Agenda item

The Deputy Chief Fire Officer (DCFO) advised that the report updated on progress of the ongoing workstreams that were being progressed under the Blue Light Collaboration Board (BLCB). He explained that it was proposed that this be the final update brought to Planning Committee as the same content was being reported to Performance Committee. The workstreams were being managed effectively through both the Strategic and Tactical Boards and were contributing towards improving outcomes, providing better value for money, reducing demand, and reducing inequalities within communities.

Leadership Development

Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service (LFRS), Lancashire Police (LanCon), and North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) continued to seek efficiencies and foster professional relationships across Blue Light Services.

Following the success and positive feedback from the three leadership events held in 2025, one hosted by each blue light service, planning was underway for another series of events in 2026. It was proposed that they would follow a similar format, with each blue light service hosting one of the events.

The group was also continuing to progress a cross-service coaching and mentoring network where people with similar roles at a comparable level were identified to link with each other in the role of either a coach or a mentor. The events that ran in 2025 provided an opportunity for the attendees to be briefed on the benefits of this and indicate whether they would be willing to enter into a coaching or mentoring arrangement. This received a positive response. 

Health and Wellbeing 

A new collaborative group was formed earlier this year, bringing together Health and Wellbeing leads from all three Services. The group’s goal was to understand and align the health and wellbeing offerings across Blue Light organisations and explore joint opportunities to support staff. It was led by LFRS. It was recognised that there were a number of similarities in the challenges faced by personnel across the three services, such as dealing with distressing incidents and shift work. By collaborating and sharing mechanisms to support staff, interventions could be optimised.

The group’s initial step was to share policies and procedures for best practice and learning. Work planned for the group included continuing to develop the idea of a Tri-service wellbeing event for any member of blue light staff and continuing to explore the possibility of a joint blue light fitness and nutrition support offer. LFRS and LanCon were developing an online module for mental health awareness, to be available to all staff and shared more widely once completed.

Estates, Co-location & Fleet

The estates and co-location initiative between LFRS, NWAS, and LanCon aimed to identify opportunities for shared sites, enhancing collaboration and value for money. Successful co-location at Lancaster, St Annes, Darwen, Preston, and other Fire Stations had improved operational efficiency and fostered stronger inter-service relationships, ultimately benefiting Lancashire communities.

The updated Blue Light Collaboration Project Initiation Document continued to provide direction for the Estates and Co-location sub-group, which was exploring further collaboration. Quarterly meetings between Heads of Estates from LFRS, NWAS, and LanCon had shown that benefits extended beyond site sharing. The project’s objectives, principles, and expected benefits had been updated. The group continued to consider system knowledge exchange, shared procurement specifications, and joint supplier frameworks.

Fleet had now been added as part of the group and had started work to explore the opportunities around joint servicing of vehicles across the blue light services. The group were also assessing the viability of sharing the use of vehicle maintenance unit (VMU) facilities in cases of high demand or business continuity. Work had already been carried out to reduce the number of notices of intended prosecution (NIPs) sent to blue light partner agencies, where appropriate. Further workstreams would be identified as the group matured such as electric vehicles and supporting infrastructure, collisions and driver management.

Community First Responder (CFR)

A cost-benefit analysis by the New Economy showed that Emergency Medical Response (EMR) yielded a return of £4.41 for every £1 invested. In areas with EMR co-responding, firefighters were dispatched alongside ambulance services for suspected cardiac arrests, with the first to arrive providing life-saving care. This parallel response increased the likelihood of timely intervention. While this model had been successful in parts of the UK, the steer was now to phase out EMR in favour of supporting the CFR volunteer framework.

In Lancashire, the CFR workstream enabled LFRS staff volunteers to respond to life-threatening emergencies from their workplace. Since April 2025, nearly 300 incidents had been attended by LFRS personnel acting within phases 1 and 2.

Phase 1: Green book staff respond voluntarily while on duty.

Phase 2: Flexi Duty Officers (FDOs) respond while on duty.

Phase 3: On Call staff respond within their communities.

LFRS were currently at the point of developing phase 3. Stations had been identified to align with NWAS data indicating greatest demand for CFR and where implementation of the scheme would maximise the positive impact.

Recruitment

Recruitment was the most recent subgroup to be set up and was still in its infancy. This group was looking at opportunities for joint recruitment initiatives, exploring ways to improve the vetting and references protocol, reviewing best practice for supporting applicants with neurodiverse conditions and considering cost saving collaboration through shared recruitment events and material.

Evaluation

Through evaluation, LFRS had considered the value and benefits of several workstreams and had considered how the BLCB contributed to LFRS’s aim of “Making Lancashire Safer”. The evaluation of the three leadership events held over the last 12 months found that all events were positive, with future events being planning to build on this success. CFR continued to be evaluated as part of the delivery framework.

In response to a question from County Councillor J Ash in relation to the rank of coaching and mentoring, the DCFO explained that he understood coaching and mentoring would take place from supervisory level upwards with reverse mentoring also taking place, this was being led by HR.

The report was moved by County Councillor J Ash and seconded by Councillor J Hugo.

Resolved: That the Planning Committee noted the report and agreed for this to be the last update into Planning Committee due to the same content being reported into Performance Committee.