Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillor J Rigby and County Councillor B Yates.

Members are asked to consider any pecuniary/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 the 14 December 2022 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

The Assistant Chief Fire Officer presented a comprehensive report to the Performance Committee. This was the 3^rd quarterly report for 2022/23 as detailed in the Community Risk Management Plan 2022-2027.

This quarter, 3 Performance Indicators (KPIs) were shown in negative exception. These were 1.2.1 Staff Absence Wholetime (WT), 1.2.3 Staff Absence Greenbook, and 3.3.2 Fire Engine Availability On-Call Shift Systems.

Members examined each indicator in turn focusing on those KPIs in exception as follows:

KPI 1 – Valuing our people so that they can focus on making Lancashire safer

1.1           Overall Staff Engagement

Members received an update on how staff were engaged during the period.

From October to December 2022, twenty-two station visits were carried out by principal officers and area managers as part of the service-wide station visits programme. Executive board members held an engagement event at the Service Training Centre for flexi duty officers and seven online question and answer events were held with wholetime and on-call firefighters in relation to winter challenges and the national pay dispute.

Fifty-three wellbeing interactions were undertaken ranging from health and wellbeing workshops to support-dog interactions. The service engaged staff in several trials relating to the fleet including new vehicle Close Circuit Television (CCTV) systems and the latest plug-in and self-charging hybrid car technology. The Service also surveyed on-call (OC) staff to obtain their views and experiences as part of a review of the OC duty system.

The Assistant Chief Fire Officer informed Members that a lot of engagement with staff took place through the threat of Industrial Action and the associated ballot. The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) had now accepted the revised pay offer.

1.2.1   Staff Absence Wholetime

This indicator measured the cumulative number of shifts (days) lost due to sickness for all wholetime staff divided by the total average strength.

Annual Standard: Not more than 5 shifts lost.

Annual Shifts Lost ÷ 4 quarters: 1.25

Cumulative total number of shifts lost: 6.710

The negative exception report was due to the number of shifts lost through absence per employee being above the Service target for quarter 3.

During quarter 3, October to December 2022, absence statistics showed whole-time personnel absence above target for the quarter.

1,492 Wholetime absence shifts lost = 2.37 against a target of 1.25.

There were 3 cases of long-term absence which spanned over the total of the 3 months; the reasons being:

·         Gastro-intestinal (abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhoea)

·         Cancer and Tumours

·         Mental Health (Other)

There were 28 other cases of long-term absence also recorded within the 3 months:

·         Hospital / post operative – 7 cases

·         Mental health (other) – 4 cases

·         Other known causes (not specified) – 3 cases

·         Musculo skeletal (other unable to define) – 2 cases

·         Musculo skeletal (Back) – 2 cases

·         Musculo skeletal (lower limb) – 2 cases

·         Mental health (stress) – 2 cases

·         Cancer and Tumours – 1 case

·         Cause known, but not specified – 1 case

·         Covid-19 Coronavirus (Sickness) – 1 case

·         Heart, cardiac and circulatory problems – 1 case

·         Respiratory (Cold/Cough/Influenza)  ...  view the full minutes text for item 26/22

Verbal report.

Group Manager Prevention, Kirsty McCreesh, summarised that BrightSparx was a major campaign based around the Bonfire period that included work undertaken across the Service and with a multitude of partners in relation to antisocial behaviour fires, deliberate fires and accidental fires. The bonfire period could be a worrying time for members of the public and the Service was aware of an increase in activity around this time. The preparatory work for the campaign began in the summer months.

The campaign was data driven following the principles of the Equality Impact Assessment and applied information collected from previous years to ensure a targeted approach to issues. The bonfire period was a peak period for response activity and firefighting resources were stretched with a subsequent lack of fire appliance availability which could, if uncontrolled, have serious consequences for the community. Attacks on responders were more likely during that period and increased access to fireworks often led to anti-social behaviour, particularly whilst fires were being extinguished.

A multi-faceted approach was used, working across many departments within the Service. The Prevention department created the campaign, and the Comms department used social media to promote education packages to schools, community groups and faith groups. The Protection department worked with Trading Standards to assure the safe sale and storage of fireworks.

Group Manager Prevention, Kirsty McCreesh, explained that the campaign involved a multi-agency approach, working in collaboration with Local Authorities, the Police, North West Ambulance Service and Community Group to deliver a joined up and consistent message.

The BrightSparx campaign objectives for 2022 aimed to: i) maximise public and responder safety; ii) encourage public to attend organised events and displays; iii) target resources at areas of greatest risk based on incident intelligence and data; iv) address legal compliance regarding safe storage and sale of fireworks; v) identify and work closely with appropriate partners to reduce risk and provide effective and safe responses and; (vi) to reassure members of the public.

Group Manager Prevention, Kirsty McCreesh, informed that the BrightSparx education package had been delivered in person to 20,816 learners and virtually to 4,186 learners, which was an increase on the previous year. This package was targeted towards secondary school age pupils and had moved toward in-person delivery. The Service had worked in partnership with local authorities to remove waste alongside arson vulnerability assessments for derelict buildings.

In addition, seven multi-agency assessment vehicles were used with support by additional flexi duty officers. Multi Agency Initial Assessment Team (MAIAT), vehicles were used to aid multi-agency decision making and command and control. MAIAT vehicles were deployed to hotspots to triage and identify areas that had become dangerous to respond into due to anti-social behaviour, therefore reducing risk and unnecessary turn outs for fire engines and leaving them free to deploy to more serious, life critical incidents. The Tactical Coordinating Group (TCG) was set up at Blackburn CCTV hub with attendance from Fire, NWAS and Police tactical commanders. Feedback received from the 2021 campaign had led to the TCG being  ...  view the full minutes text for item 27/22

The next scheduled meeting of the Committee has been agreed for 10:00 hours on 28 June 2023 in the Main Conference Room, at Lancashire Fire & Rescue Service Headquarters, Fulwood.

Further meetings are:    scheduled for 13 September 2023 and 13 December 2023

                                           proposed for 6 March 2024

The next meeting of the Committee would be held on Wednesday, 28 June 2023 at 10:00 hours in the Main Conference Room at Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service Headquarters, Fulwood.

Further meeting dates were noted for 13 September 2023 and 13 December 2023 and agreed for 06 March 2024.