Agenda item

The Director of People and Development (DoPD) presented the report. The Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Culture Annual Report 2024 – 2025 and Delivery Plan 2025 – 2026 offered a comprehensive overview of Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service’s (LFRS) ongoing commitment to fostering equality, diversity, and inclusion across its operations. As a public sector body, the Service had a legal obligation to comply with the Public Sector Equality Duty.  LFRS’s approach was further informed by feedback from inspections in other Services and feedback and recommendations from His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue (HMICFRS). The work undertaken by the Service in relation to equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI), was focused on the identification of risk and undertaking action which would minimise risks and keep people safe. 

Key areas covered within the report included;

Accessibility

LFRS Corporate Communications Department ensured that information was made available in a variety of formats and using multiple channels to effectively engage Lancashire’s diverse communities. 

In 2024-25, the website experienced increased visitor numbers, likely attributable to enhancements in design and accessibility following its relaunch in 2023-24. During the year, an accessibility tool was trialled and subsequently implemented permanently on the website; over a three-month period, features such as screen reader and keyboard assistance were utilised by 2,389 users. In 2024-25, messaging regarding e-bike and e-scooter safe purchasing behaviours was added to the website in various languages, complementing existing fire safety advice available in 26 additional languages to enhance accessibility for non-native English speakers. Fire safety videos were also provided in British Sign Language. Fire safety advice was distributed in accessible formats on social media platforms. Staff continued to receive training to produce accessible social media content. All video content, including public safety footage from emergency incidents, was published with subtitles. Approximately 60 staff members received accessibility training during the year through in-person, online sessions, and a webinar, now available to all employees, to ensure that website and intranet content remained accessible. 

The Corporate Communications Department actively supported LFRS prevention initiatives by partnering with prevention, community fire safety, and operational teams. Campaigns were developed through a structured planning process, focusing on objectives and target audiences determined by data and risk analysis in areas such as cooking safety, rechargeable battery fires, and water safety. Each campaign aimed to encourage safer practices among targeted groups and was evaluated through structured debriefs. In January 2024, the department supported a positive action campaign encouraging women and under-represented groups to explore career opportunities at LFRS. In 2024-25, the department delivered 21 campaigns—including three recruitment efforts—reaching a combined audience of 80,420,611 people, generating 1,265,779 engagements with an overall engagement rate of 9%, compared to an industry average of 5%.

Engagement and Consultation

Social media engagement varied across platforms during 2024-25, with notable increases observed on Facebook (+24%), LinkedIn (+24%), and NextDoor (+17%), contrasted by decreases on Instagram (-28%, attributed to platform algorithm changes), TikTok (-10%, also due to algorithm fluctuations), and X (-75%, resulting from reduced usage). The Service evaluated the demographics of followers across each platform to determine optimal channels for reaching diverse groups. Email newsletter subscribers increased by 5.8% to a total of 101,061.

In 2024-25, the Service launched several e-newsletters focused on prevention, protection, and partnership, offering pertinent risk information and service updates for dissemination by agencies and businesses engaging with residents. The quarterly stakeholder e-newsletter, 'Hot Topics', was distributed to key stakeholders, including partner organisations, MPs, town and parish councils, and community groups.

The Service also produced episodes of its podcast series, "Out of the Ashes: Stories from Lancashire," featuring topics such as youth empowerment through The King's Trust Programme, the responsibilities of on-call firefighters, and preparations for unexpected business disruptions. These episodes included interviews with young people, on-call firefighters, and business representatives.

During 2024-25, principal officers, directors, and area managers completed 95 station visits; 12 in-person staff events were held with service delivery managers, accompanied by 10 online crew sessions. There were 176 wellbeing interactions—including workshops, support dog visits, and station drop-ins—as well as 12 "On the Menu" events covering various topics.

Recruitment and Selection

Recruitment and progression data was analysed and reported to the equality, diversity, inclusion and culture (EDIC) Board and the demographic profile of the Service was reported quarterly to the Performance Committee. LFRS continued its journey to improve the diversity of the workforce to ensure that it represented the community it serves. Positive action was delivered to attract a diversity of candidates to fill the Wholetime firefighter apprenticeship course that began in February 2025. The service had taken an integrated approach in relation to delivering positive action and promoting LFRS as an employer of choice; colleagues from human resources and operational staff worked together to deliver attraction events supported by other colleagues from the service’s employee voice groups. Four “Have a Go” events were delivered by project members, at various stations including a flagship event held at our Leadership and Development Centre to coincide with International Women’s Day, with a total of 74 attendees. Further “Have a Go” events were planned for 2025/26. 

Whilst no Wholetime Firefighter recruitment took place in 2024/25, 99 other recruitment campaigns associated with Grey and Green Book staff occurred between 01/04/2024 and 31/03/2025, full details were included within Appendix B of the report.

Workforce Profile

Employment monitoring data was collected and reported annually in relation to all protected groups apart from gender reassignment due to the sensitive confidential nature of this data. Since 2023/24, the proportion of women employed increased from 20.8%. The percentage of employees identifying as BME decreased from 3.7% to 3.5%. The proportion of staff declaring a disability rose from 2.9% to 3.4%. The percentage of employees who identified as LGBT+ increased from 3.7% to 4.4%. 

Disciplinary cases

There were 18 disciplinary investigations during the period 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025 which was 10 fewer than the previous year. 

The outcomes of these cases where:

·         Three dismissals

·         No final written warnings

·         Two formal written warnings

·         Three management letters

·         Four people resigned or retired before the hearing. Of these, two investigations were considered Gross Misconduct and would have resulted in dismissal, one was not deemed Gross Misconduct and therefore the outcome would not have been dismissal, whilst the fourth remained ongoing into 2025/26.

·         Six ongoing into 2025/26

The disciplinary investigations addressed alleged breaches of Service policy—such as vehicle or property damage, inappropriate social media use, failure to follow instructions, non-responsiveness, and alleged criminal activity outside work.

No disproportionate impact was found on any minority group.

In response to a question from Councillor D Smith in relation to the report being brought to Resources Committee rather than other committees, the Clerk explained that the report was about people resources. The DoPD added that matters traditionally reported to Resources Committee had been about the people resource, and financial resources, but she acknowledged that a lot of the detail within the report was linked to performance, she confirmed that it was a member decision where the report would be reported. The Chair added that the report could also be shared with Performance Committee.

In response to a question from Councillor S Sidat in relation to the average age within the workforce being 40 years old, the DoPD explained that this had reduced in recent years. The average age used to be much older due to historical recruitment freezes, where there was also a reduction in new people joining the Service, she referenced that there has historically been lower staff turnover in comparison to the private sector and firefighters generally stayed within the Service until they could access their pension on retirement. She added that talent mapping was carried out to plan for the eventuality of people retiring from the Service. The Clerk added that other factors for the reduction in average age could include the changes to the default retirement age and pension scheme changes.

In response to a question from County Councillor J Tetlow in relation to utilising Instagram and Tiktok as part of recruitment campaigns, the DoPD explained that the service used a full range of social media with an evaluation carried out after each campaign. County Councillors M Ritson and J Tetlow asked about the reduction in engagement on Tiktok and it was agreed that the Assistant Director of Communication and Engagement would contact County Councillor J Tetlow outside of the meeting to discuss further.

The Chair requested that any vacancies be shared with members via email to allow them to share recruitment opportunities.

Resolved: That the report be noted.