Area Level

Reasssurance Plus

In April 2006 Reassurance Plus was started in Blackpool with the aim of tackling community issues centred on crime and the perception of crime. This scheme provided a stronger and better targeted approach in three priority areas: -

  • Central (covering parts of Claremont, Talbot and Brunswick wards)
  • South (covering parts of Bloomfield, Waterloo and Victoria Wards) and
    Grange Park (covering part of Park ward).

This scheme is a multi-disciplined approach involving representation from a wide range of Council and partner agencies that include: Housing Enforcement, Environmental Protection, Planning Enforcement, Neighbourhood Environmental Action Team, BSafe, Springboard, Blackpool Coastal Housing, the Police, the Fire and Rescue Service and resident representatives.

Funded through Local Area Agreement monies three Community Fire Service Practitioners were employed within the teams. Working with the other partners in the team the role of the Community Fire Service Practitioner is primarily to reduce the incidents of fire and as a result reduce the number of injuries and deaths. They also assist the partners with reducing their respective targets and in particular crime and disorder.

Evaluation of this partnership working shows reduction across all areas targeted. However the “Reassurance” title of the scheme is the main area to evaluate. Members of the public base their opinions on what they experience and see happening around them. This is where the Community Fire Service practitioners have been extremely successful. For instance they are seen by other partners and the public as the only constant/permanent member of the team who is always present at meetings. This has created and encouraged confidence in the Service. Only recently a local councillor at Blackpool South when being told by the Station Manager that he would be attending their Forum meeting asked that, quote “I want my local fire officer there as well” referring to the practitioner.

Reassurance Plus has recently been recognised nationally as meeting the criteria of stage one “Working Towards Excellence” of the Neighbourhood Management Excellence Scheme. Blackpool is the first unitary authority in the country to achieve this recognition. The assessors commented about Reassurance Plus that “…..the passion and commitment of the multi –agency teams did really shine through.”

Shirley Young, the Assistant Director Neighbourhood & Communities in a letter to the South Community Fire Service practitioner informing him of the above recognitions stated;

“This is superb testimony to the hard work and dedication of everyone involved in the project. It is of course not just a local authority initiative, but a combination of ‘partnership working’ in the truest sense of the word. I would like to thank you for your personal contribution to this achievement.”

Action on Children’s Accident Project

Action on Children’s Accidents Project is a Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale Primary Care Trust project aimed at reducing/preventing a whole range of accidents in the wider community. Although named Action on Children’s Accident Project the project has now widened to encompass all sections and ages within the community (and is known generically as the Accident Prevention Team).

The Fire Service have forged a Partnership and provided specific training to allow Action on Children’s Accident Project workers to carry out Home Fire Safety Checks on our behalf. These arrangements cover all areas within the administrative boundaries of East Lancashire Primary Care Trust and are primarily aimed at parents with young children.

Since the Partnership was formed over 1,500 Home Fire Safety Checks have been carried out by the Action on Children’s Accident Project.

The Pennine Area Community Fire Safety Team is an integral member of the partnership and in November 2007, travelled to London with the team when they were awarded the Partnership Award in the ‘Addressing Health Inequalities’ category by the Health Services Journal.

The work has now extended to encompass: road safety, older people, ‘Streetwise’ events, (for primary school pupils) and Multi-Agency Awareness Raising events.

The partnership is now firmly embedded within the East Lancashire NHS PCT Accident Prevention Strategy – 2008/2011.

Further information on the project can be obtained from Barry Robinson – Pennine Area Community Fire Safety Team Leader – 01282 435886.

Pomocna Dlon (Polish for Helping Hand)

Pomocna Dlon (Polish for Helping Hand) is a project that supports and welcomes new migrants to the District of Lancaster, under the umbrella of National Coalition Building Institute, Lancashire. The project initially emerged as a result of requests from Polish migrants asking for help to adjust to language and cultural barriers in the UK. As a response, fortnightly drop-in sessions were set up, where bi-lingual Polish and non-Polish volunteers offer free translation and interpretation and help with any matter new migrants might be facing. Inter-cultural training and social events to assist with integration, bi-lingual newsletters providing information on rights and responsibilities and a Community Interpreting service to assist agencies and individuals overcome language and cultural barriers were also established under the project.

Pomocna Dlon works closely with statutory, voluntary, community and faith sector partners in the community, particularly the Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service which was the first organisation locally to recognise a significant increase in new migrants living and working in the area. The Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service appointed a Polish Advocate who, through her work, has contributed to the development of the project and plays an important role both strategically and in terms of the trust built within the migrant community.

Additional important partnerships exist with the Police Constabulary, Citizens Advice Bureau, Signposts, Lancaster District Women’s Aid, local medical practices and benefits agencies. These and other agencies comprise the Steering Group, which guides and assists Pomocna Dlon respond to the needs of migrants, the local community and agencies.

Success and Outcomes

Pomocna Dlon was initially funded as a pilot project under the Equality and Human Rights Commission and has since received funding from the Lancaster District Local Strategic Partnership and the Migrant Impact Fund. It is well established in the community and has a developed a positive, trusting relationship with Polish migrants.
Over 20 drop-in sessions, 189 people have been assisted (107 cases) by volunteers through translation, interpretation and additional support to help migrants overcome cultural and language barriers, navigate complex structures and systems and assist in integration and building community cohesion. Community Interpretation is a cost-effective way to overcome the difficulties presented by language and cultural barriers and allows greater and more equal access to services for migrants, as well as a reduction in the stressors experienced by service providers. We have provided face to face interpretation on medical appointments, at the job centre, for schools and in many different situations.

The project is currently working to establish a Polish community association, to build capacity within the community, develop an informal language exchange and increase greater integration between migrants and non-migrants.

Managing Fire Risk in Houses in Multiple Occupation  – Morecambe

Partners: Lancaster City Council Housing Enforcement Team and Morecambe Technical Fire Safety dept.

Objective: To achieve a safer environment for the people of Lancashire by reducing risk in higher life risk premises.

Morecambe has a significant number of Houses in Multiple occupation. This is where the building is a converted house and there is a common access via the front door and each bedsit/flat is accessed via the hall/stairs/landing. Residents within these types of buildings are at higher risk of Fire.

These premises are subject to both the Housing Act 2004 and The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. This gives rise to dual enforcement issues because the Fire and Rescue Service are responsible for enforcement of the RRO and Strategic Housing Services (Lancaster City Council) are responsible for enforcement of the Housing Act.

There is a strong case for inspecting officers both from housing enforcement teams and the fire and rescue service to be directed to carry out inspections to determine standards of fire safety in these premises.

To this end it was decided that joint working should take place between the fire service and Lancashire County Council in order that landlords and managing agents could benefit from the expertise of both departments. In order to provide some structure to guide and underpin this joint working initiative protocols have been drawn up and agreed locally. A significant and important element of these local agreements being in respect of subsequent enforcement action.

Through this partnership we have identified a number of the higher risk houses in multiple occupation and are carrying out joint inspections with subsequent enforcement action being taken in line with locally agreed protocols. This eases the process for the duty holder because they only then deal with one enforcing authority using one piece of legislation.

Dangerzone – 27 May 2009

Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service were approached by Alan Lewis from Point 6 Youth Centre at Glenburn Sports College, Skelmersdale to be part of a multi agency scenario day focused around drugs and alcohol. The lead on the project was taken by Mark Ashton, Director of The Plastersine Group Ltd, a group who use performing arts to educate in schools and have an academy of 125 students who produce and perform a number of theatrical productions throughout the year. Mark wrote a script which would incorporate all the different partners involved including: Glenburn Sports and Science College, Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service, Lancashire Constabulary, Crown Prosecution Service, Ambulance Service, Courts and NHS and would travel around the School’s site.

The story focused around a young couple, Matt and Emma who had recently got engaged and were expecting their first child. The drama studio was used as the venue for their engagement party where everyone was drinking and having a good time. Some of the party goers decided to leave the party and Matt offered to drive them. The music was paused and the scene freeze framed whilst the 999 call was played over the top. From the drama studio, the story moved outside where Matt and 3 friends were trapped in the car with one friend lying on the road in front. Red Watch from Skelmersdale Fire Station carried out the rescue and the process was explained to those watching. Matt was taken away by the police and the rest of the casualties were taken to the gym which acted as the hospital. None of the actors knew what would happen to them during the rescue which added to the reality of the situation.

The hospital scene was acted out with no talking as the families leant the fate of the casualties. The only sound was REM’s ‘Everybody Hurts’ playing over the top. The families of the 3 trapped in the car were told they were ok, however the one who had been found laid on the floor was pronounced dead to his father. It turned out the deceased was the cousin of Matt.

The next scene was the Police Station where Matt was breathalysed and found to be over limit. He was detained and the story moved to the court for sentencing. Matt was sentenced to 4 years for causing death by dangerous driving.

The people involved then spoke to say how this had affected their lives. Matt spoke about his future in prison, Emma said how she would have to cope alone and bring up the baby herself and Matt’s uncle, father of deceased, was torn between his loyalty to his son but also to his nephew.

During scene changes and at the beginning and end, everyone in attendance had the opportunity to speak to other stall holders including Lancashire Partnership for Road Safety.

The event was incredibly powerful and emotional and provided all the partners involved an opportunity to work together but also to create strong links with new ones. Without each partners’ participation the event would not have been as successful as it was. The Lancashire Partnership for Road Safety was so impressed they wish they had filmed the event to use as publicity. It is hoped that the event can be repeated in the future at different venues across Lancashire.