West Yorkshire 2021/22
Read more about West YorkshireThis is HMICFRS’s second full assessment of fire and rescue services. This assessment examines the service’s effectiveness, efficiency and how well it looks after its people. It is designed to give the public information about how their local fire and rescue service is performing in several important areas, in a way that is comparable with other services across England.
The extent to which the service is effective at keeping people safe and secure from fire and other risks is good.
The extent to which the service is efficient at keeping people safe and secure from fire and other risks is good.
The extent to which the service looks after its people is good.
Roy Wilsher, HM Inspector of Fire and Rescue Services
HM Inspector's summary
It was a pleasure for the team to revisit West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, and I am grateful for the positive and constructive way that the service engaged with our inspection.
I am pleased with the performance of West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service in keeping people safe and secure from fires and other risks, although it needs to improve in some areas to provide a consistently good service. For example, the service’s prevention teams could work better together, and the quality and timeliness of safe and well visits could be improved.
We were pleased to see that the service has made progress since our 2018 inspection. The service has improved consultation with the public, internal and external stakeholders about its integrated risk management plan (IRMP).
These are the findings I consider most important from our assessments of the service over the last year.
The service has made some progress in making sure it allocates enough resources to a prioritised, risk-based inspection programme (RBIP). However, it is too early to see how effective this will be. I look forward to understanding the impact once the new team structure is fully in place.
The service has an effective integrated risk management model in place. But the approach to preventing risk and protecting the public is often to respond to a report or referral. The service should consider how it can take a more balanced and proactive approach to dealing with its risks.
The service is taking good steps to improve recruitment diversity. It has invested in a positive action officer and adapted its approach to recruitment so that under‑represented groups can better identify with the service.
The service has also improved consultation with the public, internal and external stakeholders in relation to its IRMP. A Community Engagement Forum has been set up and we look forward to seeing the benefits of this in our next inspection.
Overall, the service has developed a good understanding of its future financial challenges. It has also identified savings and investment opportunities to improve the service to the public or generate further savings.
The service has made good progress in most areas since our last inspection. We look forward to seeing the results of further improvements at our next inspection.