Agenda item

The Assistant Chief Fire Officer presented the report.

In January 2020, HMICFRS released the ‘State of Fire Report’ which was the annual assessment of the effectiveness and efficiency of fire and rescue services in England, based on the 45 inspections carried out between June 2018 and August 2019.

The report provided a summary of the performance of the 45 fire and rescue services against the 3 inspection pillars of effectiveness, efficiency and people and provided a comparator for the high levels of performance delivered by Lancashire when considered against peers nationally.

The report highlighted that the sector had many strengths but that ongoing improvement was required.  Whilst acknowledging that many of the negative statements within the report exist nationally, it was pleasing that these were not representative of the picture that was reflected within LFRS. 

The State of Fire report provided strategic recommendations on reforms needed, to ensure that modern fire and rescue services could be provided which were fit for the future.  The report recommended:

1.    By June 2020, the Home Office, in consultation with the fire and rescue sector, should review and with precision determine the roles of: (a) fire and rescue

services; and (b) those who work in them.

2.    By June 2020, the Home Office, the Local Government Association, the National Fire Chiefs Council and trade unions should consider whether the current pay negotiation machinery requires fundamental reform. If so, this should include

the need for an independent pay review body and the future of the ‘grey book’.

3.    By September 2020, the Home Office should consider the case for legislating to give chief fire officers operational independence. In the meantime, it should issue clear guidance, possibly through an amendment to the Fire and Rescue National

Framework for England, on the demarcation between those responsible for governance and operational decision making by the chief fire officer.

4.    By December 2020, the National Fire Chiefs Council, with the Local Government Association, should produce a code of ethics for fire and rescue services. The code should be adopted by every service in England and considered as part of each employee’s progression and annual performance appraisal.

Second inspection confirmed

The dates for the second inspection of LFRS had been confirmed as week commencing 11^th May 2020.  For the second inspection our former Service Liaison Lead (SLL), Dave Dryburgh would hand over to his replacement, Jo Hayden (Programme and Planning Manager for Nottinghamshire FRS).  It was anticipated that the Service would meet with the new SLL following their formal HMICFRS training in February.  Meantime work was ongoing within Service to meet key dates within the timeline: –

·         Data Return – last week of January 2020.

·         Preparation of LFRS Self-Assessment against the inspection framework, prior to Discovery Week.

·         Document return – (awaiting the request but previously this constituted 53 service level documents).

·         Discovery week – initial visit by a few members of the inspection team, confirmed as week commencing 20^th April.

·         Inspection week – full inspection team into Service, week commencing 11^th May.

During the previous inspection, the Chief Fire Officer’s strategic brief was delivered prior to inspection week.  This time, it would be delivered to the inspection team on the first morning of inspection week.  It was noted that there was a spring bi-annual data return expected in May which may coincide with the inspection dates.

Learning from other FRS and sharing our best practice

Whilst LFRS had areas of strength, it was recognised that further improvements could be derived from best practice of our peers.  Following the release of the reports from the final tranche of inspections and the more recent State of Fire report, the Service had identified a number of opportunities to be explored with our peers.  Accordingly, visits had been made to other FRS, examples being, Merseyside to look at their approach towards Prevention activity, phone conferences with Cambridge and Oxfordshire to look at various areas of strength and a further visit being planned to West Midlands to consider the work undertaken to achieve their ‘outstanding’ in response.

Conversely LFRS had hosted several FRS over the course of the year to share areas of our best practice, including Lincolnshire, Durham and Darlington and a number of FRS who attended a recent event to share an overview of our Risk Based Inspection Programme for fire protection.

The Assistant Chief Fire Officer introduced Station Manager Tom Powell who presented Members with information in relation to the type of data sets that had been requested by HMICFRS.

In response to a question from County Councillor Shedwick with regards to the scope and scale of the data collection, WM Powell detailed that the HMICFRS had a lead member of staff who worked with LFRS to ensure the data requested was aligned wherever possible to existing structures. Where this was not possible LFRS was adjusting automated systems in order to streamline the collation process.

RESOLVED: - That the report be noted.