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
Overview
We are committed to staying agile, forward‑looking and prepared for the long‑term needs of our communities. Our plans look ahead to 2035, while recognising that risks and priorities will continue to evolve over each four‑year cycle.
This Service Plan for 2026/27 sits within the golden thread of our planning framework. It aligns directly to our 2024 - 2028 Community Risk Management Plan (CRMP), which sets out how we will identify and manage the risks facing Lincolnshire. The CRMP is built on extensive data, risk modelling and engagement with the public, which helped shape our 16 strategic priorities for the current four‑year period.
At the heart of everything we do is our purpose: 'Working together to keep communities safer'. This purpose keeps us focused on delivering what matters most for the people of Lincolnshire.
Underpinning our purpose are our four strategic pillars - Safer Communities, Service Delivery, People and Value for Money, which describe the core areas that define who we are and how we work. These pillars have guided the development of our long‑term goals and the outcomes we will work towards.
Each year, we translate our CRMP priorities into a clear annual plan. This 2026/27 Service Plan sets out the actions we will focus on over the next 12 months to deliver those priorities. These actions flow directly into departmental plans and individual PDR objectives, ensuring everyone understands how their work contributes to our purpose and to improving outcomes for our communities.
Progress is monitored through our established performance framework, from PDR discussions and departmental reviews through to Service Delivery Board and the Performance Management Board, ensuring we remain accountable, transparent and focused on continuous improvement.
Our success relies on all of us. Every role contributes to keeping our communities safer, and your ongoing commitment to our purpose remains essential to delivering the outcomes set out in this plan.
Strategic priority areas
Strategic priority areas for 2024-28:
Safer Communities
1. We will have sustainable and scalable interventions in place to mitigate the risks likely to affect our communities
2. We will optimise the use of data to prioritise and target people who may be at greater risk of fire and other emergencies.
3. We will ensure we have skilled professionals in place to monitor (and enforce non-compliance) relevant fire safety legislation in the built environment
4. We will monitor, support and carry out duties as required under the Civil Contingencies Act.
Service Delivery
5. We will provide sustainable mobilising, command and control infrastructure
6. We will streamline the way we manage data and the technology we use to access it
7. We will ensure we have a sustainable response model
8. We will ensure the health and safety of our staff remains a priority
Value for Money
9. We will provide training and development facilities that are fit for the future
10. We will invest in our ability to deliver service wide improvements
11. We will further develop our performance measurement and management capability
12. We will develop our plans to invest in the future of the service as a force multiplier
People
13. We will develop leadership and management capability at all levels in the service
14. We will use innovative practices to attract, select and champion talented people, enabling diversity and embracing difference
15. We will develop the diverse skill sets of our people to build an agile, professional and competent workforce
16. We will continue to develop a happy, healthy and resilient workforce
Safer communities
Strategic Priority 1
We will have sustainable and scalable interventions in place to mitigate the risks likely to affect our communities.
Actions:
- Deliver Home Safety Interventions aligned to the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) person centred framework in a targeted, risk-based approach.
- Performance manage and quality assurance prevention and protection activities.
- Deliver activities to support the development of our children and young people across the County.
- Develop new partnerships to enhance awareness and delivery of prevention activities.
- Review and develop digital resources to enhance delivery of prevention and protection activities.
- Develop and embed fire and rescue volunteer network.
- Review and take actions to maximise LFRs engagement and involvement with wider community safety concerns – e.g. ASB/Serious Violence/Mental Health.
Strategic Priority 2
We will optimise the use of data to prioritise and target people who may be at greater risk of fire and other emergencies.
Actions:
- Develop and embed risk profiling methodology for prevention and protection activities to better understand risks within our communities to support targeted activities.
- Identify partners to collaborate with and promote sharing of data to further enhance our understanding of risk.
- Embed the use of Power BI across all levels of the Service to drive service delivery and performance.
Strategic Priority 3
We will ensure we have skilled professionals in place to monitor (and enforce non-compliance) relevant fire safety legislation in the built environment.
Actions:
- Deliver community protection activities to manage community safety in the non-domestic setting in an effective and efficient way.
- Support and deliver against national building remediation strategy.
- Engage with local businesses and organisations in relation to compliance with fire safety regulations - offering equality of access to all business communities.
- Take positive action to reduce the impact of Unwanted Fire Signals (UFS) and consider a risk-based approach.
- Implement a training plan to upskill the workforce and consider future needs for delivery of protection activities - ensuring all areas of required delivery is considered and include a green book competency framework.
- Develop and implement a robust evaluation methodology to measure the impact of protection activities.
- Embed updated RBIP methodology – ensuring highest risk premises are targeted – Considering partner datasets to support profiling.
Strategic Priority 4
We will monitor, support and carry out duties as required under the Civil Contingencies Act.
Actions:
- Make our communities resilient through increased whole of society resilience.
- Support Lincolnshire County Council (LCC) to ensure compliance with its duties under CCA 2004 as a Category 1 Responder.
- Support the delivery of statutory business continuity on behalf of LCC.
- Develop a robust and resilient command structure within LCC to support business continuity management development and response to business continuity events.
Service delivery
Strategic Priority 5
We will provide sustainable mobilising, and command and control infrastructure
Actions:
- Embed and evaluate the new control mobilising system, including the secondary control function at Market Rasen (Iccs and CAD).
- Introduce an upgraded Station End Equipment solution across the service.
- Procure and implement a new mobile data terminal (MDT) solution into the service.
- Develop our ability to communicate from operational incidents, using advanced connectivity solutions.
Strategic Priority 6
We will streamline the way we manage data and the technology we use to access it.
Actions:
- Provide quality data/business intelligence and live data connections to allow data-based decisions to be made from automated dashboards and promote self-serve for data requests from internal departments.
- Deliver against specific elements of the Digital and Data Roadmap.
- Embed a culture of governance and quality assurance for all data/information sources.
- Assess and improve data maturity within all levels of LFR.
- Ensure robust corporate oversight of service policies and procedures.
- Introduce ruggedised tablets into the organisation, to enable staff to conduct remote work and the completion of forms that automatically update line of business applications.
- Embed a new CRM to support efficient and effective ways of working - integrating systems and departments.
Strategic Priority 7
We will ensure we have a sustainable response model.
Actions:
- Continually assess a wide range of risks within Lincolnshire, anticipating events over the next twelve months and planning the service's response to ensure it is fully prepared and our local communities are as resilient as possible.
- Review our WT duty systems to ensure they are effective, resilient, attractive and flexible to respond to the evolving needs of our communities, locally, nationally and internationally.
- Work closely with NFCC on-call working group and local focus groups, harnessing data and research to continually improve and strengthen the on-call duty system.
Strategic Priority 8
We will ensure the health and safety of our staff remains a priority.
Actions:
- Embed effective lone working procedures across all relevant departments.
- Enhance monitoring of health and safety across the service regarding near miss reporting, accident/injury reporting and safe cards, feeding into the Service Management Board (SMB). Develop a robust reporting portal to capture and display H&S data for the service.
- Complete a full review of service risk assessments ensuring they are stored centrally, up to date and accessible to staff.
Value for money
Strategic Priority 9
We will provide training and development facilities that are fit for the future
Actions:
- Enhance capabilities to allow a focus on commercial elements of training.
- Review service wide training delivery model and evaluate different approaches e.g. hub and spoke model including a review on organisational structures (resourcing project).
- Progress proposal for future Waddington site specification to CLT.
- Undertake a structured review of operational training and firefighter development materials to move away from predominantly PowerPoint-based delivery and towards blended, accessible, and engaging learning solutions. Create a prioritised plan to introduce innovation and ensure training content is modern, effective, and sustainable.
- Investigate the opportunities the purchase of Waddington training site may present with regards to operational support, with particular attention to stores and fleet maintenance.
Strategic Priority 10
We will invest in our ability to deliver service wide improvements
Actions:
- Carry out a complete systems approach review of current project management capabilities.
- Develop and facilitate project management training for all relevant staff.
Strategic Priority 11
We will invest in our ability to deliver service wide improvements.
Actions:
- Carry out a complete systems approach review of current project management capabilities.
- Develop and facilitate project management training for all relevant staff.
Strategic Priority 12
We will further develop our performance measurement and management capability.
Actions:
- Continue to develop Power BI and integrate all relevant activities into recognised reporting mechanisms.
- Further embed a culture of performance management at all levels.
Strategic Priority 13
We will develop our plans to invest in the service as a force multiplier.
Actions:
- Enhance process for evaluation of partnerships, embedding a business benefits realisation tracker.
- Maintain relationships with stakeholders within LCC/NFCC/Regional pools.
- Work with LCC colleagues and partner agencies to consider how we can utilise internal data and intelligence to support the development of a county wide risk profile.
People
Strategic Priority 13
We will develop leadership and management capability at all levels in the service.
Actions:
- Develop and embed a structured people management development pathway for managers, building competence and confidence in key areas such as employment relations, managing performance and HR casework, supported by consistent guidance, learning and practical application.
- Create and embed clear development pathways guidance for roles within the service, including qualifications, apprenticeships, and leadership programmes, to support career progression and build a strong talent pipeline.
- Deliver action learning sets based on example scenarios and organisational learning.
Strategic Priority 14
We will use innovative practices to attract, select and champion talented people, enabling diversity and embracing difference.
Actions:
- Review and improve recruitment and promotion processes to increase efficiency, strengthen fairness and transparency, and ensure alignment with organisational needs and best practice.
- Implement ORH OARS software to support optimisation of on-call availability, recruitment and skills utilisation.
- Define and deliver a focused set of positive action priorities, supported by appropriate resources and capacity, to improve representation and support the development and retention of women and ethnic minority groups.
- Implement OneFile to digitalise phase 2 development firefighter folders.
Strategic Priority 15
We will develop the diverse skillsets of our people to build an agile, professional and competent workforce.
Actions:
- Develop data literacy capabilities across the workforce.
- Review and enhance the ‘Train the Trainer’ programme to ensure consistency, quality and engagement in learning delivery, meet audit and accreditation obligations, and mitigate operational and reputational risks arising from non‑compliant or ineffective training practice.
- Introduce automated, Power BI‑enabled reporting to provide timely and accurate insight into employee competence, mandatory training and overall training and development activity, supported by comprehensive annual reporting for both operational and non‑operational employees.
- Embed a robust competency framework underpinning the operational training plan, and a robust quality assurance process, ensuring our training delivery and content is aligned to national operational guidance, fire standards and sector best practice.
Strategic Priority 16
We will continue to develop a happy, healthy and resilient workforce.
Actions:
- Review and enhance the LFR induction programme for the entire workforce to ensure it is comprehensive, inclusive and aligned with organisational needs.
- Implement an enhanced and resilient welfare support provision.
- Review impact of communications strategy and develop a range of platforms to provide timely service level updates. Review the existing communications platforms to evaluate their effectiveness.