The Resources and Fire & Rescue Overview and Scrutiny Committee met on Wednesday 15 April 2026 to discuss the draft Council Plan for 2026-30 and the operational performance of Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service (WFRS) in 2024/25. The committee provided feedback on the Council Plan, highlighting concerns about its lack of detail and the need for clearer outcome measures, and reviewed WFRS's performance against other fire services across England, noting areas of strength and areas requiring further attention.

Council Plan 2026-30

The committee reviewed the draft Council Plan for 2026-30, which sets out the council's strategic direction and ambitions. While councillors acknowledged the plan's laudable aims, several members expressed concerns that it read more like a statement of intent than a concrete plan, lacking specific, measurable outcomes and clear pathways to achieve them. Councillor Sarah Boad noted that there don't seem to be many outcome-driven stuff and questioned where's the meat of it, where's the expected outcomes and how we're going to get to those. Rob Powell, Executive Director for Resources, explained that the delivery of the plan would be detailed in the Council Delivery Plan and measured by the Performance Framework, which was due to be presented to Cabinet.

Concerns were also raised about the plan's approach to community empowerment, with Councillor Boad suggesting that many of our communities are not able to respond to the challenges they face and require more direct assistance. Councillor Michael Bannister, Portfolio Holder for Customer and Localities, countered that this underestimated the communities' capabilities and highlighted the role of the voluntary sector.

Climate change was another significant point of discussion. Councillor Keith Kondakor argued that the plan's mention of climate change was too vague, focusing only on flooding impacts, and should encompass broader effects on farming and transport. He stressed the importance of resilience in the face of global uncertainty. Councillor David Curtis added that climate change was already impacting road conditions, exacerbating the issue of potholes.

The committee also discussed the need for clear Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and benchmarking to measure the plan's success, a point echoed by Councillor Neil Garland, who offered his procurement expertise to review contracts for value for money. Councillor Cliff Brown suggested that the committee was reviewing the plan too early, before the results of public engagement had been analysed.

Sarah Duxbury, Director of Strategy, Planning and Governance, assured the committee that their feedback would be considered before the final plan was presented to Council in May. The committee agreed that their comments would be noted and forwarded to Cabinet.

Operational Performance of Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service 2024/25

Ben Brook, Chief Fire Officer, presented a report benchmarking Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service's (WFRS) operational performance against the other 43 English Fire and Rescue Services (FRSs). He emphasised that the report provided comparisons rather than direct performance assessments, as risk factors vary significantly between different areas.

Overall, WFRS performed well in several categories, ranking fifth for the total number of incidents attended per 10,000 population and eighth for accidental dwelling fires. However, the report highlighted road traffic collisions (RTCs) and fire-related casualties as areas of concern, where Warwickshire's rates were higher than the national average.

Councillor Neil Garland questioned the actions being taken to reduce RTCs, to which Mr Brook detailed prevention work, including tyre depth checks at car washes and targeted interventions. He noted that Warwickshire has the second-longest motorway network in the country, contributing to a higher number of RTCs. Councillor Keith Kondakor requested more detailed data on RTC hotspots and suggested comparing data from different sources. Mr Brook confirmed WFRS uses a hotspot map and works collaboratively with the Warwickshire Road Safety Partnership.

Councillor Brown raised the issue of collisions with trees as a significant cause of RTC fatalities and asked if data on tree-lined roads was available. Mr Brook stated that while WFRS reviews its policies every three to five years and debriefs after incidents, specific data on tree-lined roads was not readily available.

Regarding false alarms, Mr Brook explained that WFRS responds to automatic fire alarms unless confirmed otherwise, and that the increasing number of automatic alarm systems contributes to the figures. He also noted that secondary fires are often weather-driven.

While WFRS's response times are improving, the rate of fire-related injuries per 10,000 population remains higher than the national average. Mr Brook could not provide a specific reason for this, but noted that response times are a contributing factor to outcomes.

The committee also discussed the trend of incidents related to e-bikes and other small electronic appliances, with Mr Brook confirming that national thematic reports are produced on such trends, and a link to this data would be provided.

Questions to Portfolio Holders

During the questions to portfolio holders, Councillor Keith Kondakor inquired about summer festivals at fire stations, with Councillor Dale Bridgewater, Portfolio Holder for Fire and Rescue and Community Safety, stating the policy had not changed and it remained a matter for senior staff. Councillor Kondakor also asked about the progress of the Nuneaton library redevelopment, and Councillor Michael Bannister, Portfolio Holder for Customer and Localities, committed to providing a written response.

Ben Brook confirmed that recruitment for whole-time firefighters had concluded, and there was a waiting list for resilience teams. He also stated that WFRS had six months' worth of bunkered diesel stock, purchased before price increases. Councillor Brown asked for an update on fire station refurbishments, with Councillor Bridgewater indicating a review was ongoing. Councillor Kondakor raised the potential use of artificial intelligence for translation services, and Craig Cusack, Director of Enabling Services, confirmed a commitment to using AI for such services by 2027/28. Councillor Bridgewater also provided an update on a letter sent to MP Jodie Gosling, noting a potential data protection issue with her Freedom of Information request.

Work Programme

The committee noted the work programme for future meetings. Councillor Kondakor requested an update on the use of artificial intelligence, and Craig Cusack confirmed a working group would be established to examine this in detail.

The meeting concluded with the exclusion of the press and public to discuss exempt information relating to the Barrack Street Options Appraisal.