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Fire and rescue studies

The Audit Commission's former programme of national studies helped public bodies manage the financial challenges they faced by providing authoritative, unbiased, evidence-based analysis and advice.

Our research focused on financial and other management issues in local public services. It drew on analysis of local and national data and aimed to help councils, NHS bodies and other local agencies review and challenge their arrangements and performance.

We published a series of reports about fire and rescue services, the highlights including: Rising to the challenge in 2008 and a national review in 2010 called Business continuity in the fire and rescue service.

We produced a fire and rescue services briefing. This briefing captured key messages from the Commission's former research in this area, and provides links to relevant national publications, case studies and tools.

We also produced briefings for other sectors including local government, housing, community safety and children and young people.

A full A-Z list of previous fire and rescue studies and studies for other sectors are also available.

 
 
Business continuity in the fire and rescue service
15 September 2010
Many fire and rescue services have good business continuity management plans, and those that have faced disruption before have used the experience to refine their plans further, our new study finds.
Against the odds
Re-engaging young people in education, employment or training
7 July 2010
Since the release of the report on 7 July 2010, we have produced a series of maps detailing changes in the proportion and numbers of young people not in employment education and training (NEET) 2007 ...
A review of collaborative procurement across the public sector
21 May 2010
The National Audit Office and the Audit Commission have jointly produced this review. It describes the landscape of collaborative procurement across the public sector, and makes recommendations to ...
Oneplace national overview report
24 February 2010
This report looks at the findings from the first year of Comprehensive Area Assessment (CAA). It is published by the six inspectorates responsible for assessing local public services in England.
Man being interviewed
Nothing but the truth?
A discussion paper
5 November 2009
This paper sets out important issues as the basis for discussion on how to ensure data about local public services is fit for purpose.
Working better together?
Managing local strategic partnerships
21 April 2009
The report identifies LSPs as evolving and maturing, local and national partners still need to recognise the key dynamics that support partnership working.
Rising to the challenge
Improving fire service efficiency
17 December 2008
This report looks at the GBP 2 billion of public money spent on the fire service in England and encourages fire services to improve their value for money.
Audit Commission and IDeA Competition
13 March 2008
The Audit Commission and IDeA have built on the Commission's report in 2007, Seeing the Light, by running a competition to find and share more examples of innovation.
In the know
Using information to make better decisions - a discussion paper
21 February 2008
This paper aims to encourage people to think about the information they use whenever they make decisions.
Fire and rescue performance assessment
Scores and analysis of performance in fire and rescue authorities 2006
5 April 2007
The fire and rescue performance assessment for 2006 measures the scale and sustainability of the modernisation and improvement of the fire service.
Fire and rescue studies