Business Plan 2025 - 2026

• Publish and deliver new strategic approach + plan ​
• Deliver on calls to action from independent Challenge and Support Panel ​
• Implement an evaluation framework for PCL products​
• Embed Lived Experience Forum

• Develop guidance/tools for principal officer leadership development​
• Evaluate current leadership programmes​
• Launch new ELP programme

• Pilot a national culture survey proof of concept​
• Deliver phase 2 of culture action plan

• Pilot an EDI/PCL Partners programme​
• Develop a coordinated evidence base for the analysis and presentation of EDI data​
• Scope accessibility requirements for NFCC products

Support FRS with tools and guidance on managing misconduct

• Review and update competence framework methodology​
• Review existing OPRR competence frameworks​
• Undertake scoping exercise to progress competence framework

• Continue delivery of DE cohort 1​
• Develop sustainable model for future DE cohorts​
• Scope opportunities for officer pathway development routes

• Review medical entry requirements for sight and hearing​
• Develop standardised measures and data collections methods of suicide and attempted suicide​
• Develop suicide prevention toolkit​
• Continue work in support of Royal Foundation on M/H

Support contaminants working group and Health and Safety Committee to by provision of project management and administrative support and processes.

Deliver on-call work including recruitment campaign and tools.

• Conduct surveys, review guidance, facilitate equipment reviews or training package needs​
• Deliver outcomes of needs of FRS from GTI2 action plan

• Explore the provision of training materials to support implementation of guidance and cross-border consistency​
• Review incident command guidance incorporating operational discretion revision / removal.​
• Deliver guidance responding to updated firefighting guidance and the four-quadrant model.​
• Review Fires in Tall Buildings guidance; implement ARA work​
• Monitor developments in relation to ERD legislation and review fire standard and guidance in response.

• Support FRS in enabling more effective delivery of fire control room and competent operations​
• Review HMICFRS reports to provide over national picture of Fire Control Guidance implementation​
• Provide support and procedures and training materials to assist with move to 999 alternative number led by Government​
• Deliver the fire control project​
• Design and deliver a Fire Control recruitment campaign including tools.

Deliver outcomes of strategic map for battery technology and alternative fuels

• Support OPRR groups, meetings, committees and events to represent operational response and fire control to promote NFCC position and understanding​
• Deliver four operations conferences on Health and Safety, Incident Command, on-call and operational response.​
• To provide SME input to questions queries and reviews of CRMP related products.

• Work with government to address remediation progress in line with stakeholder expectation and seek out avenues for improved progression of pace and delivery​

• Work to support FRS preparations for implementing the measures to fulfil their obligations under the BSA and produce any necessary training and guidance materials.​
• Develop and deliver the project plan and associated activities for the implementation of the objective highlighted in the PID ​
• Progress the training paper under the BSR and to progress the design of products and tools for FRS support

• Work with HO to develop the new legislation making sure to represent the FRS perspective for Residential PEEPs​
• Support the work of the government guidance technical group​
• Review Evacuation guidelines ​
• Develop new wider industry guidance and standards reflecting FRS views and understanding

• Enforcement review​
• Develop unwanted fire alarm and telecare switch-over guidance and support​
• Review all associated documentation such as guidance and policy and deliver legislatively accurate, consistent and useable products as part of the Audit review

• Engage and support the co-ordination of the Protection Committee, Protection Board, Fire Engineering Technical Group, Enforcement working group, Strategic Protection forum and other related meetings and boards​
• Embed products, support organisational learning​
• To provide SME input to questions queries and reviews of CRMP related products

• Support the workstreams within the Home Safety Committee for NFCC position statements, guidance, toolkits, SME support to consultations and campaigns. ​
• Continue to work with FRS and partners to manage and further develop the Online Home Fire Safety Check  ​
• Support workstreams for Community Mental Health Board to support the impact of mental health on fire risk

• Embed our Road Safety Position Statement with FRSs ​
• Support national Road Safety campaigns and encourage co-ordinated local delivery. ​
• Continue to support delivery of the national and regional Road Safety groups for the development and delivery of guidance, education, evaluation, toolkits and sharing of best practice.

• Support the National Water Safety Forum and continue to support national Water Safety campaigns, toolkits and encourage local delivery. ​
• Support a community risk-based approach by assisting FRSs with data and evaluation.

• Continue to co-ordinate support, guidance and training to practitioners delivering King’s Trust, Early Interventions, Fire Cadets, Fire Safety Interventions and StayWise.  ​
• Deliver the new SfJ accredited ‘Introduction to working with children and young people in FRSs’ Train the Trainer course to FRSs and develop the Fire Safety Interventions course.​
• Continue the development and management of the StayWise.

• Produce a range of associated guidance, risk assessments and sector specific training to enable FRSs to work towards achieving the Safeguarding Fire Standard and support implementation of appropriate DBS checks​
• Continue to deliver Safeguarding network meetings and a Safeguarding Conference for FRS and wider stakeholders.

• Engage and support Prevention Committee, Prevention Partnership Board and Prevention Regional Leads group.​
• Embed products, support organisational learning.​
• Engage with the 1 Billion Readiness Campaign​
• To provide SME input to CRMP related products

• Coordinate the continuous maintenance of NFCC products​
• Ensure appropriate application of product governance​
• Product development advice and guidance​
• Creation of interactive product library​

• Perform impact review of Organisational Learning​
• Produce, review and maintain of learning solutions to support key learning priorities​
• Scope the development of an interactive learning library​
• Conduct review of FRS Learn​

• Identify research needs and support the annual review of Areas of Research Interest​
• Deliver a knowledge-exchange events programme between academia and FRS​
• Develop effective relationships with external research organisations and other stakeholders to gather learning from wider sources.

• Identify and escalate learning patterns and trends​
• Strategic Improvement Model (SIM) analysis

• Wider awareness with sector through national events​
• Engagement with key external stakeholders​
• Ensure Fire Standards remain aligned to competencies​
• Maintain governance alignment to wider initiatives including College of Fire​
• Update Fire Standards with a scheduled review process

• Deliver Improvement Committee Scrutiny Group to challenge Council with SIM data, learning and evaluation​
• Provide enhanced support to FRS in Engage​
• Engage at a strategic level with HMICFRS to support FRS ​
• Provide direct support to FRS following Inspections to address causes of concern and areas for improvement​
• Facilitate networking and workshops to promote good practice and the adoption of NFCC guidance, products and tools.

• Deliver digital and data literacy CPD programme.​
• Deliver annual digital and data literacy DDaT conferences.​
• Design, deliver and evaluate trial of Digital and Data Leadership courses.

• Deliver data quality Data Entry Convention Phases 1–3​
• Complete data quality review of government, ODI and local data maturity assessment methodologies ​
• Scope requirements for data sharing project and build business case for recommendations.

• Develop guidance on cyber considerations in procurement ​
• Develop guidance on board-level assessment of cyber risk.​
• Develop guidance and training materials for senior leaders on social media awareness and the use of shadow IT.​
• Scope CPD and upskilling for technical staff to defend against new technologies (e.g. AI threats).

• Establish ICT benchmarking service to demonstrate the value of FRS ICT services and understand where improvements can be made​
• Develop a data sharing and good practice platform (SharePoint/Teams) for services to use to share local digital products (e.g. PowerApps).

• Demonstrate NFCC’s value to members as an influencer​
• Promote the membership offer to members as individuals​
• Humanise NFCC, demystify and tackle misconceptions​
• Streamline and simplify communication with members​

To fully utilise NFCC digital platforms as the go-to place for members, partners and other stakeholders for information about work and resources.

• Develop and protect our role as an adviser to Government.​
• Align advocacy and public affairs to the external environment.​
• Develop a holistic approach to engagement with ministers and parliamentarians exploiting ‘channels of influence’​
• Increase support for FRSs (CFOs and Comms teams) on political engagement at local level.​
• Making the case for sustainable investment in fire​
• Making the case for fire reform

• Position NFCC as the first port of call on national issues and to use media strategically in partnership with other comms disciplines, to amplify our views and reach key audiences.

• To promote and protect the NFCC brand and ensure consistent application and appropriate use.

• Provide stable, consistent and accessible platforms and channels to facilitate learning, sharing and networking for FRSs and wider members.​

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• Ensure efficient and effective use of resources to deliver against priorities.​
• Create a strong, stable and sustainable funding base that enables NFCC to deliver effectively into the long-term.

• Provide effective governance, risk management and planning, to ensure delivery against NFCC business priorities and financial, legal and statutory responsibilities.

• Enable a consistent, co-ordinated and collaborative approach to the development and maintenance of professional and quality-assured products for members and partners.

• Develop a unified data warehouse to support the development of products and national intelligence.

• Develop a unified data warehouse to support the development of products and national intelligence.

• Plan and deliver annual programme of events and conferences​
• Deliver 2025–26 phase of the NFCC Commercial Strategy for ongoing financial sustainability and diverse income​

• NFCC hosting World Fire Congress 2026​
• Developing international reach and widening membership

• Provide support and co-ordination to NFCC committees, leads and wider members, enabling them to deliver against priorities.