Agenda and minutes

The start of the meeting was delayed until 10:07.

Apologies were received from County Councillors S Clarke and H Khan.

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 18 November 2024 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

The Deputy Chief Fire Officer (DCFO) presented the Consultation Strategy report. The Authority had a consultation strategy which provided a framework through which it could seek public opinion on major change issues.

Each year the Planning Committee reviewed the strategy, to assure continued compliance with guidance or legislation and to incorporate learning from any public consultation exercises undertaken.

The review concluded that the strategy continued to be legally compliant and in line with good practice. 

Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service (LFRS) would undertake public consultation on a range of issues on behalf of the Authority to ensure that the views of communities, partners, and stakeholders were used to inform decision-making.

Any requests to consult with the public would be made to the Authority’s Planning Committee. The committee would be provided with details about the issue and options being considered and permission to consult with the public sought.

In response to a question from County Councillor N Hennessy in relation to the terminology used within the strategy, the DCFO confirmed that the report had been reviewed by the Assistant Director of Communications and Engagement and Director of People and Development to ensure it was correct and inclusive.

County Councillor J Shedwick remarked that the strategy had been developed over a number of years and was robust.

Resolved: That the Planning Committee noted and endorsed the consultation strategy.

The Deputy Chief Fire Officer (DCFO) presented a report on the Service's Annual Service Plan (ASP) 2025/26.

The ASP continued to provide Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service (LFRS) with the platform to highlight the priority activities and projects the Service intended to deliver over the coming year; leading improvements and innovation in the sector with some of the best firefighting equipment and training facilities in the country and a highly skilled and motivated workforce.

The ASP was built around the Service’s 5 corporate priorities as detailed in the Community Risk Management Plan (CRMP). As in previous years, detailed under each corporate priority was a series of priority activities and projects with a brief description of each item to give further clarity and context, these were: -

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

• Create an organisational culture where diversity is encouraged and valued;
• Develop leaders who build and maintain trust in the Service;
• Tailor training and development for on-call firefighters;
• Invest in safety, health and wellbeing initiatives;
• Encourage and listen to employee voice;
• Service headquarters and leadership and development centre masterplan; and
• Upgrade fire station facilities.

2. Preventing fire and other emergencies from happening;

• Deliver targeted fire prevention activity;
• Evaluate Year 2 education package; and
• Expand fire safety community engagement.

3. Protecting people and property when fires happen;

• Transform fire protection and business safety;
• Deliver tailored protection advice in diverse business communities;
• Implement operational learning in response to national events;
• Address mid-rise premises risk across the county; and
• Support national activity to address unsafe cladding on buildings.

4. Responding to fire and other emergencies quickly and competently;

• Review emergency cover in Preston;
• Optimise emergency cover through dynamic cover software;
• Strengthen our response to climate change emergencies;
• Strengthen firefighting and rescue capabilities;
• Adapt on-call response to increase emergency cover; and
• Invest in our fleet and equipment.

Kev Wilkie joined the meeting at 10:17.

5. Delivering value for money in how we use our resources;

• Review how we use our resources;
• Maximise productivity and efficiency;
• Drive efficiencies through digitisation;
• Improve performance management culture; and
• Collaborate with other public services.

In response to a question from County Councillor D O’Toole in relation to tailoring training for on-call fire fighters, the DCFO explained that the service was exploring the possibility of delivering on-call training to fire fighters locally on stations, as opposed to the Leadership and Development Centre (LDC),to improve speciality training for roles and availability as less time would be spent away from stations.

County Councillor D O’Toole asked a question in relation to the smoke detectors that were provided by LFRS, the DCFO confirmed that the service carried out over 20,000 home fire safety checks (HFSCs) each year and provided smoke detectors where appropriate. These were sealed units with a battery life of 10 years and when installed, advice was given on replacement of the alarms with revisits conducted. Councillor G Baker queried the Service’s choice for the model of smoke detector to install as he had used this model in the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 24/24

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 were contributing towards improving outcomes, providing better value for money, reducing demand, and reducing 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. The potential for a collaborative coaching and mentoring network had also been identified, leading to shared learning on a more regular basis and improved on-the-ground relationships when working together.

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, ‘Nourish to Flourish’, focused on well-being and self-care and was hosted by LFRS. This aimed to improve the physical and mental wellbeing of staff, which would have positive effects for each organisation. Several efficiencies were enabled for the session, by using LFRS’s Leadership and Development Centre and the cost for the guest speaker was shared between all three services.

The Services were planning the next session which would be hosted by NWAS in February 2025, where the focus for this event would be on ‘Media’.

The final session would be hosted by LanCon in Spring 2025. The group were considering an interesting area around ‘Generational Differences’.

Missing From Home

This collaboration between LFRS and LanCon focussed on supporting high-risk missing person searches. The partnership led to the development of a Standard Operating Procedure and training for front-line personnel. LFRS assets, such as drones and search dogs, had proved effective in locating missing persons and improving public perception whilst maximising effectiveness and the potential for successful outcomes to the people of Lancashire.

Empowering trained resources from LFRS to respond to such incidents with partner agencies ensured that missing persons were located earlier, using the best available technology such as LFRS drones. Furthermore, the use of LFRS trained dogs enhanced the canine capabilities for other fire specific deployments both within the UK (through Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) and other requests) and oversees (International Search and Rescue (ISAR) deployments). Real life incident exposure for the dogs was invaluable and without which, their ability to develop would become limited. Where required, LFRS recovered costs under the nationally agreed National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) / National Resilience recharge protocol and locally agreed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

LFRS received around 200 drone requests each year from LanCon, with most requests for missing persons searches.

Estates and Co-location

The co-location of estates between LFRS, NWAS, and LanCon aimed to identify opportunities for site sharing to improve collaboration and value for money. Successful site-sharing arrangements at Lancaster, St Annes, Darwen, Preston and Lytham Fire Stations had resulted in efficiencies and shared facilities. The shared working arrangements had also built positive  ...  view the full minutes text for item 25/24

Group Manager (GM) Emma Price presented the report to Members regarding His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) activity and Lancashire Fire and Rescue Services (LFRS’s) planning arrangements.

Kev Wilkie left the meeting at 11:05.

Round 3 Overview

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

LFRS’s inspection would commence on 17 February 2025. The inspection team would work remotely for the first three weeks whilst they reviewed service documentation and data. The inspection team would physically be in service for weeks 4 and 6 (w/c 10 and 24 March) and conduct interviews, reality testing and further reviews, weeks 5, 7, and 8 were all remote, inspection activity would conclude early April. The strategic brief was the opportunity for the Chief Fire Officer and executive board to brief the HMI, service liaison lead and inspection team, setting out an overview of performance and any successes or areas for improvement. The chair of the fire authority would also attend and following the brief they would be interviewed. This would take place on Friday 28 March.

On Monday 20 January 2025, HMICFRS issued LFRS with a document request and self-assessment which would be returned by Friday 14 February 2025. HMICFRS had also issued three surveys; staff survey, human resources survey and a trade union survey.

Area Manager (AM) Tom Powell and GM Emma Price had continued to hold weekly engagement meetings with Phil Innis, LFRS’s Service Liaison Lead (SLL). Phil was unable to complete LFRS’s inspection due to leading Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service (FRS) inspection; a handover process had commenced with the services temporary SLL for this inspection, Vicky Lowry. 

Kev Wilkie rejoined the meeting at 11:07.

Vicky was new to HMICFRS, starting on the 6th January, Vicky was currently Head of Admin, Policy, and Strategy – Prevention and Protection at London Fire Brigade. Vicky would be supported by Spencer Rowland who was an SLL and had led Cheshire, West Yorkshire and Cleveland FRS inspections during round 3. Vicky and Spencer had visited LFRS within the last week.

The Organisational Assurance Team within the Service Improvement Department continued to track progress against the service’s previous inspection, monitor national themes and prepare LFRS for its Round 3 inspection.

HMICFRS had published 26 Round 3 inspection reports. A summary of the gradings for all 26 FRSs inspected so far in Round 3 were included in the report.

Positive Practice

The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) Positive Practice Portal provided details about interventions, which had 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 were in different functional areas and may include operational and non-operational responses, business practices and good ideas.

LFRS actively engaged with the positive practice process and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 26/24

The Director of Corporate Services (DoCS) presented the report to Members regarding the services Council tax precept consultation.

A consultation plan was being implemented to consult the public on Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service’s (LFRS’s) council tax precept for the year ahead. The consultation aimed to understand levels of support for a proposed increase in 2025-26 which equated to £5 per year (on a Band D property).

An online consultation was launched on 7 January 2025 at www.lancsfirerescue.org.uk/budget.

320 stakeholders from organisations including local authorities, town and parish councils, and community groups had been invited to take part in the consultation, along with 79,752 subscribers to the Service’s In The Know email newsletter. It was also publicised on social media platforms and internal communication channels within the organisation.

The consultation closed at 5pm on Monday 3 February 2025. A full report would be provided to the Authority as an appendix to the budget report at its budget meeting on Monday 17 February 2025.

Approval to undertake the annual budget consultation was delegated to the Chair of the CFA in consultation with the Treasurer and the Chief Fire Officer, due to the limited amount of time between the announcement of the local government financial settlement and the Authority’s budget meeting.

The DoCS advised that at 20 January 2025 there had been 548 responses with 77% of responses supporting an increase.

County Councillor N Hennessy confirmed that Lancashire County Council had put the consultation onto the C-First Member site on the intranet and reminded members to share the consultation to increase participation.

Resolved: That the Planning Committee noted the report.

The next scheduled meeting of the Committee has been agreed for 10:00 hours on 14 July 2025 in the Main Conference Room, at Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service Headquarters, Fulwood.

Further meetings are:    scheduled for 17 November 2025

                                           proposed for 2 February 2026

The next meeting of the Committee would be held on Monday 14 July 2025 at 10:00 hours in the main Conference Room at Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service Headquarters, Fulwood.

Further meeting dates were noted for 17 November 2025 and 2 February 2026.