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Fire Accountability Board Minutes – 8th July 2025

Welcome and introductions.

 

Attendees:

PFCC Danielle Stone (DS)

Marianne Kimani (MK)

Jonny Bugg (JB)

Louise Sheridan (LS)

Paul Fell (PF)

ACFO Phil Pells (PP)

ACFO Jim Powell (JP)

ACO Paul Bullen (PB)

Nick Alexander (NA)

Leanne Hanson (LH)

 

Minutes and decisions of previous meeting

  •  DS welcomed everyone to the meeting.
  • Apologies were received from CFO Nikki Watson

 

PART 1

 

Sickness

 

  • The Commissioner had raised the issue of sickness in NFRS as a concern from a wellbeing and operational impact perspective. She was informed that sickness in relation to wholetime firefighters was lower than the average for the sector and well below the average for retained firefighters, with the main reasons for sickness reported as muscular-skeletal injury.
  • A third of sick staff were waiting for hospital appointments/treatment
  • There was evidence that levels were higher than the average in Fire Control, but it was stressed that NFRS control was small, and this is measured in terms of per capita so this is likely to be reflected in that figure.
  • Sickness levels for on-call firefighters is low and below the national average.
  • A review of the Occupational Health package has been completed, and this will be brought in-house by November 2025.
  • Wellbeing will mirror Northants police and include neurodiverse and wellbeing peer support, an employer assisted programme and mental health support.
  • Work is also ongoing to promote heathy eating and exercise.
  • Assurance was provided in relation to return to work processes and modified duties.

 

Assurance statement

 The Commissioner was pleased to hear of the news in relation to firefighters and asked for an update relating to the ongoing work in fire control, which was then provided by ACFO Powell.

 The Commissioner asked given the discussion in March whether the Chief Fire Officer Team now had the level of data that they required to manage these issues effectively. They reported that while there was still some finessing to undertake, but they were now in this position.

 The Commissioner was pleased with and welcomed the improving position with the provision of well-being support for employees.

 

Fire Fatalities and injuries

 

  • ACFO Pells provided an overview.
  • The key risk factors in relation to fire fatalities is smoking in bed, over 60’s and with some form of care package in place.
  • Elderly lifetime smokers unlikely to change habit
  • Fire retardant bedding has been issued for some high-risk cases however there is a significant cost and also a concern that it gives the person a false sense of security and they continue to smoke in bed. This is under review.
  • A gap in local care staff also identified as a risk factor – high turnover of personnel in this sector makes it difficult to ensure they are trained in fire safety and fire risk awareness. High turnover means there is a constant training gap.
  • Looking at e-learning package but as there is no national product, the Service may need to invest. In one being used in London and Birmingham.
  • Fire will join complex case mental health meeting to ensure embedded in key groups.
  • It was acknowledged that fire fatalities and injuries remained low in this County but in recent times there is some evidence of a small increasing trend both locally and nationally and particularly in rural counties of which Northamptonshire is one.

 

Assurance Statement:

The Commissioner was assured that the service understood the demographics of people where these tragic incidents occurred and that there was a pattern nationally and locally where those affected tended to be or have one or more of a common set of characteristics, these being 60+. Living alone, smoker, or with an existing care plan in place.

ACFO Pells cited a turnover issue with social care staff as one area that concerned him in the ability to train other agency staff in spotting fire risk indicators to be reported for further intervention by NFRS.

The service are exploring the feasibility of ELearning packages being developed for partners on this issue.

 The Commissioner welcomed the fact that she was being informed that the Fire Service had an understanding of the causes of these types of incidents but requested that reflection take place on what more can be done to reduce the risks posed by communities showing these risk factors.

 

 

PART 2

Annual internal audit report update

 

The Commissioner requires a report to provide an overview on the findings from the NFRS Internal Audit programme for 2024/2025. It should outline all the audits that have taken place with the recommendations made and the level of assurances that the audits have provided. It should also provide assurances to the Commissioner on the governance arrangements in place for the receipt of audit reports and how they are assessed and actioned once received.

It will be assumed that all recommendations made have been agreed and should report by exception where this might not be the case.

It should outline whether all recommendations made have been implemented or where this is not the case an explanation should be provided as to why this is so and a timescale for implementation and completion should be provided.

 

  • A plan is in place to deal with actions from safeguarding audit.
  • DBS checks have been done on both firefighters and staff in line with NFCC guidance of improving DBS checking.
  • This was a high priority for the Service and is now complete with new starters being vetted before a formal offer is made.
  • Still some actions to work through but all are on track
  • Good picture overall and demonstrates a journey of improvement.
  • It was acknowledged that there is no comparison with audits from 2019 when the Service did not have good leadership and governance.
  • Given that NFRS is one of lowest funded services this also demonstrates how compelling the improvement is.
  • Best year yet in terms of overall results since fire governance transferred from the County Council.

 

Assurance statement:

 

The Commissioner expressed thanks to the service on what was essentially a positive picture in this report, and how much better this was than some years ago when NFRS governance transferred from NCC.

She was assured that the service had in place good and effective processes for deciding areas to be subject to internal audit, receiving and assessing completed reports and then implementing action and recommendations from them.

The Commissioner asked for assurances that the recommendation in a previous safeguarding internal audit report that all firefighters should be DBS checked had been put into place and completed and she was informed by ACFO Pells that this was the case.

The Commissioner was suitably assured in relation to these processes.

 

 

Health and Safety Report

 

The NFRS health and safety policy requires an annual presentation on Health and Safety performance to the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner. The Commissioner requests a report to the assurance meeting of the health and safety performance over the period 1st April 2024 to 31st March 2025, that meets the needs of that policy.

The report should identify any trends in health and safety reports, highlight good practice and highlight areas of risk or improvement.

 

  • Leanne Hanson provided an update.
  • Following same trend as last year. Slips, trips, falls and manual handling.
  • Identified issue in data/discrepancy for RIDDOR.
  • There are a further 6 accidents that need to check if they were a RIDDOR event.
  • Regarding the increase in the occurrence rate, VA questioned if this was 0.003, 0.03% 0.33%. or 3%

Action – LH to check the % figures in the Health and Safety report relating to occurrence rate and share data with VA.

Action – As the Health and Safety report contained some provisional RIDDOR figures a revised version to be sent to Paul Fell when completed.

 

  • The high number of near misses reported was considered as positive and demonstrates a confidence to report such incidents.
  • All have been reviewed so good practice.
  • The increasing trend correlates with increased attendance rates
  • LH will update the Home Office reporting data and send an updated copy of report when everything is correlated.
  • There was a discussion about the Home Office definitions of Training and Routine
  • There is a large variance on what is classed as ‘routine’.
  • The financial impact of lost shifts is circa £78k as have to cover with OT at 1.5x the normal hourly rate.

 

Assurance Statement

 

The Commissioner acknowledged as a part of the presentation of this report that some of the figures were to be treated as provisional given some reporting difficulties with a new recording system, however was reassured that any changes were likely to be insignificant. She asked as this was being presented as a draft that once final figures were agreed that a revised copy of this report be sent to her office for further assurances and noting.

The Commissioner stated that it was welcome that the relative numbers of injuries was low in the workforce. She also acknowledged that the newer recording system made it easier for near miss incidents to be reported and as such we may see these increase in future but that this was positive from a culture and operational sense as it allowed for interventions to be put into place to prevent injury in the future.

 

The Commissioner acknowledged the report and contents and was content at this point with NFRS internal processes on this particular matter.

 

 

CRMP

 

The Commissioner is aware that NFRS have completed the public consultation relating to the proposed Community Risk Management Plan (CRMP). She asks that the proposed CRMP, the results of the public consultation and any recommendations or changes following this are brought formally to the assurance meeting

This is to allow her to assess any feedback and how this has been considered by the NFRS senior leadership team and that any feedback provided through the consultation has been given due regard and received sufficient consideration, before final sign off of the CRMP.

 

  • The CRMP has now been ratified at SLT and is being recommended to the commissioner for final sign off
  • The public consultation provided assurance of the decision-making process.
  • Overall recommendation that accepts 5-year CRMP as consulted on.
  • The Commissioner confirmed her desire to bring the Fire and Police service closer to the community, so consultation is important.
  • She was pleased with the process that had been undertaken.
  • In terms of future feedback, an annual plan will be produced every year that sets out what will be achieved under each priority area. (Say what you will do and show what did approach).
  • As soon as the CRMP is signed off the senior team will begin work on year 2.
  • They are slightly behind the curve as the year starts in April and we are already in July.
  • There was a discussion about the Daily Incident Report. The commissioner was keen to understand how the Service could reduce the call volume for incidents that it does not go to.
  • Assurance was provided that the new ‘standards of response’ will focus on that grey area of what the fire service will and wont we go.
  • Examples such as automatic alarm calls – CHUB automatically call even though the Service don’t deploy, and cats stuck up trees was another.
  • The Commissioner was keen to ensure that the public know more about the non-fire related work of firefighters. (Assume every appliance is returning from a fire when out and about).
  • A better awareness of the role of a firefighter (not just fighting fires) might help with recruitment and retention.
  • DS agreed to raise this at the Fire Service Management Committee on 11th July as a role for the College of Fire to become more involved in.
  • The Commissioner accepted the CRMP and requested that PF build measures into future assurance boards to monitor.
  • Performance metrics will be monitored via the Fire SLT Assurance Board which PF attends.

 

Assurance statement:

 

The Commissioner received this paper and supplementary documents, which outlined the process and methodology followed to develop and consult on the Community Risk Management Plan. The Commissioner welcomed what she considered was the widespread and effective consultation process that supported the decisions being proposed in the CRMP being evidence led.

She stated that it was positive that the service was held in high esteem by respondents.

 It was agreed by the Commissioner to accept the 5 priorities that were proposed within the draft CRMP and adopt these in the published version. She stated that this needed effective communication with the public, but to also include thought as to how we educate the public on the role of the Fire Service, beyond extinguishing fires, which was an area lacking in the consultation.

 She questioned the process that would take place for the annual review. This was agreed that this would take place each year ahead of the end of the financial years so that any amendments made would take effect from 1st April each year and an annual assessment and report on activity and performance against the CRMP would be developed for Fire SLT and the PFCC.

 It was agreed that the final document and associated measures and metrics will be taken to Fire SLT in July and then published thereafter.

 

 

AOB

No further business was raised.