The Community Safety Scrutiny Committee of Lincolnshire Council met on Tuesday 8 September 2026 to review performance across several key areas, including fire and rescue response, trading standards, and the Stay Safe Partnership. The committee scrutinised reports on the Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue (LFR) response review, the Scrutiny Committee Performance Framework for Quarter 1 of 2026-27, Trading Standards' metrology activity for 2025-26, and the Stay Safe Partnership's annual update.

LFR Response Review

The committee considered a pre-decision scrutiny report on the Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue (LFR) Response Review, which is due to be presented to the Executive on 6 October 2026. Ryan Stacey, Assistant Chief Fire Officer, and Councillor Alex McGonigle, Executive Councillor for Community Safety, presented the review. The report outlines a proposal for an improved response model for LFR, aiming to enhance resilience and sustainability. Key elements of the proposed model include the creation of 20 additional whole-time firefighter posts, establishing Grantham as a 24-hour whole-time station, and increasing crewing at other seven-day crewed stations. This initiative aims to move away from a legacy duty system that has become increasingly fragile and legally non-compliant, particularly concerning working time regulations. The proposal also seeks to ensure the availability of specialist capabilities, such as water and heavy rescue, throughout the day and night. Councillors expressed support for the report and the proposed improvements, acknowledging the importance of night-time cover and the investment in the service. The committee resolved to have considered and scrutinised the report and its recommendations to the Executive.

Scrutiny Committee Performance Framework 2026-27 Quarter 1

The committee reviewed the performance of various services against the Scrutiny Committee Performance Framework for the first quarter of 2026-27.

Fire Safety: Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue (LFR) exceeded its target for average response times to dwelling fires, achieving 10 minutes and 1 second against a target of 11 minutes. Similarly, the average response time for all other incidents was 12 minutes and 30 seconds, exceeding the 15-minute target, although this showed a negative trend compared to previous years. The service also achieved its target for Home Fire Safety Visits (HFSVs) at households with vulnerable occupants, with 90.6% of visits conducted at such properties. However, the percentage of building regulation applications responded to within 15 working days fell slightly short of the 100% target, achieving 96.2%. Petroleum licensing inspections for 2025-26 were also reported, with 79 inspections carried out against an annual target of 101. Contextual measures showed no fire fatalities in the quarter, a positive reduction from previous years, but there were 15 fire casualties. The risk-based inspection programme saw 153 audits completed, representing 22.8% of the annual target, with a notable increase in the proportion of audited premises found to be non-compliant. Total incidents attended increased by 14% compared to the previous year, driven by a rise in false alarms and special service calls, including co-responder incidents and road traffic collisions.

Emergency Planning: Performance indicators for emergency planning are contextual, meaning they do not have specific targets. During the quarter, 443 out of 561 parishes (79%) were contacted about the Community Resilience Programme. Of these, 56 communities had completed plans, and 99 were signed up and working through the programme's three pillars. A total of 406 communities had not yet engaged with the programme. Three communities had refused to join, though one of these has since signed up.

Safer Communities: In the Safer Communities area, 102 fraud interventions were carried out. Eight new call blockers were installed, bringing the total to 88, which prevented 6,528 potentially fraudulent phone calls in the quarter. Forty fraud prevention and protection presentations were delivered to 645 residents and professionals. Additionally, 467 individuals completed Friends Against Scams e-learning training.

Coroners and Registrations: The percentage of deaths registered within five days was 70%, below the 90% target, although the average registration time remained under four days. The number of open inquest cases was 285, below the 300 measure, and the number of inquest cases older than 12 months was 35, in line with the measure.

Volunteering: In the volunteering sector, 451 voluntary, community, faith, and social enterprise groups received tailored support. These organisations secured over £1 million in funding during the quarter. A total of 642 people were supported to access volunteer opportunities.

The committee reviewed and were satisfied with the performance data presented and thanked the officers for their presentations.

Trading Standards - Metrology Activity 2025/26

The committee reviewed the annual overview of Trading Standards' metrology activity for 2025-26. Mark Keal, Head of Trading Standards, and Chad Saratoon, Principal Trading Standards Officer, presented the report. The activity focused on ensuring the accuracy of weighing and measuring equipment used in transactions to protect residents, support legitimate businesses, and maintain trust. During the year, 66 businesses were inspected, and 171 items of equipment were tested. This resulted in 29 pieces of equipment being prohibited from use and 25 found to be operating outside legal tolerances. Targeted projects included work in medical institutions, where 16 out of 50 weighing instruments in GP practices were found to be non-compliant, and the precious metals sector, where Operation Flamingo identified unsuitable scales and instruments operating outside legal tolerances. The report highlighted challenges with low levels of consumer complaints, which limit intelligence for targeting enforcement. The committee resolved that they reviewed and were satisfied with the delivery of statutory responsibilities in respect of weights and measures enforcement.

Community Safety Scrutiny Committee Work Programme

The committee reviewed its work programme for the upcoming year. The LFR Response Review was noted as a pre-decision scrutiny item for the Executive. The committee agreed to defer the Waddington Training Centre Business Case from the October meeting to a later date and requested that Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue provide a comment on its future in relation to Local Government Reorganisation. The adjusted work programme was agreed.

Stay Safe Partnership Annual Update

The committee received an update on the Stay Safe Partnership (SSP), which provides preventative education to school-aged children across Lincolnshire. Martyn Parker, Director - Community Protection & Commissioning, and Kathryn Smith, Community Safety Strategy Coordinator, presented the report. In the 2025-26 academic year, over 113,000 students, staff, and parents engaged with SSP activities, with participation in 98% of mainstream secondary schools and 88% of all government-registered schools. The partnership's focus on youth voice was highlighted, with over 8,500 students providing feedback and 6,427 participating in the Keeping Safe Survey. The report detailed significant safeguarding disclosures made during interventions, including issues related to domestic abuse, grooming, and assaults, enabling children to access support. The partnership has also adapted to address emerging risks such as harmful online content, artificial intelligence, and knife crime. Parental engagement through webinars and educational resources was also discussed, with over 1,400 parents registering for online safety sessions. The committee resolved that they had considered the content of the report and offered their comments on the continued delivery of the Stay Safe Partnership project.