ReciteMe Accessibility Tool

Appendix Two - Our priorities for 2024/25

OUR MISSION: Working together to keep Bedfordshire safe 

We continue to adapt to the evolving risk profile locally and nationally. 

Plans are informed through intelligence-driven analysis, working collaboratively with partners and through regular engagement with communities to understand concerns. 

We will deliver positive improvements to address the learning from our HMICFRS inspection. 

We received valuable feedback from our inspection by HMICFRS in 2023. We always welcome feedback and continuously look at how we might improve our services to the communities of Bedfordshire. This includes: 

  • We will deliver a revised risk-based inspection programme based on national guidance and utilising the Fire Risk Data Warehouse system output. 
  • We will implement a revised business engagement strategy to support duty holders to comply with their responsibilities under the Fire Safety Order. 
  • We will deliver a new process and software solution to effectively capture the learning from operational incidents. 

We will continue to invest in our people and improving our culture 

Our people are our biggest asset, so we will continue to invest in them to be the best they can be to serve the community better. This includes: 

  • We will update operational development pathways to ready colleagues for when they step up to take on a new role in the Service. 
  • We will undertake a review of succession planning across the organisation and deliver departmental action plans to ensure a smooth transition of key roles if people leave critical positions. 
  • We will deliver additional capacity within the occupational health department to provide enhanced support for colleague welfare and wellbeing. 

We will improve our emergency response performance and invest in our estate 

Emergency response is at the heart of what the public expects from its fire and rescue service. As Bedfordshire continues to grow and change, we will work to deliver the best emergency response, now and in the future. This includes: 

  • We will complete and evaluate the roaming pump trial to identify potential improvements to operational response. 
  • We will deliver outline business cases for four fire station build projects identified in the emergency cover and estates review. 
  • We will complete and action the recommendations from a Service-wide review of our specialist response capabilities. 

We will make every penny count to deliver a balanced budget over the medium term 

We face unprecedented financial challenges including the rising of cost of fuel, energy and wages. We will work to deliver a fire and rescue service that meets the needs of our communities, whilst delivering a balanced and sustainable budget. This includes: 

  • We will identify how we will deliver efficiency savings of £700,000 to be implemented in 2025/2026. 
  • We will develop our productivity and efficiency plans to identify further ways to reduce costs, share services and collaborate with partners to deliver the best services. 
  • We will identify invest-to-save options to achieve sustainable savings in the future as part of a long-term strategy.