Agenda item

The Deputy Chief Fire Officer provided an update on His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) activity.

HMICFRS had commenced Round 3 inspections in early 2023. The three pillars of effectiveness, efficiency and people remained the same as Round 2 as did the 11 diagnostics under each pillar which the inspectorate graded judgements against.

Early engagement with the Service’s liaison lead, Dominic Mika had taken place with Chief Fire Officer, Justin Johnston and Area Manager, Tom Powell (Service Liaison Officer). Dominic would start to be introduced into the Service over the coming months in the build up to LFRS’ inspection which was anticipated would take place around late spring / early summer 2024.

HMI Michelle Skeer, recently retired Chief Constable of Cumbria Constabulary, held meetings with the Chair of the Authority, the Deputy Chief Fire Officer, Trade Union officials, and staff from Employee Voice Groups on the 4 December 2023. In addition, further meetings were due to take place in 2024 with the inspection estimated to take place in spring/summer.

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. The Organisational Assurance Team were undertaking reality testing with departments and had installed station-based reality testing aligned to HMICFRS inspection framework. Fourteen station-based audits had taken place and there was growing interest from other fire and rescue services as to how the Service carried out these preparedness visits.

HMICFRS had published twelve Round 3 inspection reports on fire and rescue services (FRS), with three more due to be published in Spring. HMIC Andy Cooke’s 2023 State of Fire and Rescue report would be published in Spring and would cover findings so far and wider impacts on FRSs.

The Deputy Chief Fire Officer highlighted to Members that, on Page 104 of the agenda pack, only 11 FRSs inspected were included in the report in error, instead of the 12 inspected. A summary of the gradings for eleven FRSs inspected so far in Round 3 was detailed in the report.

Misconduct within fire and rescue services

HMICFRS thematic inspection of the handling of misconduct in fire and rescue services was continuing at pace with seven in-depth service inspections completed and three more ongoing and due to be completed by the end of January 2024. HMICFRS were combining this detailed evidence with the data provided by all English services in the autumn data return; the staff survey they conducted in all services in November via their research partners, Crest Advisory; and the survey and interviews that Crest were conducting with people that had left fire and rescue services. HMICFRS would be combining and triangulating all the evidence to identify key findings and any recommendations to the sector, with the report to be published in June 2024.

Values and culture in fire and rescue services

Values and culture in fire and rescue services remained a focus for HMICFRS and LFRS had already been working proactively in terms of promoting its values and engendering an organisational culture where all employees could thrive. LFRS submitted its report on the progress the Service was making regarding the HMICFRS and National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) recommendations in relation to values and culture in December 2023.

HMICFRS Autumn Data Collection

LFRS submitted the Autumn data return in November 2023. HMICFRS requested a very in depth return in relation to the “Misconduct” and “Complaints” section in comparison to previous data returns.

Councillor Hugo referenced the sad case of the Headteacher who took her own life while waiting for a negative OFSTED report following an inspection and asked if the HMICFRS provided support to those Services that received negative results. The Deputy Chief Fire Officer stated that it was difficult, as a senior leader, not to take negative results personally. A hot debrief was delivered by inspectors at the end of each inspection which was delivered in a tactful way and there were opportunities during the inspection to challenge findings.

In response to a query raised by Councillor Hugo as to whether support was available from the NFCC for those senior officers that had received negative results, the Deputy Chief Fire Officer advised that the Chief Fire Officer, as Deputy Chair of the NFCC, had been supporting some FRSs and helped improve gradings. The NFCC would offer support where needed.

In response to a request for an update on reality testing from County Councillor Hennessy, the Deputy Chief Fire Officer advised that reality testing had been carried out across 16 stations and was due to take place across departments. Some trends had been identified which were being addressed ahead of the next inspection. At the last inspection in 2021, the Service had received a grading of ‘good’ across all areas, however, there were 5 areas of improvement that had been identified which had been the focus of improvement. In respect of people and the ECR, the Service had continually developed its communication with individuals to keep them updated and involved with any changes that could affect them.

County Councillor Hennessy asked for an update on the request from the HMICFRS for an in-depth return to the “Misconduct” and “Complaints” section of the Autumn data return submitted by the Service in November 2023, in comparison to previous data returns. The Deputy Chief Fire Officer explained that the Service would carry out a standard data return but on the most recent occasion, HMICFRS had requested a more detailed return with many more questions around issues related to people. LFRS typically experienced low-level grievances as a result of Watch Managers and Station Managers, recognising concerns and addressing them with the help of Human Resources.

Resolved: that the report be noted and endorsed.