Jo Coles - York and North Yorkshire Deputy Mayor for Policing, Fire and Crime

Jo Coles - North Yorkshire Deputy Mayor for Policing, Fire and Crime

14 November, 2024

“Your Fire Service, Your Say” – Jo Coles, Deputy Mayor for Policing Fire and Crime, to host online public meeting driven by interest from the public.

On Thursday 21 November, Jo Coles, Deputy Mayor for Policing Fire and Crime will host her online public meeting where North Yorkshire’s Chief Fire Officer will be held to account on behalf of the public.

This meeting will focus on Emergency Response Times and include updates on:

  • A look at the latest fire service performance data in areas of public interest. 
  • An in-depth discussion on a key theme of public concern identified in line with the current fire and rescue plan. 
  • An opportunity to raise issues that matter to the public for discussion with chief officers. 
  • An update on the progress made against third party reports. For example, His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) to provide the OPFCC and the public with evidence of improvements. 
  • A dedicated question and answer time to ask the Chief Fire Officer and senior leadership team questions submitted by members of the public.

Residents of York and North Yorkshire can join the online public meeting. 

Questions relating to emergency response times are encouraged, but questions for any area of the fire service are welcome and should be submitted using the online form on our website: https://www.northyorkshire-pfcc.gov.uk/YourVoice/

The purpose of these regular online public meetings is to hold the Chief Fire Officer to account for their delivery of the Fire and Rescue Plan, to ensure they are achieving the objectives, set through public consultation and generating positive outcomes.

Jo Coles, Deputy Mayor for Policing, Fire and Crime says:  

“As Deputy Mayor for Policing, Fire and Crime part of my role is to be the voice of communities and to hold the fire and rescue service to account. The meeting is an opportunity to provide an update to the public on the performance of the fire service and to look in more detail at a specific issue. This meeting will focus on prevention and protection. Anyone who would like to watch or send questions for the meeting can do so.” 

Meeting agenda and papers

Delivery Plan

The Office for Policing, Fire, Crime and Commissioning publishes a Delivery Plan which sets out what the Office does to deliver the Police & Crime Plan, Fire and Rescue Plan and the Violence against Women and Girls Strategy, and more importantly, the services that we will deliver to improve public confidence in policing, assist victims to cope and recover from crime and to address the root causes of crime and antisocial behaviour in our communities.

Assurance Framework

Underpinning the Delivery Plan is the Assurance Framework, which sets out how the Office holds the police and fire services to account for delivery. Part of this includes the terms of reference for the live streamed Online Public Meetings which from May 2023 have included a standing agenda item for the Chief Fire Officer to report on progress against His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services improvement plan in a public forum. This means the improvements to service can be closely monitored by the public.

Scrutiny does not stop at these meetings and continues in every Scrutiny Panel, Executive Board, HMICFRS Improvement Board, Risk and Assurance Board.

The online public meeting will be streamed live on Thursday 21 November 2024 at 2:00pm and can be accessed via:

The meeting will also be recorded and become available to watch on the same channels at the public’s convenience.