Welcome
Welcome to our Annual Plan for 2025/26, an integral part of our golden thread to deliver on our clear purpose: working together to keep our communities safer. This year's plan builds on our successes in 2024/25 and continues to align with our 2024/2028 Service Plan and CRMP. I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their hard work and commitment in delivering on our shared priorities.
Reflecting on a year where we have achieved so much, we continue to grow and evolve our Service to support our communities. Our collective achievements over the last year include increased capacity and capabilities in key functional areas such as Protection, Prevention, our Talent, Learning and Resourcing Team, and IMT through our Resourcing Project. It was gratifying to receive recognition from HMICFRS for our positive cultural progress by addressing previous concerns.
We invested in our assets, delivering improved capabilities such as technical response vehicles, command support units, personal issued dry suits, upgraded thermal imaging cameras, and additional flood pumps. We also invested in data systems to enhance our risk analysis and performance management.
The introduction of the NFCC Supervisory and Middle Leadership Development Programmes demonstrates our ongoing commitment to leadership pathways for everyone within LFR. Finally, it was great to welcome back our Emergency Planning and Business Continuity Team under the leadership of Ian Reed, to support our common purpose of keeping our communities safer.
Looking ahead, 2025/26 presents another year of opportunity to continue our improvement journey. We will review our capacity and capabilities through the Resourcing Project to maintain our commitment to a sustainable model that aligns with Service risk.
This year, we look forward to operating with a new control system that will enhance and future-proof our control function capabilities. The outcomes of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 report will significantly influence our future capabilities in many areas of our Service delivery.
We will also welcome HMICFRS back into our Service this year, providing us with the opportunity to showcase the progress we have made in all areas and recognise the positive contributions from everyone.
As we enter 2025/26, we do so within the backdrop of Greater Lincolnshire Devolution and the creation of the Great Lincolnshire Combined County Authority. This will provide exciting long-term opportunities, and we are well placed to support partners in the evolution of the Authority.
Our focus for 2025/26 will remain on our committed priorities and delivering on our CRMP through the golden thread of plans and actions.
Thank you for your continued support and commitment to working together to keep our communities safer. We have a Service we should all be proud of, a testament to the leadership and dedication of every LFR colleague at every level and in every area.
Thank you.
Mark Baxter, Chief Fire Officer