Agenda item

The Community Risk Management Plan 2022-26 has been developed, providing data and analysis on key fire and rescue related risks, and information on how Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service will work with communities to address and mitigate those risks.  The purpose of the report is to raise awareness of a public consultation on the Plan which opens on 5 January 2022 and closes on 16 February 2022 and to provide an opportunity for feedback from Local Area Council into the process.? 

Paul Hedley, Chief Fire Officer provided a power point presentation on the Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service (NFRS) on the draft Community Risk Management Plan (CRMP) which was currently out for public consultation.  A copy of the presentation would be attached to the signed minutes and made available with the papers for this meeting on the Council’s website.   It was explained that it was a statutory requirement for each Fire and Rescue Authority to have a CRMP which detailed how each authority discharged it’s functions, with the most important aspects highlighted as “identify and assess the full range of foreseeable fire and rescue related risks in their area” and “be accountable to communities for the service they provide”. 

A wide-ranging public consultation exercise was now underway on the draft of the CRMP.   Members were advised that each plan must reflect up to date risk analyses; demonstrate how prevention, protection and response activities would best be used wholistically to best prevent and mitigate the impact of identified risks on its communities.  Separate strategies were in place for emergency response, protection and prevent which sat beneath the CRMP which all identified how strands of delivery complement and help risk reduction.   The CRMP must also cover a three-year time span, reflect effective consultation throughout its development and be easily accessible and publicly available and easy to read.

Reassurance was provided that this was not a plan set in stone and would be flexible in order to respond to new and emerging risks but also unforeseen circumstances and impact and therefore an annual update would be provided where achievements and performance was looked at along with what was needed for the forthcoming year and assess if any changes to risk or service delivery models were required.   If anything in this update required further public consultation this would be undertaken.  Specialist companies were also involved in the production of the CRMP including providing simulation models to predict what the impact of potential changes on community risk and resilience would look like which would provide greater confidence that these were defined and communicated across the area and how resources were matched to these.

The purpose of the CRMP was to provide assurance that the right resources were in the right places to respond effectively to the risks within Northumberland.   It was important that communities understood the process undertaken to analyse risk.  It was explained that risk was a combination of the likelihood and consequence of a hazardous event and the NFRS had a duty to work with communities and partners to minimise or prevent the likelihood of these happening.  In the last ten years there had been a 21% reduction in incidents attended, with 10 incident types identified as responsible for 90% of the events.  It was explained that there was a corelation between outdoor fires and crime deprivation and good work was underway with Northumbria Police to work collaboratively with partners to reduce risks.

Data was provided on incidents of dwelling fires and information was provided on what was currently done to reduce this risk and what was planned to further reduce incidents of this nature.  The plan also identified emerging and future risks that were infrequent but had the potential for high impact, eg, climate change, weather, the pandemic, ageing population and increased vulnerability, British Volt and the new Northumberland Line.

The Aims and Priorities 2022/23 were captured within the plan with a review of current service delivery models and the outcome of recommendations and areas of the second inspectorate assessment against key areas.

Any further reviews would go through a full public consultation.

The following comments were made in response to member’ questions:-

·       Due to the demographics of the urbanised and rural areas of the county, there was no typical response time for house fires, however, the aspiration was to get there within 10 minutes.  There was the same response time for the whole of Northumberland.   The set time for life risk incidents was 80% and contained within the plan but would be subject to further review and brought back for consultation.

·       There were links in the plan to the Strategic Plan which contained Prevention information.

·       Communications tried to make information conversational and not too serious.  Compliments would be conveyed to the Comms Officer.

·       To have the correct infrastructure to deliver, a specific people strategy had already seen some traction within personnel within the service.  Everyone was included and involved with a voice to influence the future direction of the service.

Graeme Binning, Deputy Chief Fire Officer and Chair of the Staff Engagement Forum, informed members of work that had been delivered.  His role was to work on collaboration and improvement and culture which was key not just externally but also internally with a one team approach.

The Northumberland Line was referenced in the plan as an emerging risk and the East Coast main line was not mentioned as a risk as there had been no major incidents in the last 5 years.

The level crossings did not feature as much as a risk, as there had not been any historic incidents.  Once the planning stages had been completed, members would be appraised.  Any new business along the line, would have a statutory duty to comply with fire law.

Specialist training for officers on the risks of lithium-ion batteries had already started with training being provided by an expert from Newcastle University.  Fire safety teams had been working very closely with British Volt as the site was being developed.  There were also section 13 and 16 agreements with neighbouring fire services in the case of a large incident. 

Pegswood and West Hartford sites were part of a regional PFI and were 14 years into a 25-year PFI.   In terms of incidents, there were around 3500 call outs per year which equated to 8 incidents a day.

Members were informed that the consultation was open until 16 January and featured on all of the County Council and Fire Services platforms.

The Chair thanked the Officers for their attendance and presentation, advising that their work was much appreciated.

RESOLVED that the information be noted.