Corporate plans

Strategic planning cycle

Each year the Service goes through a Stategic Planning Cycle which details what we will do throughout the year to refresh, prepare and create ‘Our Plan’ and associated yearly action plans. Named ‘Our Plan’ this corporate document is formally known as the Integrated Risk Management Plan. The formal name is changing to the Community Risk Management Plan for 2023 and beyond.

Prior to publishing Our Plan, the Service consult with communities and stakeholders to inform them of our intended objective / outcomes. This is then formally approved at the Fire & Rescue Authority and published on our website  in April each year.

Our latest IRMP / Our Plan

Previous Plans

Our strategies

Find out more about our Inclusion and Diversity Strategy

Corporate risk management

Corporate risk management is the basis for the business planning function of Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Authority.

All organisations face risks that can impact on their operations.  Corporate Risk Management is the approach we take to identify, assess and manage risk. Each risk has an agreed tolerance level and has a nominated risk lead officer who updates the risk ratings and risk control measures in real time. Variance in ratings comes from departmental and strategic meetings where internal and external influences are discussed. Risks can move in and out of the register according to their rating.

Risks are monitored by DFRS Strategic Leadership Team and the Service Management Team and are reported to the Fire & Rescue Authority members twice a year at the Governance and Performance Working Group meetings.

Annual reports

We produce an annual report that reports back to the Fire & Rescue Authority and the general public on how well the Service has performed in meeting its priorities and objectives over the last twelve months, a summary of the Service's financial situation, and an explanation of the structure of the Service and its governing body, the Fire & Rescue Authority.

We also have a video version of Our Year 2020-21

Statement of assurance

The National Framework document requires all Fire & Rescue Services to provide annual assurance to their communities on the following four key areas:

• financial information
• governance
• operational matters
• regard to the requirements included within framework (captured in the IRMP).

Please refer to the Annual Governance Statement in the Governance Arrangement section.

Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS)

HMICFRS COVID-19 inspection: Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service

FRS national framework 2018

Fire peer reviews

During the latter part of January 2017, we welcomed the Local Government Association (LGA) and Chief Fire Officers Association (CFOA) Operational Assessment Peer Review team to Derbyshire. We are now pleased to publish the findings of the review in the report below.

Derbyshire police and fire collaboration

“Derbyshire Constabulary and Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service will work together collaboratively, sharing knowledge, best practice and resources to generate efficiencies and improved effectiveness, providing better outcomes for the communities of Derbyshire”.

A Joint Headquarters

In December 2014, the Chair of Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Authority (DFRA) and the Police and Crime Commissioner Derbyshire (PCCD) signed a Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) agreement that would enable them to build a new joint headquarters for Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service and Derbyshire Constabulary. The building was completed in August 2016 which was on target and on budget. This was an historical date for Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service. We moved into the new building with the Police between September and November 2016 with little interruption to our work. 

The building provides a modern, fit for purpose work environment with up to date IT equipment, welfare and business facilities. Having been in the building for a couple of years, Fire and Police have built strong working relationships marking the start of a new journey and commitment to ongoing collaboration between the two emergency blue light Services.

A Joint Training Centre

Following on from the success of the Joint Headquarters, a brand new state of the art Joint Training Centre (JTC) was built in December 2017.

The JTC is the launch pad for the next generation of our firefighters and police officers, providing a learning environment worthy of our excellent teams from both operational and support backgrounds. A wide range of facilities are available enabling both organisations to learn new skills and also refine and refresh current ones. The JTC will provide a platform for ongoing collaboration between Derbyshire Constabulary and Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service, as we explore joint training possibilities to ensure we continue to deliver the best possible service to the communities of Derbyshire.

In April 2017, a joint statement was issued by the Chief Fire Officer and the Chief Constable, stating that collaboration between Fire & Police will be supported, led and driven where there is a clear improvement to some or all of the following:

• Operational effectiveness
• Organisational effectiveness
• Efficiency savings
• Improved outcomes for the public.

In pursuit of effective collaboration both Services will ensure to: 

• Develop a culture of joint working
• Have similar expectations of staff as they work
• Ensure staff receive consistent messages
• Encourage the freedom to explore opportunities
• Maintain individual organisational identities.

Areas of collaboration to explore will focus on, but not be limited to:

• Assets
• Communications
• Fleet
• Specialist Operations
• ICT/IT
• Crime (Investigation)
• Prevention
• Procurement/Stores
• Organisational Development
• Reception

A Strategic Police and Fire Collaboration Governance Board was established to manage, monitor and be the decision-maker to deliver these projects.