Kent Fire and Rescue Service
Outcomes of consultation on 'Creating a safer future – together' and council tax options for 2024/25

Stakeholders

To ensure that our consultation was as broad-based and inclusive as possible, before the launch of the survey comprehensive stakeholder mapping was carried out. This identified seven separate groups of stakeholders, with each group being assigned a contact list owner and designated point for communications. 

Stakeholders were defined as those for whom the “Creating a safer future – together” document would be relevant, and covered customers, businesses, partner agencies, political representatives, civil society groups, and our own colleagues. 

The consultation presented our stakeholders with an opportunity to understand and agree the risks that affect them, offer other views or concerns, and influence whether KFRS has chosen the right areas of focus. The seven stakeholder groups were as follows:

• Tier 1 and Tier 2 partners (as defined by the Civil Contingencies Act 2004)
• Members of Parliament and Members of the Fire Authority
• Businesses, including our Primary Authority Partners
• Civil society
• Neighbouring fire and rescue services
• Safeguarding Boards and the NHS
• KALC (Kent Association of Local Councils)

The consultation was advertised in the following ways:

External

• Promoted on the front page of our website.
• Promoted via the news section of our website.
• News release sent to local media outlets.
• Interview with BBC Radio Kent and Deal Radio.
• Promoted via social media through organic posts, and paid adverts and boosts.
• Promoted on My Community Voice via Kent Police.
• An information pack was shared with members, with template posts for social media.
• Marketing emails were sent to people signed up to receive KFRS news. This included residents and businesses in Kent and Medway.
• The plan was promoted via other community newsletters such as KALC newsletters.
• Promoted during recruitment events for wholetime firefighters.
• Partner agencies shared our posts about the survey on their social media platforms.
• Posters were placed in community hubs including shops, health centres and community centres across Kent and Medway.
• Emails sent to all stakeholders and partners including MPs, local authorities and emergency service partners.
• Promoted at community engagement events using banners and business cards.
• Promoted at underrepresented community group events using banners and business cards.

Internal

• Organisational newsletter (monthly update) November to February.
• Corporate digital noticeboards.
• Corporate noticeboards across KFRS.
• Internal banners throughout headquarters and training centre.
• Promotion on weekly newsletter, November to February.
• Promotion in all seminars, webinars and directorate meetings.

Social media and email engagement

Organic (non-paid) social media activity conducted through channels including Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, Instagram, and Nextdoor, delivered significant results in terms of audience reach. The final count of individuals reached was 48,313, with a total of 404 likes, comments, and shares. Additionally, it resulted in 692 clicks directed towards the survey. 

Paid social media posts and adverts, on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram, reached 159,304 individuals, garnering a total of 4,134 responses, including 3,380 clicks directed towards the survey.

Using the email marketing platform, Gov Delivery, targeted emails were sent to recipients who were subscribed to the ‘all Kent and Medway news’ topic, and those subscribed to the ‘business and responsible persons’ topic. The number of individuals emails reached through these emails was 27,372, with 8,756 unique opens and 703 unique clicks directed towards the survey.

Focus Groups

In addition to the consultation survey, focus groups were conducted with those that were underrepresented in the survey sample. Running across nine separate sessions, a total of 47 people participated in the focus groups. These sought to understand the views from members of the following groups: sixth form students, small to medium sized businesses, individuals with disabilities, Black and Asian communities, Afghan and Eastern European communities, Hindu and Sikh communities. 

Our extensive connections through our community facing colleagues and Community Insights and Partnership Team allowed us to work with people from these groups. 

Focus group participants were first asked how much they knew about KFRS, this was followed by a short presentation on the work of KFRS and the CRMP. An explanation of the eight risk summaries was then provided. It was not possible to discuss all eight risk areas within each focus group, but across the nine sessions all of the risk areas were covered for discussion with participants providing their thoughts on the risk assessment and areas of focus.