Standing item.
Minutes:
The Chair welcomed members to the meeting and announced that County Councillor D O’Toole was standing down as a County Councillor at this year’s county elections. The Chair remarked that Councillor O’Toole had had a spectacular career at both Lancashire County Council and the Combined Fire Authority (CFA). County Councillor D O’Toole joined the CFA in June 2000 and had served 25 years on the Authority, he had chaired the Authority extensively and currently sat on the Planning, Performance, Resources and Appeals Committees and the Member Training and Development and Capital Projects Working Groups. The Chair remarked that County Councillor O’Toole was the epitome of a Conservative, a true gentleman who always acted with honesty and integrity and was very supportive of her as leader of the Labour Group. On behalf of the Authority The Chair thanked County Councillor O’Toole for his service.
County Councillor F De Molfetta added that he had worked with County Councillor D O’Toole for many years and he had always promoted the work of the Fire Authority and had the Fire Authority at the heart of everything he had done. They were involved in the development of North-West Fire Control (NWFC) which had now proven to be very successful. Councillor De Molfetta congratulated County Councillor D O’Toole, thanked him for everything he had done for the Fire Authority and wished him good luck for the future.
County Councillor J Shedwick echoed the comments of others and remarked that he had worked with County Councillor D O’Toole for a long time and was proud to serve on the authority with him, he expressed his thanks for his service.
County Councillor D O’Toole thanked members for their kind words and remarked that his time on the Fire Authority had been very rewarding. There had been four Chief Fire Officers (CFOs) during his time on the Authority and he had enjoyed working with them all, along with the Executive Board and the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) representatives. He remarked that he had enjoyed the comradeship with all members from all parties and commented that any disagreements had been managed sensitively and respectfully. County Councillor O’Toole further commented that he had been a Conservative party member since he was 17 years old.
The Chair presented County Councillor O’Toole with an award on behalf of the Fire Authority and the CFO presented County Councillor O’Toole with a gift on behalf of the Executive Board.
On behalf of the Fire Authority the Chair wished County Councillor T Hurn a speedy recovery following news that he had suffered a heart attack.
On behalf of the Fire Authority the Chair expressed her sympathies to County Councillor R Woollam following the news of his wife’s passing, following a short illness.
On behalf of the Authority, the Chair expressed her thanks to County Councillor P Rigby who was standing down as a County Councillor at this year’s county elections, County Councillor Rigby had joined the CFA in March 2021 and the Authority was grateful for his service and dedication.
The Chair welcomed County Councillor A Kay back to the Authority.
The Chair advised that following the HMICFRS inspection there would be a debrief held this week. The Deputy Chief Fire Officer (DCFO) confirmed that this was not the final results but would give an initial precis of inspection findings but without in-depth detail or final gradings.
The Chair updated members on a recent donation by the Service to Ukraine. A national convoy to Ukraine departed on 6 April 2025 and returned on 13 April 2025, Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service (LFRS) donated two fire engines, a 4x4 vehicle and essential rescue equipment as part of a UK-wide humanitarian effort. This was the eighth convoy to Ukraine and included a total of 30 vehicles and over 15,000 pieces of vital equipment which were donated by colleagues from Buckinghamshire, Cheshire, Durham and Darlington, Essex, Hampshire and Isle of Wight, Hereford and Worcester, Humberside, London, Merseyside, Mid and West Wales, Norfolk, Northumberland, South Wales, Staffordshire, Tyne and Wear, West Midlands and West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Services.
The volunteers representing Lancashire included Group Manager (GM) Mark Warwick, Firefighter (FF) Sue Tattersall, Crew Manager (CM) Mark Schofield and CM John Meehan, and Adam Flynn and Dominic Aughton (Fleet and Engineering Services).
In total, in eight convoys since the invasion began, 150 fire and rescue vehicles and 300,000 pieces of firefighting equipment had been donated to Ukraine.