Agenda item

The Deputy Chief Fire Officer (DCFO) presented a report on the Service's Annual Service Plan (ASP) 2025/26.

The ASP continued to provide Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service (LFRS) with the platform to highlight the priority activities and projects the Service intended to deliver over the coming year; leading improvements and innovation in the sector with some of the best firefighting equipment and training facilities in the country and a highly skilled and motivated workforce.

The ASP was built around the Service’s 5 corporate priorities as detailed in the Community Risk Management Plan (CRMP). As in previous years, detailed under each corporate priority was a series of priority activities and projects with a brief description of each item to give further clarity and context, these were: -

1. Valuing our people so they can focus on making Lancashire safer;

• Create an organisational culture where diversity is encouraged and valued;
• Develop leaders who build and maintain trust in the Service;
• Tailor training and development for on-call firefighters;
• Invest in safety, health and wellbeing initiatives;
• Encourage and listen to employee voice;
• Service headquarters and leadership and development centre masterplan; and
• Upgrade fire station facilities.

2. Preventing fire and other emergencies from happening;

• Deliver targeted fire prevention activity;
• Evaluate Year 2 education package; and
• Expand fire safety community engagement.

3. Protecting people and property when fires happen;

• Transform fire protection and business safety;
• Deliver tailored protection advice in diverse business communities;
• Implement operational learning in response to national events;
• Address mid-rise premises risk across the county; and
• Support national activity to address unsafe cladding on buildings.

4. Responding to fire and other emergencies quickly and competently;

• Review emergency cover in Preston;
• Optimise emergency cover through dynamic cover software;
• Strengthen our response to climate change emergencies;
• Strengthen firefighting and rescue capabilities;
• Adapt on-call response to increase emergency cover; and
• Invest in our fleet and equipment.

Kev Wilkie joined the meeting at 10:17.

5. Delivering value for money in how we use our resources;

• Review how we use our resources;
• Maximise productivity and efficiency;
• Drive efficiencies through digitisation;
• Improve performance management culture; and
• Collaborate with other public services.

In response to a question from County Councillor D O’Toole in relation to tailoring training for on-call fire fighters, the DCFO explained that the service was exploring the possibility of delivering on-call training to fire fighters locally on stations, as opposed to the Leadership and Development Centre (LDC),to improve speciality training for roles and availability as less time would be spent away from stations.

County Councillor D O’Toole asked a question in relation to the smoke detectors that were provided by LFRS, the DCFO confirmed that the service carried out over 20,000 home fire safety checks (HFSCs) each year and provided smoke detectors where appropriate. These were sealed units with a battery life of 10 years and when installed, advice was given on replacement of the alarms with revisits conducted. Councillor G Baker queried the Service’s choice for the model of smoke detector to install as he had used this model in the past and the battery had not lasted 10 years. Additionally, the battery could not be changed manually and the detector had to be returned to the manufacturer. The DCFO confirmed that the smoke detectors were procured nationally but he could suggest this be reviewed.

County Councillor S Serridge joined the meeting at 10:26.

County Councillor D O’Toole asked a further question in relation to LFRS’s use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), the DCFO confirmed that the services ICT and Digital Lead was exploring AI use within the service. Some departments within LFRS were using Microsoft Co-pilot to assist in report writing.

Councillor G Baker and Sean Pilkington left the meeting at 10:30.

County Councillor J Shedwick remarked that the ASP set out exactly the Service’s position and would be a useful tool for the upcoming HMICFRS inspection. He then asked if the service would be moving on-call training to the Leadership and Development Centre (LDC) once it had been developed. The DCFO confirmed that due to the nature of on-call and the competing demands of primary employment and personal lives, the Service was looking to take training into stations to improve accessibility and provide a work/life balance.

Councillor G Baker and Sean Pilkington rejoined the meeting at 10:32.

County Councillor J Singleton asked how progress on activities within the report would be reported back to members and in particular the mid-rise premises risk as referenced on page 33 of the agenda pack. The DCFO confirmed that work had begun on the risk based inspection programme with progress on this and other activities reported through committee meetings, the full CFA, and Strategy Group meetings.

In response to a question from Councillor F Jackson in relation to improvements at Blackpool Fire Station, the DCFO confirmed that work had started to provide individual dormitories within the station. The Director of Corporate Services (DoCS) added that work was due to be completed in July 2025. The Chair remarked that both she and Councillor G Baker had attended Blackpool station recently and viewed the plans.

County Councillor N Hennessy asked a question in relation to expanding fire safety community engagement, the DCFO confirmed that this was a 12 month trial to ensure constant engagement and allow more work to be completed with mosques and different faiths. Upon completion of the trial period the role would be reviewed. County Councillor N Hennessy remarked that County Councillor H Khan was keen to engage women within her community and had done some great work in partnership with LFRS around cooking safety during Ramadan.

County Councillor Hennessy asked a further question in relation to the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) exploring the use of AI, the DCFO confirmed that the Chief Fire Officer (CFO) of Bedfordshire was leading in this area. The DCFO confirmed that more information on the use of AI would be brought to a future Strategy meeting for members.

County Councillor D O’Toole remarked that it had been 7 years since the Grenfell Fire tragedy and asked if fire chiefs had a voice on ensuring changes needed were prioritised by government. The DCFO confirmed that the NFCC were ensuring that the fire sectors voice was heard. The Chair added that Grenfell was on the agenda of the Local Government Association (LGA) Fire Safety Management Committee and had been on the agenda of the LGA Safer Stronger Communities Committee.

County Councillor N Hennessy remarked that the Service had received a letter for thanks from the Minister of State for Policing, Fire and Crime Prevention for its response to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry’s phase 1 recommendations.

In response to a question from Councillor G Baker in relation to the service receiving feedback following identifying risks regarding unsafe cladding, the DCFO confirmed that the service would take appropriate action to make buildings safe when risks were identified, implement fire safety measures, and would send additional resources to buildings deemed as high risk as set out in the Pre-Determined Attendance (PDA). The DCFO confirmed that more information on prevention would be brought to a future Planning Committee or Strategy meeting for members.

The Chair expressed her thanks for the detailed report.

Resolved: That the Planning Committee noted and endorsed the Annual Service Plan for publication.