Agenda item

(To receive a report from Mark Baxter, Chief Fire Officer, which invites the Committee to consider and comment on the contents of the Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Authority’s Statement of Assurance 2021/22)

Consideration was given to a report from Mark Baxter, Chief Fire Officer, which invited the Committee to consider and comment on the content of the Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Authority’s Statement of Assurance for 2021/22.

Attached at Appendix A to the report was a copy of the of the Statement of Assurance document for 2021/22 for the Committee to consider.

The Committee was advised that Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Authority was satisfied that the systems and measures it had in place with respect to financial governance and operational matters for the period 1 April 2021 to 31 March 2022 were fit for purpose and effective.

During consideration of this item, the Committee raised some of the following comments:-

·       Media coverage regarding diversity and bullying issues some fire and rescue services were encountering and how the service was ensuring it was not happening in Lincolnshire.   The Chief Fire Officer advised that he found reports of what was happening within his sector to be very troubling.  The Committee was assured that LFR had strong cultures and behaviours throughout the organisation, and that it was the LFR commitment that whenever there had been any evidence of poor behaviour, these were addressed immediately. The Committee noted that there were systems in place to allow staff to report any issues or concerns confidentially, through independent reporting lines;

·       Engagement with foreign nationals – The Committee was advised that local crews and community safety teams actively engaged with their local communities.  It was noted that messages were delivered to communities in as many languages as possible; and that the LFR also had a proactive recruitment campaign with all communities within Lincolnshire as the service was keen that the diversity of its crews mirrored the same diversities within communities;

·       Recruitment Campaign – It was reported that during the last 12 months there had been a healthy number of applicants for whole time fire fighters.  With regard to on-call personnel, again there had been a significant number, but more had to be done to ensure that these staff were retained. It was highlighted that the service lost approximately the same number of staff it recruited each year.  It was highlighted that Lincolnshire was competing with other services across the country, so there had been a focus of training existing staff within the organisation, as well as external recruitment;

·       Whether there were any issues or projects the service would like to carry out to improve the service.  Issues highlighted included IMT services how these could be streamlined to make the service more efficient;

·       Whether IMT packages were being updated.  It was noted that due to pressures of IMT across the whole council, some updates had not been received as timely as they might have been.  It was highlighted that updates would be received before the end of the year. It was highlighted further that there was a programme looking at how the service could system optimise all its IMT packages; to try and to reduce reporting streams, which would then increase capacity within existing teams;

·       Collaborative working arrangements with Norfolk, Humberside and Hertfordshire fire and rescue services.  The Committee was advised following a recent procurement exercise to evaluate what options were going to be for future control systems, after 2024/25, Lincolnshire would no longer be part of the East Coast Consortium, and that this had been a joint decision made by all the collaboratives.  The Committee was advised further that fire services would be looking at future provisions either independently or through alternative partnership arrangements.  It was highlighted that LFR were looking into options for the most efficient and effective way of continuing the vital critical function.  Reassurance was given there would not be any reduction in service; and

·       Page 51 advised that the service received 19,167 calls during 2021/22 and had attended 8,004 operational incidents including 2,253 medical response calls.  This highlighted that there was still a difference between the number of calls received and calls attended.  A request was made as to why this was so, and whether a breakdown of calls could be provided to members of the Committee. The Committee noted that the joint ambulance conveyance project was now at two stations, so there had been a bit of a reduction in service in this area.  It was highlighted that the ambulance from the Stamford area was not required anymore and that following discussions, it had been agreed that the ambulance would be taken back to East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS).  The Committee was advised that a breakdown of the information requested would be made available to the Committee.

The Chairman extended his thanks to the Chief Fire Officer for his presentation.

RESOLVED

That the report presented be endorsed and that the comments raised from the debate be taken into consideration.