The Audit Commission today highlighted the challenges county fire and rescue authorities face but Cumbria’s Fire and Rescue Service is still performing well.
In its most recent report the Audit Commission rated Cumbria County Council’s as ‘fair’ and indicated that it was continuously improving well and meeting the unique challenges it faces.
The CPA report assesses how well the Fire and Rescue Service is being run on a corporate level. Of the 9 areas assessed, 5 were considered to be performing well and consistently above minimum standards. None were below minimum standards expected of all fire authorities.
The Fire and Rescue Service is proud that the report scores the service at the top end of the fair category and particularly pleased that the Audit Commission recognises the improvements the service has made. The report also recognises that the service has positioned itself well to develop and improve in the coming years.
Bernard Dolan, Cumbria’s Chief Fire Officer says:
“Our most recent assessment was a major achievement for Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service given that the majority of our firefighters are part time and, as the Audit Commission stated, we have scarce resources when compared to other fire services. Our success is due to the dedication and commitment of our people and the support and backing of Cumbria County Council.
Looking to the future, we want to build upon this good base and continue to improve the services we provide. In addition to maintaining our excellent current levels of attending emergency incidents, we will look to widen our innovative community fire safety initiatives. We will continue to work with all our partners to ensure the safety of Cumbrian people, we are consistently driving down the number of accidental dwelling fires ahead of national trends, but we recognise that there is more work still to be done. It is also reassuring to note that the report also recognised that the service is 'well placed to meet the demands of civil contingencies'.
Geoff Hodgson, Cumbria County Council spokesman for the Fire and Rescue Service says:
“The Audit Commission report recognised the achievements the Fire and Rescue Service has already made and makes recommendations about how the service can be improved. Staff are described as 'enthusiastic and well informed about what the service is trying to achieve and the part they play in new areas such as community safety'.
The Audit Commission has recognised that over the last ten years Cumbria’s Fire and Rescue Service has continuously improved and the people of Cumbria can rest assured that the service will strive to maintain this in future.”