Information

Welcome and introductions.

Attendees:
PFCC Danielle Stone (DS)
DPFCC Marianne Kimani (MK)
Jonny Bugg (JB)
Paul Fell (PF)
Stuart McCartney (SMc)
CFO Nikki Watson (NW)
ACFO Jim Powell (JP)
ACO Paul Bullen
Hazel Gray (HG)
Nick Alexander (NA)

Minutes and decisions of previous meeting

The OPFCC Chief Executive provided an update on the action relating to maternity pay and the OPFCC Performance Director updated the meeting on discussion with IJ and the possibility of engaging them to assist with maintaining fire stations. ACFO Powell then briefed the meeting on appliance availability and the delivery of new welfare pods.

The OPFCC Performance Director then briefed the meeting on the forward plan and the business planned for future meetings. The Chief Fire Officer highlighted the document request in May for the upcoming HMICFRS and the PFCC asked when an update will be available in relation to the Emergency Cover Review. It was agreed that both of these matters would be considered for inclusion as a part of the forward plan for May.

PART 1

The OPFCC Performance Director noted that the data available for this meeting had not been refreshed from the data utilised for the January meeting.

He asked for an update from the Fire and Rescue Service on the work to improve the availability of performance data. ACFO Powell responded and noted that improvements are being made and the Service are now able to better analyse the data. PB then briefed members on how data is processed and the improvements that are needed. Monthly data should be available very soon which is current rather than a quarter behind, and work was ongoing to find additional analytical capacity.

The PFCC asked if the current roadworks were impacting on response times. The Chief Fire Officer responded and explained that the service are given notice to enable them to plan alternative routes. ACFO Powell added that the service are also looking at non-emergency calls and reprioritising vehicles.

ACTION – PF to consider whether an inspection update after documentation supply to HMICFRS and update in relation to Emergency Cover Review could be included in the forward plan for May for accountability board meetings.

PART 2

HMICFRS Inspection

The Commissioner asked if the Fire and Rescue Service were happy with their preparedness for the upcoming inspection. ACFO Powell provided an update and assured the Commissioner that the Service has the necessary understanding and structures in place and it will be able to demonstrate a positive picture to HMICFRS.

ACFO Powell noted that the Service have worked with Warwickshire who have recently been inspected. HG then provided a briefing to the meeting and explained the governance structures that are in place to support the inspection. She explained the Service will be able to provide progress reports to help refine the Inspectors questions and give them a clear narrative. The Commissioner asked when the collation of documentation will be complete, to be provided to HMICFRS. ACFO Powell explained that the formal request for this was not until May 2026 but the Service were undertaking a gap analysis of what they anticipated would be required and will be able to provide documentation to the Inspectors.

He also explained the Service are reviewing policies which will be finished before the inspection. He also explained the planned comms and engagement to help people during the inspection. The Commissioner noted the importance of people understanding the work to deliver improvements, including those new to the organisation. The Chief Fire Officer then noted the importance of using positive the language when interacting with inspectors. JP explained that HMICFRS are looking at governance in this round of inspections and therefore the significant work undertaken in this regard locally should reflect positively and that there was positive progress in relation to year 2 CRMP delivery.

The Commissioner then asked if the Service had identified areas of best practice. ACFO Powell responded and explained several had been identified such as EV fires, but more work was being undertaken. The Commissioner then asked about areas of weakness. The Chief Fire Officer responded and noted that HMICFRS are interested in how the Fire and Rescue evaluates its work, and that it might be the case that some historic projects have not been fully evaluated but this is now being rectified as a part of new governance structures. ACFO Powell noted this can be open to subjective interpretation.

The OPFCC Chief Executive asked about links with Force colleagues. ACFO Powell explained there were links in place but would chase this as an action.

HG then reiterated the importance of comms and engagement and set out what was planned for the inspection.

The Commissioner then asked for an update on changing the culture in the Service. ACFO Powell responded and noted the cause for concern had been removed. The Chief Fire Officer explained the challenges of better reflecting the community, but work was being delivered to improve diversity and the Service can demonstrate what has been implemented. The Commissioner asked for data relating to recruits from Eastern European countries which the Chief Fire Officer will provide. The Commissioner asked how confident the Service were in challenging poor behaviours. The Chief Fire Officer responded and explained the Service was on a journey and was working with staff and providing support and training which has seen an increase in complaints and reports. PB noted there was more confidence in the reporting system and HR and the FBU were supporting the approach. He provided some assurances that the increase in non-anonymised reports was being taken at this stage as an indication of increased confidence to report concerns from staff.

ACTION – JP to ensure that contact is made with the Northamptonshire Police HMICFRS lead to ascertain if there is any learning from their recent inspection.

ACTION – NW to provide a breakdown to the PFCC of the ethnic and gender breakdown of the most recent firefighter intake.

ASSURANCE STATEMENT

The Commissioner was assured that the service had developed its own internal governance structures in recent times and had embraced the inspection processes after numerous years of Fire and Rescue Services having no external scrutiny and had learned from the first three rounds of inspection activity.
She was assured that the the Chief Fire Officer was confident that preparation activity for round 4 had been thorough and that the service was prepared and felt that it had some emerging or good practice to demonstrate to HMICFRS, as well as the fact that she felt that the service will be able to demonstrate good progress in relation to AFI from round 3.
The Commissioner looked forward to receiving a positive inspection report and asked that in May the Chief Fire Officer bring to this meeting an update following the early documentation submission with clarity over whether there were any gaps as a result.

Fire Control Systems

ACFO Powell provided an update and explained the history and background to the issues relating to commissioning anew fire control systems. He noted the challenges and issues relating to the changes required by the Service and the difficulties in delivering them.

There had been some issues relating to a new contract being required following some agreed changes to the initial procurement process, but he felt the Service were almost at a point in where amended contracts could be signed, and the Service was waiting for a completion date. JP made the point that he was holding suppliers to account for delivery and had made it clear that go live for the new CAD system needed to be during 2026.

There was a discussion about the code of connection to Airwave and assurances were provided that this was being worked on and there were no concerns that the Home Office would have issues with extending the current temporary licence for this. The issues affecting this were from a 3rd party supplier rather than NFRS. The Commissioner asked about backup systems, ACFO Powell responded and noted that a system is in place with Warwickshire and this is tested regularly.

ACTION – JP to provide additional information in relation to the start and finish dates for contracts for new ICCS and Vision systems once this is clear.

ACTION – JP to provide a date for when new contract and change control notice for Vision would be signed.

ASSURANCE STATEMENT

The Commissioner thanked the Chief Fire Officer and particularly ACFO Powell for their work in relation to this, recognising the importance of having effective systems in Fire Control as part of the overall approach to keeping people safe in the county.
She was assured that this matter was now progressing but did express her concerns over the length of time that this had taken. She supported the view that 2026 was the required timescales for the new VISION CAD system to be implemented.

AOB

No further business was raised.