Agenda item

Acting Assistant Chief Fire Officer Norman advised that the Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service’s HMICFRS inspection report was published publicly in December 2018 where the Service was graded against the three core pillars of the inspection programme; efficiency, effectiveness and people. 

LFRS was graded as ‘good’ overall for each of the three core pillars and ‘good’ against ten of the eleven sub-diagnostics, which formed each of the three core pillars.

LFRS was the only Service in the first tranche to receive an ‘outstanding’ grading for how we promote our culture and values.

The report highlighted our areas of best practice and no formal areas for improvement were received. The report did however guide the consideration of the following three areas:

•     The Service should ensure that it had allocated sufficient resources to a prioritised and risk-based inspection programme;

•     The Service should assure itself that it was making the most of collaboration opportunities and that they provided value for money;

•     The Service should put in place an open and fair process to identify, develop and support high potential staff and aspiring leaders.

The Service continued to evaluate these areas and was working towards the initial action plan for delivering and measuring improvements against them. To ensure the delivery of these improvements, they were reported to the Corporate Programme Board for monitoring and scrutiny.

The internal HMICFRS project had been formally closed and a governance structure was in place which reported to the Senior Management Team.

LFRS was currently required to undertake quarterly data set returns for the HMICFRS. This involved providing the HMICFRS data teams with an array of data, ranging from overtime costings to fire engine availability. This would be an on-going requirement to assist the HMICFRS in determining our efficiency and effectiveness as a Service. It also provided a platform for making national comparisons.

The reports for the tranche two inspections were published on 20 June 2019. Findings were similar to those identified in tranche one inspections, notably improvements required around protection and the people pillar. No Fire and Rescue Service achieved an ‘outstanding’ grade against any of the three core pillars, however three Fire and Rescue Service’s achieved an ‘outstanding’ grading for one or more sub-diagnostics:

•     Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service- Preventing fires and other risks & Responding to national risks;

•     West Midlands Fire and Rescue Service- Responding to fires and other emergencies;

•     Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service- Promoting the right values and culture.

Lancashire Fire and Rescue remained the only Service in both tranches to be graded as at least ‘good’ against every sub-diagnostic and to receive an ‘outstanding’ grade in one.

The findings from tranche two were being reviewed against our own action plan and LFRS would seek to learn from those Services that had been identified as best practice. LFRS would continue to embed the HMICFRS into the Service and horizon scan emerging themes from within the sector.

LFRS continued to build on our professional relationship with our HMICFRS Service Liaison Lead (SLL). Regular engagement was held with our SLL and he would continue to visit both strategic and district level activities to assess how we were delivering effective and efficient services for the people of Lancashire. The SLL had recently met with our new CFO and DFCO to discuss future direction. SLL engagement was due to increase from September following the conclusion of tranche three inspections with a view to another round of full inspections from 2020.

County Councillor Shedwick expressed his congratulations on the outcomes of the Lancashire Fire & Rescue HMICFRS inspection report.  He welcomed that the Service was continuing to build a professional relationship with the SLL and work would continue around the issues covered in the report.

In response to a question raised by Councillor Khan regarding collaboration, Acting Assistant Chief Officer Norman confirmed that the Inspectorate referred to collaboration across the board which included county councils, unitary authorities and other parties.  Members noted that an update on the ongoing Blue Light collaboration work which focussed mainly with Lancashire Constabulary would be discussed later on the agenda.

In addition, the Deputy Chief Fire Officer advised Members as the Inspectorate had not formally announced any dates for a further re-inspection it was indicated that they would undertake another full inspection next year and the likelihood would be that the same Services would remain in the same tranche. Since the last inspection the Service continued to progress and moving forward with the support of the Fire Authority the Service was prepared.

In response to a question raised by Councillor Khan regarding if the Service had an open and fair process, Acting Chief Fire Officer Norman confirmed that the Inspectorate had a question with regards to early identification of staff that had the greatest potential to achieve.  It was noted that the Service had not run recent promotion boards for new entrants due to a freeze on recruitment and therefore the Service did not have some of the aspects. 

In addition, the Deputy Chief Fire Officer reassured Members that the Service was confident that our processes to identified staff were open and fair.  Members noted that the Service had now put in place a specific action plan to develop and support high potential staff and aspiring leaders.

RESOLVED: - That the report be noted and endorsed.