire regulation

Responding to fires and other emergencies

Responding to major and multi-agency incidents

Efficiency

Making best use of resources

Making the fire and rescue service affordable now and in the future

People

Promoting the right values and culture

Getting the right people with the right skills

Ensuring fairness and promoting diversity

Managing performance and developing leaders

Beds.

Round 3:

Beds.

Round 2:

Cambs. Round 3:

Cambs.

Round 2:

Cheshire Round 3:

Cheshire Round 2:

Warwicks. Round 3:

Warwicks.

Round 2:

Cornwall Round 3:

Cornwall Round 2:

Surrey Round 3:

Surrey Round 2:

Bucks. Round 3:

Bucks. Round 2:

Merseyside Round 3:

Merseyside Round 2:

Avon

Round 3

Avon

Round 2

Her. & Worc. Round 3

Her. & Worc. Round 2

Northumb. Round 3

Northumb.

Round 2

Key

Outstanding

Good

Adequate

Requires Improvement

Inadequate

Effectiveness

Understanding the risk of fire and other emergencies

Preventing fires and other risks

Protecting the public through fire regulation

Responding to fires and other emergencies

Responding to major and multi-agency incidents

Efficiency

Making best use of resources

Making the fire and rescue service affordable now and in the future

People

Promoting the right values and culture

Getting the right people with the right skills

Ensuring fairness and promoting diversity

Managing performance and developing leaders

Lincs.
Round 3

Lincs.
Round 2

Manchester.
Round 3:

Manchester.
Round 2:

Norfolk.
Round 3:

Norfolk.
Round 2:

Essex.
Round 3:

Essex.
Round 2:

Glos.
Round 3:

Glos.
Round 2:

West Yorks.
Round 3:

West Yorks.
Round 2:

Oxford.
Round 3:

Oxford.
Round 2:

Northampts.
Round 3:

Northampts.
Round 2:

Notts.
Round 3:

Notts.
Round 2:

Staffs.
Round 3:

Staffs.
Round 2:

Key

Outstanding

Good

Adequate

Requires Improvement

Inadequate

Effectiveness

Understanding the risk of fire and other emergencies

Preventing fires and other risks

Protecting the public through fire regulation

Responding to fires and other emergencies

Responding to major and multi-agency incidents

Efficiency

Making best use of resources

Making the fire and rescue service affordable now and in the future

People

Promoting the right values and culture

Getting the right people with the right skills

Ensuring fairness and promoting diversity

Managing performance and developing leaders

W. Sussex.
Round 3:

W. Sussex.
Round 2:

Dorset & Wilts.
Round 3:

Dorset & Wilts.
Round 2:

Tyne & Wear.
Round 3:

Tyne & Wear.
Round 2:

Key

Outstanding

Good

Adequate

Requires Improvement

Inadequate

FRS inspection programme 2025/27 public consultation

HMICFRS public consultation on the proposals for the FRS inspection programme for 2025/27 was launched on 19^th August and closed on 15^th September. LFRS provided a detailed response. HMICFRS received around 61 responses to the public consultation, including almost all FRSs, as well as some from governing bodies, trade unions and national bodies. Overall, the HMICFRS received strong support for their proposals:

94% of respondents that used the online survey supported the plan to assess the impact of FRAs’ governance on their FRSs.
94% supported the proposal to assess leadership at all levels.
80% supported the intention to combine the current efficiency questions.
85% supported plan to examine how FRSs contribute to community resilience.
81% agreed that the draft characteristics of good are the right questions to gather evidence for a comprehensive assessment.

However, respondents also raised issues with these planned changes, provided additional areas they thought should be covered, areas they should inspect less, and ways they could improve their reports.

HMICFRS final plans will be published in the form of an Inspection Programme and Framework document in the spring of 2025, alongside a formal response to the consultation.

Positive Practice

The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) Positive Practice Portal provides details about interventions, which have been developed by one or more Fire and Rescue Service to address a particular need, concern or organisational change recognised by the NFCC or HMICFRS as an innovative or positive practice. These practices are in different functional areas and may include operational and non-operational responses, business practices and good ideas.

LFRS actively engages with the positive practice process and have 9 submissions published on the portal (more than any other FRS):

· ROV/Underwater Drone

· On Call Stations Work Hubs

· Safety during Hajj Campaign

· Climate Response - Partnership Working

· Climate Response - Innovation

· Composite Fencing

· NFCC BCP E-learning package

· SSRI Info Risk Based Calculator

· Public Space Protection Order

A further 5 submissions are in progress:

· Assurance Monitoring System

· Organisational Development – Developing current and new leaders

· Command Unit and Command Software

· Management of PPE

· Risk Based Inspection Programme (RBIP)

As requested at the previous planning committee, a summary of the first HMICFRS Fire and Rescue Positive Practice Masterclass event is detailed below. There were presentations on the following topics:

· Opening address, HMCI Andy Cooke, HMICFRS

· ‘Our findings, positives practices and improvement’, HMI Roy Wilsher, HMICFRS

· ‘Greater Manchester FRS’s improvement journey’, CFO Dave Russel, GMFRS and Deputy Mayor Kate Green

· ‘People strand positive practices in Cambridgeshire FRS’, Hayley Douglas, CAMFRS

· ‘How learning and development promotes improvements in policing’, Ray Clare, College of Policing

· ‘How the leadership fire standards can support services to improve’, Independent Chair Suzanne McCarthy, Fire Standards Board

· ‘How the NFCC can support services to improve’, Chair Mark Hardingham, NFCC

· Panel session - Dave Russell, Hayley Douglas, Suzanne McCarthy, Ray Clare, Mark Hardingham, Roy Wilsher

LFRS will continue to monitor positive practice submissions and attend future events, benchmarking our own progress against areas identified, and exploring potential areas for improvement.

HMICFRS Standards of behaviour: The handling of misconduct in fire and rescue services

HMICFRS published their Standards of behaviour: The handling of misconduct in fire and rescue services report in August. This followed the detailed inspection of 10 FRSs, as well as analysing data provided by all 44 FRSs in England about their grievance and discipline cases.

The service is making progress through the reports 15 recommendations.

Values and culture in Fire and Rescue Services

Values and culture in Fire and Rescue Services remains a focus for HMICFRS, LFRS continues to work proactively in terms of promoting its values and engendering an organisational culture where all employees can thrive. LFRS submitted our updated report on the progress the service is making regarding the HMICFRS and NFCC recommendations in relation to values and culture in March 2024.

HMICFRS Chief and Chairs event

HMICFRS Chief and Chairs event is scheduled for 14^th November, which CFO Johnston, ACFO Charters and CC Hennessy are attending.

HMICFRS Autumn Data Collection

The Autumn Data collection opened on Monday 14^th October and closes on Friday 22^nd November.

Business risk

The inspection will monitor LFRS’s direction of travel since 2022, it could cause reputational damage if it is perceived that we have not made reasonable progress.

Sustainability or Environmental Impact

None

Equality and Diversity Implications

None

Data Protection (GDPR)

None

HR implications

None

Financial implications

None

Legal implications

None

Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985

List of background papers

Paper:

Date:

Contact:

Reason for inclusion in Part 2 if appropriate: