The Community Safety Scrutiny Committee met on Tuesday, 31 March 2026, to discuss the Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Replacement Appliance Project and review performance reports. The committee approved recommendations for the fire appliance project and noted updates on the Lincolnshire Domestic Abuse Strategy and service level performance.

Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Replacement Appliance Project

The committee considered the initial phase of procuring new fire appliances and equipment for Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue (LFR). Joe Haustead, Assistant Fire Chief, presented the business case for the project. Members raised several points during the discussion, including the practicalities of maintaining the 'Clean Cab' policy during operations, which officers explained involved storing contaminated equipment outside the cab and using clean personal protective equipment (PPE). Concerns were also raised about the limited number of providers in the specialist market, with officers noting there were fewer than 10, but that a framework was in place to ensure suppliers met service requirements.

Regarding cost savings, officers could not provide exact figures but anticipated a significant reduction in maintenance costs for the new appliances. The anticipated lead time for procurement was noted as 12 to 24 months, with efforts underway to reduce this. The committee was assured that fire officers were aware of new highway rules concerning curb-side parking and were working to educate the public on the importance of maintaining access for emergency vehicles. Officers also confirmed that fire crews would be able to wash and obtain fresh PPE at incident scenes if contaminated. The older appliances would be repurposed for training and reserve roles. The committee was informed that the new equipment had been budgeted for and that the changeover would not cause operational disruption due to the availability of reserves.

The committee approved two recommendations:

1. To support the recommendation to the Executive as detailed in the report.
2. That a summary of the committee's comments be passed to the Executive for consideration.

Service Level Performance Reporting against the Success Framework 2025-2026 – Quarter 3

The committee reviewed the Quarter 3 performance for Community Safety services against the 2025-26 Success Framework. Joe Haustead, Assistant Fire Chief, presented the LFR section of the report. Members queried the number of malicious calls and whether prosecutions were being pursued. Officers stated they could not identify a trend but could track offenders' phone numbers, although their prosecution powers were limited. Concerns were raised about a reported reporting integrity issue, which officers explained was due to the implementation of a new control system but was now resolved. The committee also asked about the causal differences in fires where men and women were primary casualties, with officers assuring them that full debriefs were conducted after every incident. The functionality of community resilience plans was also discussed, with officers confirming they were reviewed monthly.

Martyn Parker, Assistant Director - Public Protection, then presented the Public Protection service's performance. Members expressed concern that targets unfairly penalised the County Council due to the involvement of external bodies. Officers clarified that these were County Council targets measured against their own performance, with wider targets being outside their control.

Christopher O'Rourke, Head of Communications and Engagement, introduced the Communications & Engagement service's performance report.

The committee resolved to note the report.

Lincolnshire Domestic Abuse Strategy 2025/28 Update

Jade Thursby, Domestic Abuse Business Manager, provided an update on the work related to the Lincolnshire Domestic Abuse Strategy 2025–28. The committee discussed the availability of safe accommodation units, with officers confirming that provision had been increased and service needs were continuously monitored. The cross-referencing of animal welfare reports with domestic abuse reports was confirmed as implemented. The existence of specialised units for male victims and for female victims with older male children was also confirmed.

Queries were raised about the number of children reporting abuse. Officers stated they could not provide specific statistics but acknowledged it as an emerging issue, highlighting the challenges children face in knowing when to report abuse, though schools had adopted relevant training. The committee was informed about the adoption of a new definition for domestic abuse and the provision of suicide training to some professionals, including GPs. The SARC centre in Lincolnshire was also mentioned in relation to the strategy. In response to questions about how Lincolnshire County Council compared to other authorities in terms of accommodation, officers noted that it was part of a nationwide network of refuge accommodation and therefore met certain standards.

The committee resolved to note the report.

Community Safety Scrutiny Committee Work Programme

The committee considered its work programme for the coming year.

The committee resolved to agree the work programme.