Agenda item

The Deputy Chief Fire Officer presented the report to members, the draft Community Risk Management Plan 2027-2032 provided details of what Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service intended to do over the forthcoming five-year period to identify, assess and mitigate the full range of fire and rescue related risks within Lancashire. The risk management planning processes provided the opportunity to demonstrate how the service intended to fulfil its responsibilities in a clear, cohesive way, to Lancashire Fire and Rescue Services teams, communities, and other interested parties. In writing a Community Risk Management Plan each Fire Authority must pay due regard to the National Framework guidance issued by central government, maintaining a clear and current understanding of the risks that affected Lancashire’s communities underpinned everything that the service does – driving both its governance and planning arrangements.

 

The Deputy Chief Fire Officer explained the approach taken in producing the Community Risk Management Plan including timelines and outlined the approach to the service review which would entail reviewing all Lancashire Fire and Rescue Services to ensure they were well prepared to deliver the activities and interventions in the new Community Risk Management Plan.

 

The Community Risk Management Plan 2027-2032:-

·         Highlighted Lancashire’s risks;

·         Explained how Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service would manage and reduce fire and rescue related risk in Lancashire;

·         Set out the services priorities and values;

·         Identified the services core strategies 

·         Set out the services ambitions against each priority and stated how the service aimed to deliver these;

·         Illustrated how Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service would measure and assure performance.

 

The paper taken to Planning Committee on 17 November 2025 outlined the services approach to the development of the Community Risk Management Plan. Initially it was intended that development work and consultation would include a wider Service Review, delivered at the same time. Whilst elements of the Service Review were underway, it was proposed that the Response (Emergency Cover Review) element of the Service Review which would include public consultation, would now commence in July 2027 and would include reviews of prevention, protection, response and corporate services.

 

A pre-consultation document was submitted in December 2025 to the full Combined Fire Authority meeting for approval to engage with communities and staff. The two-phased approach to consultation allowed the service to gather early insight to inform the development of the draft Community Risk Management Plan.

 

Phase one Consultation was carried out from 13 January 2026 to 15 March for nine weeks and explained the challenges and drivers for change and invited views on the services proposed direction of travel.  Phase one allowed the service to listen and learn about the services communities’ and workforce priorities.

 

There were 2,223 responses to the consultation including:

• 1,911 residents representing every district in Lancashire.
• 119 partner agencies, parish and town councils, voluntary and community groups.
• 73 businesses.
• 110 employees.

 

There were high levels of agreement with overall views on Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service including the degree to which people trust the services safety advice, believed the service served the community well and delivered value for money. Awareness levels varied in terms of different services provided by Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service and house fires were perceived as the greatest risk in communities.

 

High levels of agreement were received with future direction statements in the consultation which related to using resources more effectively, modernising, and delivering a high-performance efficient service.

 

A full phase two consultation would take place during summer 2026 where the service would present and seek feedback on the Community Risk Management Plan 2027-2032. The phase two consultation would undertake structured engagement with a wide range of groups, including residents, businesses, partners and employees, to understand what mattered most to Lancashire’s communities and how proposed changes may affect them.

 

Feedback from both stages would help ensure the final plan reflected community needs and expectations and that resources were prioritised effectively to manage risk, demand and vulnerability across Lancashire.

 

The new Community Risk Management Plan would go live from April 2027.

 

The Community Risk Management Plan identified the services priorities as;

·         Valuing our people so they can focus on making Lancashire safer

·         Preventing fires and other emergencies from happening

·         Protecting people and property when they happen

·         Responding to fires and other emergencies quickly and competently

·         Using digital, data and technology to drive continuous improvement

·         Delivering value for money in how we use our resources

 

The drivers influencing the Community Risk Management Plan were;

·         Changing community risk: Climate change, emerging technologies, demographic change, deprivation, the built environment, major transport networks and evolving patterns of vulnerability were reshaping risk across Lancashire.

·         Demand and complexity: Demand was not only about volume. Incidents were increasingly varied and some were more complex, protracted and resource intensive than ever before.

·         Digital and data opportunity: Better use of data, digital tools, AI and automation could improve targeting, mobilising, productivity, learning and decision-making across the organisation.

·         Partnership working: No single organisation could manage every risk alone. Strong collaboration with local authorities, health partners, police, other fire and rescue services, resilience forums, voluntary organisations and communities was essential.

 

Key areas of focus within the Community Risk Management Plan included;

·         Resourcing and availability of appliances

·         Identifying and assessing risk

·         Response standards - As part of the Community Risk Management Plan consultation, the service wanted to gauge views on whether the current response standard model was appropriate, or whether the service should move to simpler single response standards whilst retaining the fire risk formula for prevention and resource allocation.

·         Strategic Priorities

o   Valuing our people so they can focus on making Lancashire safer

§  Culture, values, standards and behaviours

§  Employer of choice and workforce planning

§  Leadership and management capability

§  Talent management and succession planning

§  Wellbeing, skills and workforce capability

§  Engagement, communication and change

o   Preventing fires and other emergencies from happening

§  Home Fire Safety

§  Prevent Fires

§  Resilience to Severe weather

§  Safer Roads

§  Stronger Resilient Communities

o   Protecting people and property when fires happen

§  Target risk

§  Safer buildings

§  Stronger systems

§  Supporting delivery and performance

o   Responding to fires and other emergencies quickly and competently

§  Availability area of focus

§  Competence area of focus

§  Preparedness area of focus

§  Operational excellence and continuous improvement

o   Using digital, data and technology as a key enabler of safer, more efficient services

§  Digitally enabled workforce

§  Data maturity insight

§  Strong technical foundations

§  Cyber security and resilience

§  Value for money and continuous improvement

§  Emerging technology

§  National alignment and collaboration

o   Delivering value for money in how the service uses its resources

§  Financial sustainability and resilience

§  Prioritisation and resource allocation

§  Productivity and efficiency

§  Asset sustainability and investment

§  Assurance, transparency and accountability

 

Progress would be measured through key performance indicators, with any changes to key performance indicators managed through the Planning Committee.

 

In response to a question from County Councillor J Ash in relation to response standards, the Deputy Chief Fire Officer explained that historically there had been national standards for response, however services now set their own response standards as part of the Community Risk Management Plan process, with national research suggesting that many services across the country now utilised one response standard. Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service had four response standards for critical fires and would consult as part of the Community Risk Management Plan on moving to a single response standard. The Deputy Chief Fire Officer explained that often the service only knew which response standard it should have achieved on conclusion of an incident once a full assessment of the incident had taken place, as response standards were linked to the risk of lower-layer super output areas which were reassessed annually as part of the services strategic assessment of risk. Having one set response standard would ensure there were clear response expectations for both the service and members of the public.

 

Councillor G Baker asked if there was a penalty should response standards not be met, the Deputy Chief Fire Officer explained that there was no penalty however this would be assessed by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services. The Inspectorate was interested whether the standards set were being met. He added that a small number of fire services did not set standards. He also emphasised that the service would always send the fire engine that would reach the incident the quickest, using technology such as Automatic Vehicle Location Systems and would always send more than one fire engine to property fires. Resources were also moved to where they were most needed to maintain a quick and effective response to members of the public.

 

County Councillor J Ash emphasised the importance of transparency within public services and added that she felt moving to one response standard would provide more transparency. The Deputy Chief Fire Officer explained that the results of the consultation would be brought to the next Planning Committee meeting in November 2026, and that any proposed changes to Key Performance Indicators following the Community Risk Management Plan consultation would be included in any recommendations to the Planning Committee in November.

 

The report was moved by County Councillor J Ash and seconded by Councillor G Baker with all members voting in favour.

 

Resolved: That the Planning Committee;

1.  Approved the draft Community Risk Management Plan 2027-2032 and consented to proceed to public consultation on 14 July 2026.

2. Noted and endorsed the revised timelines for the Service Review.