Agenda item

The report summarised Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service (LFRS) prosecutions pertaining to fire safety offences and set out convictions resulting from arson incidents for which Officers had contributed evidence to the Police led criminal justice process.  Fire Protection and Business Support information were also included in the report to provide Members with an update on the continually evolving regulatory position and how the Service was developing and adapting both its services and workforce to ensure it kept pace with the changes to keep public and firefighters safe in the built environment. 

In relation to the business fire safety check process (as detailed on page 60 of the agenda pack) the Assistant Chief Fire Officer informed Members that the Service had innovatively developed in-house a fully digitised process which enabled staff to use an app on their tablet device while on a fire safety visit.  This followed an outcome from the Grenfell Tower fire to make every visit count.  Rather than responsibility for inspection of commercial premises to be solely with fire safety inspectors, this process moved operational crews back to this environment.  Staff who undertook a business fire safety check would be trained and equipped to identify and flag deficiencies in buildings and work alongside the responsible person to resolve them.  This innovation supported risk reduction work and increased capacity to visit the many non-domestic premises in Lancashire.  In addition, it had been recognised as sector leading having recently been shared with the National Fire Chiefs Council and with other Fire Services across the country. 

The Assistant Chief Fire Officer advised that the detailed changes from the Fire Safety (England) Regulations coming into force in January 2023 were set out on pages 61 and 62 of the agenda pack.  He highlighted that the Regulations placed significantly more responsibility on the person responsible for those premises (ie: owner, manager, managing agent).  He advised Members that the Service had in place a number of projects to extensively prepare and respond to those changes.

The Vice-Chair found the report interesting particularly the risk reduction work and the impact on responsibility for responsible persons.  He drew Members attention to 2 of the arson conviction prison sentences which were 8 years and 4 months and 3 years and commended officers who dealt with those cases.

In relation to the business fire safety checks, County Councillor Hennessy queried whether more information could be provided to Members on the detail of these checks at a future Strategy Day.

In response to a question raised by County Councillor O’Toole in relation to the arson conviction in Cleveleys (as detailed on page 63 of the agenda pack) the Assistant Chief Fire Officer advised that incidents of this nature were subject to a full forensic level fire investigation involving the Service, Police and other agencies as appropriate, part of which considered the history around the occupants and any vulnerabilities the occupants may have.  Post-incident the Service undertook a Home Fire Safety Check which included signposting individuals to other support services as required. There were a number of societal and personal factors for consideration in these types of incident and the aim was to tailor services to best support those individuals and reduce risk in the future.

RESOLVED: - That the Authority noted and endorsed the report.