HM Fire Service Inspectorate in Scotland: Chief Inspector's Plan 2022 to 2025

The 2005 Act requires the SFRS to appoint a Local Senior Officer (LSO) and develop a Local Plan for each local authority area in Scotland. The Local Fire and Rescue Plan sets out the SFRS's priorities and objectives for that local area. Inspections of the SFRS service delivery within local authority areas aim to examine the development and delivery of Local Fire and Rescue Plans.

Since 2014, HMFSI has carried out a programme of inspections of the SFRS local service delivery across some of the local authority areas of Scotland.

These Local Area inspections have played a valuable part in ensuring that the SFRS gives due consideration to both national and local needs when designing and developing systems of work.

Whilst this approach has provided a valuable insight into SFRS arrangements at a local authority level, it is a resource intensive process and results of inspections can at times appear somewhat repetitive.

Between 2014 and 2022 HMFSI has carried out a total of 16 LAI's, an average of 2 inspections per year. Given there are 32 local authorities in Scotland, it would seem likely that it would take around 16 years to complete this programme, and provide comfort that arrangements across the entire country are fit for purpose.

With this in mind, we have taken the decision to review our current arrangements and to move to a new style of inspection that considers performance over a larger area against a range of key themes. Whilst our approach will change we will maintain our focus on arrangements for ensuring suitable local service delivery.

All LAI reports carried out to date are published on our website.

Local Area inspections undertaken to date

1. Aberdeen City

2. Dundee City

3. East Renfrewshire

4. Na h'Eileanan Siar

5. Glasgow City

6. Moray

7. Scottish Borders

8. South Ayrshire

9. West Lothian

10. Highland

11. North Lanarkshire

12. Dumfries and Galloway

13. Edinburgh City

14. Midlothian

15. Argyll & Bute

16. Angus