Our Values and Behaviours

We are a Values led organisation. Our Values are the qualities that we believe are the most important to us, and describe the expectations the public have of us, and that we have of each other. Our values have been developed with our staff and our communities.

We use them every day to influence how we work to achieve our mission and strategic commitments, and to guide the professional behaviours we expect of our staff in everything we do.

We also fully support the National Fire and Rescue Service core values of:

• Service to the community
• Valuing all our employees
• Valuing diversity in the Service and the community
• Valuing improvement

The Authority has adopted the national Core Code of Ethics for Fire and Rescue Services in England which was developed in partnership with the National Fire Chiefs Council, Local Government Association, and the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners to support a consistent approach to ethics, including behaviours, by fire and rescue services in England. The diagram over the page shows how the core Code of Ethics maps across to our Values, NFCC Leadership Framework, and our behaviours framework. This approach guides everything we do from strategic planning through to staff appraisals.

Our Behaviours

I am trustworthy - I am open and honest, building trust with others and deliver what is required of me. I build constructive working relationships to achieve our goals.

I am confident and resilient - I have belief in myself, I am capable and resilient. I am able to move towards goals with flexibility and recover from setbacks. I remain calm under pressure and look for opportunity when faced with adversity.

I listen - I hear, I listen, I seek to understand everyone. I am clear about what I need to do, so that I can deliver a high-quality service to the community.

I am a role model - I am an ambassador for the Service and take pride and responsibility for the work I do. I act with integrity and impartiality and I am aware of the impact I have on other people.

I am inclusive - I value inclusion and appreciate different opinions, encouraging everyone to have a voice. I  treat everyone with kindness and respect and create a positive environment.

I encourage continuous improvement - I work collaboratively with others to improve the service we provide. I make decisions based on the evidence and keep up to date with best practice, ensuring actions are beneficial to the community.

I am innovative - I strive to be the best I can be. I look for solutions to improve services for our community and encourage creativity and innovation. I am keen to develop and be part of a high performing team.

I am a team player - I value my colleagues and team and I am aware of our diverse skills. I look after myself and others and seek help if needed. Everyone’s mental health and wellbeing is a priority and I am aware of the systems in place to support us.