Fire and Rescue Annual Report
2024-2025
Contents
Mayor’s Foreword
Principles and Priorities for 2024-2025
Fire and Rescue Plan 2022-2025: Annual Progress Update Against Priorities in 2024-2025
Priority 1: Actively engage with all communities to identify need and risk and to reassure
Priority 2: Work jointly as a trusted partner to prevent harm and damage, intervene early and solve problems
Priroity 3: Deliver the “Right People, Right Support” every time
Prioirty 4: Maximise efficiency to make the most effective use of all available resources
Prioirty 5: Enhance positive culture, openness, integrity, and public trust
Governance, Assurance and Scrutiny
|
This report highlights how North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (NYFRS) has progressed each of the five Fire and Rescue Plan 2022-2025 priorities during 2024-2025. It also meets the requirements of the Mayor’s Fire and Rescue Declaration of assurance by confirming arrangements for the effective management of financial, governance and operational matters, as well as overall adherence to the Fire and Rescue National Framework for England. |
Mayor’s
Foreword
Welcome to my Fire and Rescue Annual Report 2024-2025. This marks my first year as Mayor of York and North Yorkshire. Real progress has been made over the last 12 months to make our communities safer places for all.
This report gives an update on fire and rescue progress against the priorities set out in the final year of the Fire and Rescue Plan 2022–2025.
In July 2024, I appointed Jo Coles as my Deputy Mayor for Policing, Fire and Crime to help oversee both the police and fire and rescue service and ensure they are delivering improvements. Over the past year, we’ve supported and been assured of; a stronger focus on road safety, an increase in prevention and building safety activities based on risk, and faster response times to incidents.
An inspection of North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (NYFRS) took place between December 2024 and January 2025. The report, now published, shows clear progress in how effective and efficient the Service is and how well it looks after its staff. The report highlights significant progress in addressing previous concerns and improved services in almost all areas. This is thanks to the leadership, hard work and dedication of our fire and rescue service personnel. I’m proud of what’s been achieved so far. We’ll continue to support NYFRS, and hold them to account, to make sure improvements continue.
I’ve also made some tough but necessary decisions, including a significant precept increase from April 2025, to ensure a more sustainable financial position for North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service so that investments can be made to further improve fire and rescue services, ensure the safety of our firefighters and the protection of the public.
Informed by a successful region-wide public consultation, my new Fire and Rescue Plan 2025-2029 was published in April 2025. This sets the strategic direction of North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service for the next four years through a series of strong, tangible commitments to keeping our communities safe now and in the future. Next year’s report will detail progress against the six priorities in my new Fire and Rescue Plan.
I am extremely proud to be your Mayor, to champion our fantastic region every day and work to build healthy and thriving communities across York and North Yorkshire. There is no more important responsibility as Mayor than ensuring the safety and wellbeing of the public. That is why I, alongside my Deputy Mayor for Policing, Fire and Crime, Jo Coles and my hardworking and dedicated team, will continue to work with North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service to drive the changes needed to modernise the service and further reduce risk to achieve our vision of York and North Yorkshire as a safe place for all.
David Skaith
Mayor of York and North Yorkshire
Message from Jo Coles, Deputy
Mayor for Policing, Fire and Crime
The safety and wellbeing of the public is the most important duty for anyone in public life. What drives me every day is making sure that the public have the upmost confidence in their Police and Fire and Rescue Services, that they are working to the priorities set out in the plans, and that they are constantly striving to be the best they can be at protecting and serving the residents, businesses and visitors in York and North Yorkshire.
It was an honour to be asked to serve as Deputy Mayor for Policing, Fire and Crime in York and North Yorkshire. Working alongside Mayor David Skaith, we have set out our vision that every community in York and North Yorkshire should be a safe place for all. Our Fire and Rescue Plan sets out the priorities that North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service should work towards to meet that overarching aim.
Over the past year, the Fire and Rescue Service have made great progress towards meeting the final year of priorities from the 2022-2025 Fire and Rescue Plan, introduced by the previous Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, and to begin meeting those of the 2025-2029 Plan introduced by Mayor David Skaith.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the team their tireless work to support me in my role, the leadership and staff of North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service for their collaborative approach, and the public for their engagement in the important work of scrutinising and holding to account their public services.
Jo Coles
Deputy Mayor for Policing, Fire
and Crime
Principles and Priorities for 2024-2025
Our principles:
The
last Fire and Rescue Plan 2022-2025 defined an exemplary fire and
rescue through four public-backed C.A.R.E.
Principles.
Caring about the vulnerable
'Vulnerability' comes in many
different forms and has many different impacts. Whether due to age,
disability, financial circumstances, education, exploitation,
mental health, or isolation, it is vital we understand what makes
people vulnerable and in need of our services, and work to prevent
that vulnerability emerging or turning into harm.
Ambitious collaboration
Collaboration is more than just about partnership work. It is about actively seeking to join up services, close gaps and improve outcomes, working together to overcome our core problems. It is about creating a unified, person-centred experience of interaction with public services. It seeks to increase our contribution to broader society in our area by applying our skills, insight, and experience to wider issues.
Realising our potential
How we realise the potential of our people and organisation to deliver the best possible services to our communities, is integral to achieving our ambition. We need to have the right people, with the right training, information, skills, and equipment, in the right place, at the right time. For this to work we need to have the right culture.
Enhancing our service for the public
In all of this we must put the public that we serve first. Public services are services for the Public and we must do everything that we can to enhance their experience when they interact with us. We must be accessible and engaged, present where we are needed most, and able to provide the care asked of us.
Fire and Rescue Plan 2022-2025: Annual Progress Update Against Prioritiesin 2024-2025
Priority 1 |
Actively engage with all communities to identify need and risk and to reassure |
Shaping the Mayor’s new Fire and Rescue Plan 2025-2029
In
October 2024, Mayor David Skaith and Deputy Mayor for Policing,
Fire and Crime, Jo Coles invited the public to help set the
priorities for North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (NYFRS)
and North Yorkshire Police (NYP) over the next four
years.
To gather internal views, insight workshops were held with senior leaders from NYFRS, NYP, the York and North Yorkshire Combined
Authority (YNYCA), and the Mayor and Deputy Mayor. Residents, businesses, staff and partners could also share their opinions on future priorities through a questionnaire, available online and in print between 8 October and 18 November 2024. The consultation drew strong engagement - 1,566responses for the Fire and Rescue Plan and 1,685 for the Police and Crime Plan.
The feedback helped shape new plans, based on what matters most to local people, as well as local and national needs. These plans support the Mayor’s vision of making York and North Yorkshire safe places for everyone.
The Mayor’s new Fire and Rescue Plan 2025-2029 focuses on six key priorities:
·
Targeted
prevention
Deliver targeted prevention activities to keep people in York and North Yorkshire safe from fires, road traffic collisions, water hazards and other emergencies.
· Protected built environment
Provide targeted support and advice to protect people and properties from fires through safer buildings in York and North Yorkshire.
· Effective emergency response
Provide an effective response to incidents across York and North Yorkshire, as quickly as possible.
· Stronger communities
Prepare for major disruptions, working in collaboration with our partners to support communities across York and North Yorkshire to effectively prepare for emergencies and recover from them when they occur
· Supported, safe and skilled staff
Foster a culture of excellence and belonging in North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service. Invest in training, safety and welfare to maintain a skilled and resilient workforce.
· Financial stability
Ensure the long-term financial sustainability of North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service and be transparent in our spending.
You can read the Mayor’s new Fire and Rescue Plan 2025-2029 here: The Mayor's new Fire and Rescue Plan 2025-2029
During the consultation, public feedback on North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service was very positive -with 85% saying the Service does a ‘good’ or ‘excellent’ job.
Fire and rescue complaints and compliments
By the end of the
financial year 2024-2025, the YNYCA Policing, Fire and Crime
Directorate received 14 fire and rescue related complaints and
11 compliments. Although this is slightly more than the 12
complaints received the previous year, the overall number
remains very low, which is encouraging. It shows that
the approach taken to identify and learn from issues is working
well and helping to stop the same problems from happening again.
The main reason for complaints was usually concerns about
staff behaviour. Compliments were mostly from members of the
public thanking fire crews for their help and support during
incidents. 
Complaint trends are shared at
the Fire Service’s monthly leadership
meetings and in regular meetings between YNYCA and the
Fire Service.
Assessing the risks in York and North Yorkshire
The Community Risk Profile (CRP)
is being updated. It provides a comprehensive assessment of the
current and future fire and rescue related risks facing our
communities. This helps NYFRS plan its prevention, protection, and
emergency response work based on the identified risks, helping to
keep people safer and build stronger communities. The CRP
highlights four main areas that present the greatest threat or harm
to life from a fire and rescue perspective in our
region:
· Accidental dwelling fire risk and fatality/injury risk
· Road risk and fatality/serious injury risk
· Climate related risks, such as flooding or wildfires
· Fires which impact businesses
Targeting Home Fire Safety Visits to risk
A software program called Mosaic uses information from the census data and lifestyle surveys to group people into 15 categories based on things like age, income, and daily habits. NYFRS is using Mosaic, along with its own records of past incidents and risks, to identify which homes are potentially most at risk of a fire. This has helped focus fire safety messages and activities where they are needed most. A trial using targeted address lists for Home Fire Safety Visitshas been completed and is now being rolled out across the Service. This targeted approach has led to a big increase in Home Fire Safety Visits, especially to homes that are more at risk.
Public Safety Officers in Craven
There are four Public Safety
Officer (PSO) posts in Craven, each covering a specific area. PSOs
work closely with the Fire and Rescue Service, Police, and Health
Partners. By developing a deep understanding of their local
communities, the PSOs can identify local risks and support those
who are most vulnerable. They carry out prevention activities
aimed at reducing the likelihood of emergencies and improving
community safety.
Currently, one PSO is based in Grassington and another in Settle. Recruitment is underway to fill the remaining two vacancies, which will also be in Craven. The Deputy Mayor would like to explore the potential to expand the PSO role beyond Craven.
Priority 2 |
Work jointly as a trusted partner to prevent harm and damage, intervene early and solve problems |
Road safety in focus
The priorities in the Mayor’s new plans for Police and Crime Plan and Fire and Rescue 2025-2029, launched in March 2025 and shaped by the priorities of the public, place a renewed emphasis on road safety. This supports the Vision Zero ambition, where no road death is considered acceptable.
On 22 November 2024, the Deputy Mayor for Policing, Fire and Crime attended the Road Safety Showcase event at the Fire Training Centre, hosted by the York and North Yorkshire Road Safety Partnership. This Partnership brings together local authorities, emergency services, and other key agencies committed to improving road safety across the region. The event provided valuable insights into the ongoing efforts to make our roads safer, as well as the vital support services available to victims and their families. It was an enlightening experience with feedback from bereaved families that deepened the Deputy Mayor’s understanding of the challenges and opportunities in road safety.
In early 2025, the Deputy Mayor for Policing, Fire and Crime began a series of road safety surgeries with North Yorkshire and City of York parishes with an interest in road safety issues. These meetings enabled the Deputy Mayor to understand local road safety concerns and the measures communities believe would most improve safety in their areas. Feedback from the surgeries has been shared with the two local authorities and North Yorkshire Police.
The first
phase of an independent study, commissioned by the York and
North Yorkshire Road Safety Partnership, examined different
enforcement methods and how they affect road safety. This
research, carried out by Newcastle University, found that mobile
safety camera vans – the enforcement approach used in York
and North Yorkshire – is good at helping to reduce road
casualties. However, the study also recommended exploring
whether average and/or fixed cameras could further improve the
safety of our roads.
This next stage of the research, which involves assessing the costs
and benefits of this approach, is now underway. You can read the
Phase 1 report, published in January 2025, here:
Road
Safety Enforcement Review - Newcastle University
2024.
In July 2024, the
YNYCA Policing, Fire and Crime Team, joined forces with the Police
and Fire and Rescue Service at the Great Yorkshire Show
– showcasing how we work together to keep York and North
Yorkshire safe. Visitors had the chance to meet Mayor David
Skaith and Deputy Mayor Jo Coles, learn about their roles, and get
hands-on with some activities including;
- Virtual reality road safety experience goggles – to experience road traffic collisions as a passenger and see the emergency response to an incident.
- Emergency vehicles – police and fire bikes and the return of a special edition police John Deere tractor, kindly loaned by Ripon Farm Services.
- Fire safety tips - for the home, farm and business.
- Rural crime prevention advice - protect your home, belongings, vehicles and yourself.
- Horse rider road safety tips.
It was a fantastic opportunity to connect with the public, share vital safety messages, and celebrate the teamwork that keeps our communities safe.
The Road Safety
Partnership Coordinator has led the creation of the first
website for the York and North Yorkshire Road Safety
Partnership. The site brings together all the key road
safety information in one place and explains what the Partnership
is doing in areas like community engagement, education, road
design/engineering and law enforcement. You can visit the website
using this link: York and North Yorkshire Road
Safety Partnership Website
North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service’s FireBikes and North Yorkshire Police engagement motorbikes are working effectively together, regularly engaging with motorcyclists at community events and popular meeting points. FireBike deployments, which target motorcyclists on our rural roads and at known accident locations have increased from 32 deployments in 2023-2024 to 58 in 2024-2025. This equates to 378 hours given by FireBike volunteers.
Preventing fires in homes
Preventing fires and other emergencies remains a key focus for North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service. Between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025, NYFRS carried out 4,464 Home Fire Safety Visits - an 18% increase from 3,678 the previous year. This rise has been supported by a new referral app, developed in partnership with Safelincs and the National Fire Chiefs Council, which makes it easier for partner organisations to refer people to NYFRS for safety visits. While the 18% increase is significant, it doesn’t tell the full story. Thanks to better targeting, the number of visits to people at High and Very High Risk has increased by an impressive 544% compared to the previous year.
NYFRS has taken
account of emerging technologies such as lithium-ion batteries
which have fire safety implications and updated the content of
their Home Fire Safety Visits. A new and engaging video has
also been created to tell people all about what a Home Fire Safety
Visit entails and how it will help to keep you safe.
Book
a Home Fire Safety Visit - North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue
Service
A Post Incident Engagement Policy has been launched together with training for all crews. This has increased post incident Home Fire Safety Visits by 37% compared to the previous year.
There was more engagement around water safety and wildfires last year compared to the previous year. In total, 72 water safety events and 19 wildfire awareness activities were carried out.
Introduction of domestic abuse and sexual harm policy
North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service have commenced work on their first Domestic Abuse and Sexual Harm Policy, operating procedure and associated training. This policy was introduced in 2024-2025 and will be informed by an assessment of the type and level of training staff need to understand why violence against women and girls (VAWG) happens and how NYFRS can work with others to prevent it. This has been incorporated into the Prevention Team’s training programme.
Protection (business fire safety)
NYFRS has a responsibility to protect workplaces and premises to which the public have access. The Protection team provide information, guidance and advice to businesses and other employers to prevent fires happening in the first instance and to reduce the impact should they occur. There is also a duty to enforce compliance with fire safety law.
Ove the last year, a new Risk Based Intervention Programme has been put in place to ensure that fire safety activity is directed at the highest risk premises. A specialist out of hours provision has also been introduced to enforce fire safety legislation at any time of the day. Some of the other achievements in protection work over the last year include:
· 2% increase in regulatory activity compared to the previous year.
· 18% increase in statutory and non-statutory consultations.
· Response to 100% of building consultations and 99% of licensing consultations within the allocated timeframes.
· 800% increase in the provision of guidance and advice, primarily due to legislative changes impacting tourism in our area.
· 84% increase in engagement with businesses following unwanted fire signals, in line with changes made to the automatic fire alarm attendance policy.
Local remediation of medium-rise buildings (11m-18m)
Following the Grenfell Tower tragedy, the government committed to remediating buildings with unsafe cladding and wider fire safety issues. The National Remediation Acceleration Plan outlines expectations for:
· All buildings over 18m in height within government-funded schemes to be remediated by 2029.
· All 11m+ buildings to either be remediated, scheduled for remediation, or face enforcement by 2029.
To date, all 18m+ high-rise buildings in York and North Yorkshire audited by NYFRS have been assessed as not requiring remediation. Over the last year, we have been actively developing our Local Remediation Acceleration Plan for medium rise buildings (11m-18m) to address longstanding housing quality issues and ensure safer, healthier living environments for residents in York and North Yorkshire. This comprehensive plan outlines a clear strategy for identifying, prioritising, and remediating high-risk buildings, with an emphasis on collaboration with building owners, residents, and relevant stakeholders. Leveraging improved data analysis and risk-based approaches, we have accelerated timelines and strengthened oversight mechanisms to ensure timely delivery. The plan also aligns with national safety standards and regulatory requirements. We are on track to finalise the plan and formally submit it to the MHCLG (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government) in summer 2025, marking a significant milestone in our commitment to building safety.
Priority 3 |
Deliver the “Right People, Right Support” every time
|
Resourcing to risk
The Community Risk Management Plan (CRMP), known locally as the Risk and Resource Model 2022-2025 sets out the risks across York and North Yorkshire, and the services and resources that NYFRS provides to prevent and respond to emergencies.
Nearly all the proposed changes, consulted on as part of the Risk and Resource Model 2022-2025 have now been implemented. Throughout the process, the Deputy Mayor and Policing, Fire and Crime Directorate have sought regular updates from North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service on both the progress and the impact of these change proposals.
As of 1 April 2025, the only outstanding proposal relates to the changes in response resources at Harrogate and Scarborough fire stations. In November 2024, The Deputy Mayor approved an amendment to the original proposal for the second fire engine at Harrogate to change to a day-crewed[1] model. This means that crews can respond during the night via an alerter. The Deputy’s Mayor’s Decision Notice can be found here: Decision Notice: Risk and Resource Model_Harrogate Fire Station
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Outstanding proposal consulted upon |
Implementation update 2024-2025 |
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Replace the second fire engine, known as a Tactical Response Vehicle (TRV) with the usual B-type fire engine, crewed only during peak demand when emergencies are most likely to happen (daytime only).
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A day-crewed, B-type fire engine will replace the second fire engine (TRV) at Harrogate. The change will take place at Harrogate fire station from July 2025. After this change is reviewed, the response resource in Scarborough will be considered. |
Developing a new Community Risk Management Plan 2025-2029
Each fire and rescue authority has a statutory duty under the Fire and Rescue National Framework for England, to produce a Community Risk Management Plan. This is informed by a Community Risk Profile which sets out the key challenges and risks facing our communities.
The new CRMP for 2025-2029 is being developed and will include wider strategic objectives and describe the actions NYFRS is taking to improve its service. The CRMP will be publicly consulted upon, over an eight-week period set to commence in July 2025. Once reviewed and agreed, the areas of focus within the CRMP will be assessed and prioritised to become a four-year service delivery plan for NYFRS. Progress will be reported to the public periodically through the Mayor/Deputy Mayor’s Online Public Meeting (OPM) and an annual update report on progress which will be produced.
Improving response times
In October 2025, we consulted the public on two new response time standards. These standards are now used to monitor fire and rescue response time performance, which we report on during our Online Public Meetings. The two standards, along with the Service’s performance against them during 2024–2025, are shown in the table below:
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Response Time Standards |
NYFRS Average Response Times (1 April 2024-31 March 2025) |
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The average attendance time of the first fire engine to all incidents will be within 13 minutes. |
11 minutes 49 seconds |
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The average attendance time of the first fire engine to dwelling fires will be within 11 minutes. |
10 minutes 34 seconds |
Published
Home Office data shows that North Yorkshire had the biggest
reduction in response times to primary fires of all the fire
and rescue services in England (year ending March 2024 vs year
ending March 2023 – see Home Office map to the right).
New technology – Dynamic Cover Tool
As part of the NYFRS’s move to using better technology, a new system called the Dynamic Cover Tool has been introduced, providing the ability to visualise risks and fire engine coverage on a live basis. It has helped NYFRS position fire engines in the locations they’re needed most, based on risk and response times.
Improving On-call recruitment, retention and recognition
Due to the large service area, combined with a relatively low budget, NYFRS is reliant upon the On-call duty system and the commitment shown by those staff. On-call firefighters provide a critical role in protecting communities in our most rural locations. There has been significant investment in time, resources and people to improve and work towards ensuring the sustainability of our On-call system. Some of these achievements are listed below.
· Funded a dedicated Station Manager to oversee all aspects of On-call, including recruitment, retention and recognition.
· On-call staff numbers have increased slightly, and On-call availability has been maintained in line with the previous year.
· Introduced an E-learning coordinator to ensure that e-learning training packages are effective, engaging and reduce the time required to develop the appropriate knowledge and understanding.
· Service vehicles have been redistributed to allow On-call staff to undertake local prevention activities.
· Introduction of On-call Impact Assessments as part of the Equality Impact Assessment, to ensure that On-call personnel are considered in every new policy and procedure.
· Streamlined recruitment activities to maximise the retention of applicants from initial contact through to qualified firefighter.
· Recognised the support given by local employers in supporting its staff to perform the role of an On-call firefighter. An employer recognition scheme has been launched to acknowledge their continued support
· Investment in technology to better target potential On-call staff in a much more data-driven way.
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SPOTLIGHT – Using technology and data to target recruitment of On-call firefighters This mapping allows NYFRS to identify those individuals within the current four-minute footprint who could reasonably be approached to serve at their local fire station. NYFRS can then assess whether increasing footprints will have a positive or detrimental impact upon potential recruitment and service delivery. This targeted activity has led to an increase in the recruitment of On-call firefighters in the financial year 2024-2025.
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Supporting victims of road traffic incidents
The Independent Road Victim Advocate is a county wide service commissioned through the Deputy Mayor, working closely with NYP, providing support (face to face where practicable) to victims of road traffic incidents including those affected by a bereavement or serious injury.
Over 2024-2025, the Independent Road Victim Advocate Service helped 88 individuals across 50 cases:
§ 31 of these cases related to a road death
§ 12 of these cases related to a serious injury
§ 7 of these cases related to a road death and serious injury
Priority 4 |
Maximise efficiency to make the most effective use of all available resources |
Sharing buildings
In March 2025, the Mayor
officially opened the newly refurbished joint police and fire
station in Ripon. This followed a joint investment of
£926,000 by North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service and North
Yorkshire Police to improve engagement with the local community and
provide a modern, accessible workspace for staff.
For the community, the station now includes a welcoming public room where people can meet with both emergency services to discuss community concerns. The refurbishment has also extended the building’s expected lifespan by 25 years and upgraded it to support modern sustainable energy standards.
Productivity and efficiency
Fire and Rescue Authorities (FRAs) must produce and publish annual efficiency plans that should also include their plans for increasing productivity. The NYFRS Productivityand Efficiency Plan for 2025-2026 enables the Deputy Mayor and the public to see the progress made to date and the plans that NYFRS has in place to increase efficiency and productivity. The Plan can be viewed here NYFRS Productivity and Efficiency Plan 2025-2026
Breathing apparatus replacement
The Breathing Apparatus replacement project is a major upgrade that represents a significant investment in firefighter safety and modern technology. With a total investment of £1.7m, the project will deliver state-of-the-art respiratory protective equipment for firefighters, including new breathing apparatus sets, advanced telemetry systems and enhanced communications. These upgrades will improve firefighter health, safety, and operational effectiveness. The supplier contract has been awarded and implementation is well underway. Over the past year, key activities such as training, equipment testing and mask fitting have taken place. The new equipment is expected to go live in October 2025.
Priority 5 |
Enhance positive culture, openness, integrity, and public trust
|
Culture, equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI)
To accelerate understanding of the cultural change needed within North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service - as well as to recognise the positive cultural experiences already present—the Chief Fire Officer partnered with Huddersfield University to develop a cultural framework for improvement. This initiative, known as the ‘Framework for Change Project’, began in 2023–2024.The first phase of the project, which involved staff and members sharing their lived experiences, is now complete. Building on these insights, the next steps include the development of a Behavioural and Leadership Charter, a clearer understanding of NYFRS’s ethical health, and identification of areas for improvement. A practical toolkit will also be created to support the delivery of meaningful change. Together, these elements will form the foundation of NYFRS’s cultural transformation journey over the coming years.
All staff have undertaken mandatory training to promote an inclusive culture, focusing on the benefits of diversity and how to create a supportive and inclusive work environment.
NYFRS has completed all nineteen national recommendations for Chief Fire Officers outlined in the HMICFRS 2023 Values and Culture Report and is making good progress on all fifteen recommendations of the 2024 Standards and Behaviour Report. The Deputy Mayor monitors Service progress against HMICFRS recommendations at every Online Public Meeting (OPM).
Commitment to the Core Code of Ethics
In April 2024 NYFRS officially relaunched the Core Code of Ethics and removed the existing service values. This will reduce confusion and ensure that they become embedded, embodied and at the heart of day-to-day activity.A new LearnPro (online) module was launched in July 2024 for all staff to complete, to aid knowledge and understanding of the five ethical principles.
Public trust in fire and rescue staff
In July 2023, the Home Office amended the 'Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 ('the Exceptions Order') to include all Fire and Rescue Authority employees. This meant that all Fire and Rescue staff would need to undertake a new level of criminal recordcheck via the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and at a higher level for those undertaking trusted frontline roles dealing directly with members of the public. Increased levels of checks help managers to assess and mitigate risks, safeguard their colleagues and the public, and uphold high standards of professional integrity. They help ensure that only the right people can join or stay in the fire and rescue service. All employees have now been processed to receive a DBS which is a significant achievement.
Wholetime firefighter recruitment
NYFRS have run targeted, positive action recruitment campaigns to attract more firefighter applications from women and people from BAME backgrounds. These campaigns have successfully increased the number of applications and joiners from underrepresented groups.
Better fitness equipment
NYFRS has committed to improving fitness equipment at fire stations when significant refurbishment is scheduled. There has also been investment in treadmills at numerous locations to assist in fitness testing.
Improved performance review process
A new electronic Professional Development Performance Review (PDPR) process has been introduced. The process allows NYFRS to support performance management in a clear and consistent way. It enables recognition and acknowledgement of good work, the identification and improvement of under-performance and consideration of an individual’s career aspirations and support for talent development.
Governance, Assurance and Scrutiny
Known as the Mayor’s Fire and Rescue Declaration, the YNYCA (as Fire and Rescue Authority) has sought assurance that adequate arrangements were in place during 2024-2025 for the effective management of financial (see section on 'Funding and Spending'), governance and operational matters.
Assurance Framework
The Policing, Fire and Crime Directorate (PFCD) Assurance Framework Assurance Framework - York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority – Policing, Fire and Crime Directorate ensures that we are continually monitoring and assessing delivery of outcomes which are set out in the Police and Crime Plan, and the Fire and Rescue Plan.
Whilst the PFCD regularly seeks assurance from the services, we will also scrutinise them to ensure that we can effectively and formally evidence that positive progress and outcomes are being achieved.
We will monitor the police and fire service in a range of ways which are detailed below.
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Online Public Meetings |
Bi-monthly, Five per year for each service (Break in August and December). At this meeting, the Chief Constable is held to account in their delivery of the Police, and Crime Plan and the Chief Fire Officer is held to account in their delivery of the priorities in the Fire and Rescue Plan through implementation of the Service’s Community Risk Management Plan. Police complaints are monitored, and lessons learnt. Fire and Rescue complaints are monitored, and lessons learnt. |
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Executive Board (Monthly) - Changed to Strategic Oversight Board in April 2025 |
Monthly formal governance meeting between the Mayor/DMPFC, Chief Constable/Chief Fire Officer to ensure proper governance of the services and the PFCD. This takes place through open, constructive debate of their respective statutory duties and the efficiency and effectiveness of their delivery against the Police and Crime Plan and Fire and Rescue Plan. |
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Chief Catchups |
Closed briefings which enable dialogue and discussion monthly. This is an opportunity for the Mayor/DMPFC to discuss elements of the Police and Crime Plan delivery, and the Fire and Rescue Plan delivery based on themes and receive updates on current issues and operational matters. |
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Independent audit committee |
The Independent Audit Committee for fire and rescue provides independent scrutiny on the adequacy of the corporate governance and risk management arrangements in place. It advises according to good governance principles and proper practices. |
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Joint independent audit committee |
The Joint Independent Audit Committee (JIAC) provides independent scrutiny on the adequacy of the corporate governance and risk management arrangements in place. It jointly advises the Mayor/DMPFC and Chief Constable, according to good governance principles and proper practices. |
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Scrutiny Panels |
Scrutiny Panels allow members of the public to hold NYP to account via review of incidents, policing powers, and tactics. Panel observations, feedback and recommendations facilitate continuous learning, improvement of police services and identification of best practice. We continually review and assess our scrutiny activity to ensure we bring focus to targeted areas within the force, with the potential, where appropriate, to add additional panels or scrutiny activity if so required. |
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Community Review Group |
The community review groups will assess and provide feedback on areas which the scrutiny panels review. This includes, identifying good practice and areas for learning, making referrals and recommendations. |
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Independent Ethics Advisory Board |
The Panel will provide independent and effective challenge and assurance around integrity, standards and ethics of decision-making in policing and fire. |
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Independent Custody Visitors |
Independent Custody Visitors are members of the local community who visit police stations unannounced to check on the welfare of people in police custody. |
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Violence against women and girls’ strategic governance board. |
6-monthly Joint Violence Against Women and Girls Strategic Governance Board meetings, chaired by the DMPFC to monitor overall progress against our joint violence against women and girls' strategic objectives and provide greater transparency and accountability to increase public confidence in how we are improving the overall safety of women and girls. |
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NYFRS Appropriate Authorities Meeting |
Quarterly meetings introduced from April 2023, alternately chaired by the PFCD and Deputy Chief Fire Officer to discuss, and review standards, complaints, conduct, discipline, and public feedback in respect of North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service. |
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Frequent interactions |
Informal interactions between the services and PFCD staff. This enables and encourages spontaneous face-to-face discussions between Chief Officers, Senior PFCD staff, who may receive: · Updates on significant issues · Notification of significant/critical incidents PFCD staff will also conduct site visits across North Yorkshire and York. |
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Complemented by |
Bespoke briefings from Chief Constable/Chief Fire Officer on significant or sensitive issues. · Senior PFCD staff attending key meetings within the services (e.g., HMICFRS* Governance Board, Gold Groups, Risk and Assurance Boards, Performance boards, etc.) · PFCD staff conducting further checks and audits. · Routine liaison between Senior PFCD staff Senior Staff/Officers. · Feedback from Independent Custody Visitors and Appropriate Adults. · Regular meetings with public bodies and Inspectorates (e.g., HMICFRS). · Independent review of complaints. |
To underpin improvements in the services, so that they can be the best they can at protecting us and keeping us safe and feeling safe, we utilise the frameworks set out by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) to support our scrutiny. For example, we will use questions that HMICFRS use to establish how the services are performing and improving outcomes.
We will evaluate what the public tell us in our trust and confidence surveys and through information we receive into our office. At our Delivery and Assurance Board we will regularly assess our performance against our own PFCD Organisational Activity Plan, which can be found here Organisational Activity Plan 2025-2026. Additionally, the Mayor/DMPFC conducts several consultations with the public and partners throughout the year. We will review reports from external inspections such as HMICFRS and monitor the services delivery against any action plans developed because of these inspections.
Live streamed, Online Public Meetings (OPMs) are one of the ways the Mayor/DMPFC holds the Chief Fire Officer to account for the service to the public. The Service is required to demonstrate the quality of the service in different areas and its progress against the Fire and Rescue Plan.
Last year's fire and rescue OPM assurance presentations included an update on transformational change, prevention and protection (business fire safety), response times, and resilience. The meetings also review fire and rescue performance data, allowing the Deputy Mayor to assess performance against public priorities. The OPM presentations can be found here: Online Public Meetings.
Our assurance framework allows us to continually monitor and assess delivery of outcomes against the priorities which are set out in the Police and Crime Plan, and the Fire and Rescue Plan.
Complaints and recognition
By the end of the financial year, the Policing, Fire and Crime Directorate had received 14 fire and rescue related complaints and 11 compliments. The themes of all complaints are identified and analysed to ensure organisational learning and any topical issues are raised at the Mayor/Deputy Mayor’s Online Public Meetings.
The Independent Audit Committee
The Committee supports the Mayor/Deputy Mayor and Chief Fire Officer in ensuring governance and control mechanisms are in place to support a well-run fire and rescue service. The Committee reviews and scrutinises the adequacy and effectiveness of risk management, internal audit and control and corporate governance arrangements of the Fire and Rescue Service, as well as reviewing financial management and reporting.
The Fire Governance Review for 2024-2025 recommends several issues of that need to be addressed during 2025-2026. For example, YNYCA Constitution (which supersedes the pervious Corporate Governance Framework) is currently under review. There is also a need for the Fire Service to make improvements to some aspects of internal control, especially in relation to internal audit actions. The Fire Governance Review 2024-2025 can be found here [link to be provided].
In its capacity as Fire and Rescue Authority, the YNYCA draft Annual Governance Statement can be found at: [link to be provided].
Operational assurance
The YNYCA as Fire Authority must outline the way in which the authority and its fire and rescue service has had regard to the National Framework and the local Integrated Risk Management Plan (known locally as the RRM) over the last year. This is called operational assurance and an assurance statement for 2024-2025 has been provided by the Chief Fire Officer [link to be provided].
HMICFRS - Inspection of North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service
We were disappointed following the publication of His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) report in January 2023. Since that inspection NYFRS has been committed to delivering the improvements required and has dedicated the time, people and resources to do so. A robust action plan was put in place and a commitment from the Chief Fire Officer to address all areas of improvement. Progress has been reported regularly to the Mayor/Deputy Mayor’s Online Public Meetings.
NYFRS was inspected again during December 2024 and January 2025. In the latest report, published in June 2025, North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service has made significant progress and been officially recognised as ‘Good’ in six out of eleven areas of inspection, with the remaining five graded as ‘Adequate’, a new grade which has been introduced between ‘Inadequate’ and ‘Good’.
The
report highlights significant progress and continued commitment to
public safety across York and North Yorkshire.
The full inspection
report can be read here:
Effectiveness,
efficiency and people 2023–25: An inspection of North
Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service
Performance
YNYCA and NYFRS are committed to providing a high-quality service to the public. You can review NYFRS’ performance in several ways:
· Performance Dashboards: We publish NYFRS's performance report dashboard on the Police, Fire and Crime Directorate page of the YNYCA website located here: Performance Dashboards
· Online Public Meetings: The Mayor/Deputy Mayor holds regular online public meetings where you can ask questions about NYFRS's performance. These meetings are held every other month and are streamed live on the Mayor/Deputy Mayor’s website: Remit of the Online Public Meetings
· North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service Website: publishes details of all incidents attended over a 24-hour period on its website. The incident details are updated daily and can be found here: Incidents information
· Home Office Website: Information collected by the Home Office from Fire and Rescue Services across England and Wales, covers fires, false alarms and other incidents attended by fire crews. The statistics include the numbers of incidents, fires, fatalities and casualties as well as information on response times to fires. This information can be accessed here: Home Office fire and rescue statistics
· His Majesty's Inspectorate for Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS):HMICFRS is an independent body that inspects fire and rescue services in England and Wales. HMICFRS publishes reports on each fire and rescue service that help assess their performance. Further details about the inspections can be viewed here: HMICFRS: Fire Service Inspections
Funding and Spending
* Due to rounding, percentages may not add up to 100%
Financial Position
2024-2025 was another challenging year from a financial perspective as pay awards were again higher than budget. This resulted in forecast extra costs of £480k which subsequently accounted for most of the £489k overspend within the financial year.
The functions of the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner (PFCC) in North Yorkshire, were transferred to the elected Mayor of YNYCA from 7 May 2024. Therefore. there is no longer a separate set of final accounts for the Fire Service, all the transactions are included within the YNYCA accounts which will be available of the Mayor’s website [link to be provided].
Significant progress had been made in stabilising the finances of North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service since 2018, however the impact of the pandemic, the significant levels of inflation and higher than affordable pay awards, combined with a significant need to invest in the assets of the Service continues to create a very challenging financial environment for it to operate in.
Council Tax (Fire element of Mayoral General Precept)
One of the significant benefits of the transition into the YNYCA is that it provided scope to increase the Fire part of the Council Tax bill in a way that would not have been possible as a standalone Fire Authority.
While all standalone Fire Authorities were provided with the scope to increase their element of the Council Tax bill by £5 for a Band D property in 2025-2026, the Mayor in North Yorkshire has reflected on the challenges and needs of the Service, after years of underinvestment following the freezing of the fire precept between 2011 and 2014, the Mayor took the difficult decision to increase this by £24 for North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service.
As a consequence of this, moving into 2025-2026 and beyond the Service is now more financially secure than it has been for over 10 years. This will allow the Service to:
· Hold a level of reserves that are reflective of the financial risks that it might face.
· Ensure that borrowing levels are affordable.
· Provide scope to invest in the asset base of the Service.
· Move into the third part of our financial strategy:
1. We initially had to ‘save to survive’
2. Then we needed to ‘save to balance’
3. Now we can ‘save and invest to continue to improve’
Glossary of Terms
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Term |
Definition |
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Community Risk Profile (CRP) |
This is an assessment of risk across York and North Yorkshire by NYFRS. |
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Community Risk Management Plan (CRMP), known locally as the Risk and Resource Model (RRM) |
The RRM is a Service plan that sets out how resources, such as fire engines and people, will be used, to address and reduce the risk identified in the Community Risk Profile and the likelihood of emergency events occurring. |
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National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) |
This body has as a unique role in representing fire and rescue services at a national level and, as the professional voice of the fire and rescue service. |
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Fire and Rescue National Framework for England 2018 |
A key government document that sets out the priorities and expectations for fire and rescue authorities in England. Its main purpose is to ensure that fire and rescue services:
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Brake |
National road safety charity that cares for road victims and campaigns for safer roads for all. |
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Breathing Apparatus Telemetry |
Telemetry is an automatic, electronic system to allow the precise monitoring of how much breathable air each Firefighter using Breathing Apparatus has remaining. |
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On-call firefighters |
On-call firefighters are trained firefighters who, rather than being based at a fire station, provide On-call cover from home and/or their place of work. They respond to a pager/alerter. |
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Wholetime firefighters |
Wholetime firefighters are contracted to work in the fire service as their primary employment serving at wholetime (24 hr) fire stations. |