Introduction

Welcome to our Annual Delivery Plan for 2025-26.

This plan is being launched alongside our new Community Risk Management Plan 2025-28 (CRMP). It sets out the detailed objectives and outcomes we will be working to deliver in the first year of the CRMP.

The Service is on a continuing journey towards becoming an outstanding fire and rescue service, as set out in Our Ambition 2032. In September 2024, we were delighted to receive the latest assessment of our performance from His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS), which rated us as Good in ten out of eleven areas, and noted that we had improved or maintained our performance in almost every area of the Service. We will continue to build on that strong performance over the coming years.

Our new CRMP maintains a focus on the same six strategic goals which have driven our work over the last three years. It sets out a range of ambitious objectives for improving our productivity and effectiveness and the quality of our services to the community.

In developing our plans, we must take account of the wider context in which we operate. Nationally, the economic landscape remains challenging, with a squeeze on government finances and a single year financial settlement for local government services. Locally, our communities and the risks within them evolve, and our services and capabilities need to adapt appropriately. Across the fire sector, there is continuing focus on culture and standards of behaviour, as well as a desire to increase diversity.

Within NFRS, we have worked hard over the last three years to improve efficiency and make savings, in order to maintain frontline services. Over the coming three years, our financial situation looks set to remain challenging and we will need to make savings to maintain a balanced budget. At the same time, we must make targeted and affordable investments in areas of the service, to ensure we can continue to serve our communities well, with an infrastructure that is safe, aligned to risk and fit for the future.

Our 2025-26 Plan on a Page highlights the core business outcomes we aim to deliver, and it is followed by more information about how we intend to make progress against our strategic goals. We have planned an ambitious but achievable programme of work, that includes the completion of several long running strategic projects, and some new projects aimed at improving the efficiency and effectiveness of our activities. It also includes capital investments in buildings and equipment, including the start of work to build a replacement for the current Stockhill fire station.

Despite the challenges, we are looking forward to another great year of delivering to our communities. We hope you find this plan interesting. We will provide details about our progress in our Annual Statement of Assurance.