Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from County Councillors U Arif, J Ash, L Hutchinson and E Worthington. With County Councillor J Tetlow in attendance as substitute.

Members are asked to consider any pecuniary and non-pecuniary interests they may have to disclose to the meeting in relation to matters under consideration on the agenda.

None received.

Resolved: That the Minutes of the last meeting held on 3 February 2025 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

The Deputy Chief Fire Officer (DCFO) updated Members regarding His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) activity and Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service (LFRS) planning arrangements.

Round 3 Overview

LFRS HMICFRS Round 3 inspection commenced on 20 January 2025, initiated by a request for a collection of documents, a self-assessment proforma and three surveys (staff survey, human resources survey and a trade union survey) to assist with preparation for the fieldwork phase of the inspection. This was succeeded by a three-week period of staff engagement, during which two weeks were conducted on-site throughout the organisation. The final week was conducted remotely with department heads.

On Friday, 28 March 2025, the strategic brief was presented by the Chief Fire Officer (CFO), Deputy Chief Fire Officer (DCFO), and Director of People and Development (DoPD). It was an opportunity for the Service to brief the HMI and service liaison lead, provide a summary of performance, achievements, and work completed on previous areas of improvement. Following the brief, the Chair of the Fire Authority was interviewed.

The feedback from the HMICFRS inspection acknowledged that every staff member they interacted with was highly engaging, and they felt genuinely welcomed throughout the organisation.

The Service had recently received the draft inspection report, which afforded LFRS the opportunity to conduct factual accuracy checks. The release of the official final report was anticipated in early August, following this the service would focus on addressing any areas for improvement that may have been identified and continuing the services journey towards outstanding.

HMICFRS had published 38 Round 3 inspection reports. A summary of the gradings for all 38 FRSs inspected so far were included in the report. 3 grading reports were due to be published on 15 July 2025 and the final 3 reports including LFRS’s were due to be published in August.

In response to a question from County Councillor J Tetlow in relation grade changes at other services, the DCFO explained that all HMICFRS reports were available online and he was unable to commend on individual services gradings. He also explained that the service monitored the publication of reports and identified areas of learning to be implemented at LFRS.

HMICFRS Inspection 2025-2027 Update

The 2025-27 inspection programme would involve a number of changes from the previous round. These included the following:

a)    Reduction in diagnostic questions:

In previous rounds of inspections, HMICFRS assessed and gave graded judgments for 11 diagnostic questions. For the 2025-27 inspection programme HMICFRS had reduced the overall number of diagnostic questions to 10 by combining the efficiency questions.

b)   Characteristics of good:

In the 2025-27 inspections, the HMICFRS would measure fire and rescue services against the characteristics of good performance. These characteristics described the levels of performance a fire and rescue service (FRS) needed to achieve to be graded ‘good’.

c)    Impact of Governance on FRSs:

In the 2025-27 inspections, the HMICFRS would look more closely at the governance arrangements and how services were impacted by their governance. They  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4-25/26

The Deputy Chief Fire Officer (DCFO) advised that the report updated on progress of the ongoing workstreams that were being progressed under the Blue Light Collaboration Board (BLCB). The workstreams were being managed effectively through both the Strategic and Tactical Boards and contributed to improving outcomes, providing better value for money, reducing demand, and addressing inequalities within communities.

Leadership Development

Collaboration between Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service (LFRS), Lancashire Police (LanCon) and North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) had continued to explore efficiencies and build professional working relationships across the Blue Light Services.

It was agreed for each Service to host a Leadership Event, and through intelligence from each organisation, three common themes were identified. The first session was organised and hosted by LFRS in October 2024 and 60 people attended across all three Services. LFRS staff consisted of Area Managers, Group Managers, and Heads of Service, similar audiences attended from NWAS and LanCon and included aspiring leaders. This session was on “Nourish to Flourish” and focussed on looking after yourself to be an effective leader.

Session 2 was held in March, focussing on handling media as leaders in a Blue Light Service. The two completed events were successful according to the evaluations. The final leadership event recently took place at Lancon and was around generational differences.

The group were also exploring an ‘Outside-In’ Leadership programme and looking to implement a cross-coaching network to develop shared learning, which may include a coaching exchange programme?.

Health and Wellbeing

This was a new collaboration group involving the Health and Wellbeing leads from all three Services. The aim was to understand the health and wellbeing offer across the different blue light services and to explore opportunities to work together to look after our people in a collaborative way.

The starting point for the group was to share policies and procedures for good practice and learning. NWAS had delivered several sessions about menopause and LFRS had developed a workshop to raise awareness of suicide from a responder’s point of view, elements of which could be shared across all services.

Estates and Co-location

The co-location initiative between LFRS, NWAS, and LanCon focused on identifying opportunities for shared site use to enhance collaboration and deliver better value for money. Successful co-location arrangements at Lancaster, St Annes, Darwen, Preston, and other fire stations had led to operational efficiencies and shared facilities. These joint working environments had also fostered stronger relationships and a deeper understanding of each service’s role within the Blue Light community ultimately contributing to improved outcomes for the people of Lancashire.

The updated Blue Light Collaboration Project Initiation Document had given the Estates and Co-location sub-group leads renewed direction in exploring further collaboration opportunities. Quarterly meetings between the Heads of Estates from LFRS, NWAS, and LanCon had revealed that the benefits extended beyond co-location alone. The project’s objectives, guiding principles, and expected benefits had been redefined, and the scope of work had been updated accordingly. In addition to site sharing, the group was exploring collaborative  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5-25/26

The Deputy Chief Fire Officer (DCFO) presented the report. The Annual Service Report was produced annually by the Service as part of its accountability to measure progress against the items set out as deliverables as part of the Annual Service Plan. These actions were derived from the medium-term strategic goals highlighted in the Community Risk Management Plan (CRMP).

The Annual Service Report highlighted a number of key deliverables against the priority areas of: i) people, ii) prevention, iii) protection, iv) response and v) value for money related work streams:

i) Valuing our people so they can focus on making Lancashire safer

• Create an organisational culture where diversity is encouraged and valued.
• Deliver tailored learning and development opportunities
• Encourage and listened to employee voice
• Staff feedback leading to Service improvements
• Invest in training and technology to improve health and safety
• Service headquarters and leadership and development centre masterplan
• Upgraded fire station facilities
• A Celebration of LFRS’s people
• Honours and awards

ii) Preventing fires and other emergencies from happening

·         Lancashire led the way in reducing accidental house fires

·         Invest in improvements to LFRS’s home fire safety check service

·         Deliver targeted fire prevention activity

·         Fire engines displayed prevention messages

iii) Protecting people and property when fires happen

·         Supported living care provider prosecuted for fire safety breaches

·         Transform fire protection and business safety

·         Strengthen LFRS’s fire safety inspection programme to meet evolving standards

iv) Responding to fires and other emergencies quickly and competently

·         Implement LFRS’s emergency cover review

·         Introduce more resilient crewing arrangements

·         Review emergency cover in Preston

·         Optimise emergency cover through dynamic cover software

·         Strengthen firefighting and rescue capabilities in high-rise and commercial buildings

·         Two new water towers joined the Service fleet

·         Broaden on-call firefighting capabilities to strengthen operational response

·         Lancashire’s new on-call planning tool is a UK first

·         Strengthen the services response to climate change emergencies

·         Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service tests drones for wildfire prevention

·         Invest in LFRS’s Learning and Development Centre

·         Drill tower replacement programme

·         Invest in LFRS’s fleet and operational equipment

·         Lancashire firefighter delivered international flood rescue training in Malawi

The report included a summary of the Service’s performance in relation to responding:

Overall activity

• 16,963 incidents attended
• 4,723 fires attended
• 678 road traffic collisions attended
• 85 missing person searches
• 948 gaining entry to property incidents in support of North West Ambulance Service

Average attendance time

• Overall - 8 minutes 20 seconds
• Critical fire response – first fire engine attendance – 7 mins 38 seconds
• Critical special service response – first fire engine attendance – 8 minutes 46 seconds

Total availability of the first fire engine at each of LFRS’s 39 fire stations - 87.97%

v) Delivering value for money in how we use resources

·         Create a new rota management team

·         Review productivity and efficiency

·         Drive efficiencies through digitalisation

·         Introduce Microsoft Power BI dashboards

·         Collaborate with other public services

·         Community fire responder collaboration

County Councillor J Tetlow congratulated the DCFO on his award of the King’s Fire Service Medal, details of which were contained within the report.

Resolved: That  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6-25/26

The Director of People and Development (DoPD) presented the report. The Fire and Rescue National Framework for England set out the government’s priorities and objectives for fire and rescue services. The framework stated that each fire and rescue authority should have a people strategy in place. The Home Office collected and published a range of workforce data that fire and rescue authorities were required to provide. 

The People Strategy for Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service (LFRS) 2025 – 2027, as attached at Appendix A of the agenda pack, was a comprehensive three-year plan that outlines how the Service would manage and develop its workforce in alignment with its Community Risk Management Plan. It was a framework that ensured the right people were in the right roles, equipped with the necessary skills to contribute to the success of LFRS.

The Strategy involved various aspects of human resources, including recruitment, training, development, engagement, effective utilisation of data, and retention.

The development of the Strategy and its priorities was influenced by HMICFRS recommendations, Fire Standards, legislative changes, the changing nature of the services operating environment, as well as policy development and learning from the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC). 

The current people priorities were to:

·         Embed Service values, behaviours, and the Code of Ethics making LFRS a place where everyone felt valued and included.

·         Promote LFRS as an employer of choice, recruiting a workforce which was diverse, meet the needs of the people of Lancashire, and addressed any employment needs identified in the services workforce plan.

·         Continue to develop the capability and resilience of leaders who can energise their teams, who encourage flexibility, innovation and who promote continuous improvement.

·         Continue to embed talent management and succession planning, shaping the workforce to meet Service needs and support individuals to achieve their full potential.

·         Promote a resilient and healthy workforce.

·         Continue to actively engage with the LFRS workforce responding to feedback and involving staff in the shaping of the services plans and decision-making.

Resolved: That the Planning Committee noted and endorsed the People Strategy for 2025/2027.

Area Manager (AM) Matt Hamer gave a presentation to members to provide an overview of Lancashire Fire and Rescue Services (LFRSs) actions and investment in the services Protection (Fire Safety) department since the Grenfell Tower incident.

Following the tragic incident at Grenfell Tower on the 14 June 2017 where 72 persons lost their lives, LFRS had invested significantly to adapt and innovate in strengthening the services Protection department which oversees LFRSs duties as the Fire Safety Enforcing Authority for the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and other fire safety legislation.

With the introduction of new primary legislation (Fire Safety Act 2021 and Building Safety Act 2022) new statutory duties fell to LFRS to regulate. In addition, the creation of the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) saw LFRS act on behalf of the Health and Safety Executive in regulating relevant buildings. Alongside new legislation, changes impacting local authorities, the construction industry and competency requirements had required the service to adapt and train staff to regulate circa 65,000 commercial premises in the county.

Further legislation was expected to continue to be released with Residential Personals Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPs) legislation expected in April 2026.

Lancashire had 5238 high risk premises comprised of 72 high-rise, 166 mid-rise, 418 care homes and hundreds of hospitals and hotels. High-rise referred to buildings that were over 18 meters tall or over 7 storeys high, AM Matt Hamer explained that the number of high-rise buildings could fluctuate depending on changes to landscape and methods of measuring. Methods of measuring were now being standardised with trained inspectors and the potential use of drones. Lancashire had around 65,000 medium and lower risk premises including shops, factories and offices. AM Matt Hamer explained that any live risks identified were inspected and the risks mitigated.

In response to a question from Councillor J Hugo in relation to the fluctuation in numbers, AM Matt Hamer explained that reasons for fluctuation could include changes to buildings such as adding additional storeys or conversion of buildings.

Councillor J Hugo asked a further question in relation to where empty properties sat on the risk ladder. AM Matt Hamer explained that buildings classified as empty were considered by the Community Safety Partnership to ensure they were secure, any specific fire risks identified would be brought to the attention of the local authority. If a building was to be considered under planning regulations LFRS would be involved to ensure any proposals were fire safety compliant. He added that LFRS was working with Blackpool Council in relation to empty buildings within the Blackpool area. Councillor G Baker asked if empty buildings needed a fire certificate, AM Matt Hamer confirmed that they did not. Councillor G Baker then asked if insurance companies considered the fire risk of empty buildings, AM Matt Hamer stated that he could not comment on insurance company regulations but added that LFRS could not carry out enforcement as an empty building would not have a responsible person, LFRS could put a notice on the building  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8-25/26

The next scheduled meeting of the Committee has been agreed for 10:00 hours on Monday 17 November 2025 in the Main Conference Room, at Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service Headquarters, Fulwood.

Further meetings are:    scheduled for 2 February 2026

                                           proposed for 13 July 2026

The next meeting of the Committee would be held on Monday 17 November 2025 at 10:00 hours in the main Conference Room at Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service Headquarters, Fulwood.

Further meeting dates were noted for 02 February 2026 and agreed for

13 July 2026.

County Councillor J Tetlow remarked that there seemed to be a big gap between meetings. The DCFO explained that there were 3 meetings per year but additional meetings could be scheduled if required.

The Chair thanked the DCFO, DoPD and AM Matt Hamer for comprehensive reports.