Lancashire Combined Fire Authority

Performance Committee

Meeting to be held on 04 December 2024

National Fire Statistics - Comparative Fire Rescue Service Data

(Appendix 1 refers)

Contact for further information – Jon Charters, Assistant Chief Fire Officer

Tel: 01772 866801

Executive Summary

Historically since 2000, at the final Performance Committee meeting of each financial year, the Measuring Progress report would be accompanied by a comparative performance analysis of other Fire and Rescue Services (FRS) which was formed upon historic ‘Family Groups’ and enabled Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service (LFRS) to demonstrate to the Committee how the Service was performing against other FRS on a small number of Key Performance Indicators (KPI).

As the fire sector evolved, the use of Family Groups slowly diminished as had the value of their use in effectively comparing FRS with FRS. The position had been further weakened by new FRS joining Family Groups that they were not originally intended to be placed within.

At the March 2022 Performance Committee meeting, a proposal was made that the Service undertake work to identify a more preferable way of providing comparative data.

Using National Fire Service Activity data published by the Home Office, the attached report (Appendix 1), compares a selection of key LFRS activity against other Fire and Rescue Services in the country, along with the current LFRS position and trend which provides a broader context of data.

Recommendation(s)

The Performance Committee is asked to note the information provided in the Comparative Fire Service Data Report and endorse the new format in which the Service provides comparative performance data.

Information

During the Performance Committee on 16 March 2022, (resolution 24-20/21 - Review of Family Group Comparative Information), Area Manager Mark Hutton proposed that future Family Group analysis could involve data that looked beyond the Family Group, taken from other national databases that the Service now had access to, and which could offer a broader and more suitable comparison than the current arrangements.

Since that time, the Service has compiled a report comparing a selection of key LFRS activity against other Fire and Rescue Services in the country, using information published by the Home Office on National Fire Service Activity.

A table is included in the report which indicates if the Service is classed as Predominately Urban, Significantly Rural or Predominantly Rural: Lancashire is classified as Predominately Urban. These classifications allow for a relatable comparison with FRS that share the same characteristics as LFRS.

Business risk

Comparative data provided which benchmarks LFRS incident activity against that of other FRS and in some aspects relates to the discharge of statutory functions.