Welcome
Welcome to our Annual Plan for 2026/27, an integral part of our golden thread that supports delivery of our clear purpose: working together to keep our communities safer. This year’s plan builds on the strong progress we made in 2025/26 and continues to align closely with our 2024–2028 Community Risk Management Plan (CRMP) and our four strategic pillars: Safer Communities, Service Delivery, People and Value for Money.
During the past year, we have again demonstrated a clear commitment to improvement, transparency and strengthening our culture. Alongside this, we have faced some complex challenges, particularly in relation to building safety compliance. Addressing these issues has required a collective effort from teams across the Service to identify, understand and manage associated risks while ensuring we maintain our operational effectiveness. I would like to thank everyone involved for their professionalism and commitment in responding to these challenges.
We also strengthened our strategic leadership through changes within the Chief Officer Group, including the appointment of a new Assistant Chief Fire Officer. This refreshed leadership team will help guide the Service through the next phase of our improvement journey and support our continued focus on delivering safe and effective services for our communities.
Looking ahead, 2026/27 presents further opportunities to build on this momentum. We will continue to review our capacity and capabilities to ensure we maintain a sustainable operating model that aligns with current and emerging risks across Lincolnshire. A key focus for the year will be finalising and embedding proposed structures in identified departments as part of our Resourcing Project to ensure they deliver the intended benefits, strengthen collaboration across the Service, and support effective and efficient service delivery.
We will also continue to maximise our involvement in the Lincolnshire County Council IT programme and associated investment, ensuring that Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue benefits from improved digital capability, resilient systems, and modern infrastructure that support operational effectiveness and organisational performance.
The continued development of our digital and data capabilities will help ensure we remain resilient, effective, and ready to meet both current and future demands. We will also continue to review our response model to ensure it remains effective and supports our resilience both now and in the future.
During the year, we welcomed HMICFRS back to Lincolnshire for our most recent inspection. I would like to recognise the significant effort from colleagues across the organisation in preparing for and supporting the process. The inspection allowed us to reflect on progress since the previous cycle and to demonstrate improvements in leadership, governance, communication and engagement, and service delivery. We look forward to receiving the results during 2026/27 and will use the findings to guide our continuous‑improvement journey.
We will also continue to reflect on national learning, including outcomes from the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, ensuring that we adapt and improve our services where required.
Our Service will continue to work closely with partners across Greater Lincolnshire, supporting the evolving landscape of local governance through the Greater Lincolnshire Combined County Authority and contributing to wider public service collaboration for the benefit of our communities.
As we enter 2026/27, our focus remains firmly on delivering our committed priorities and implementing our CRMP through the golden thread of plans and actions that guide our work.
Thank you for your continued support and dedication to working together to keep our communities safer. Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue is a Service we can all be proud of, and this is a testament to the professionalism, leadership, and commitment shown by colleagues across every role and every part of the organisation.
Thank you.
Mark Baxter, Chief Fire Officer