THE North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service is seeking to change its priorities - to provide exactly what the public wants.

The service will focus on protecting the community in emergencies, rather than strictly following government performance indicators.

It will try to reduce casualties from fires and road traffic accidents, and to discover what the public feel is the best way of keeping them safe.

The change comes after some disappointing outcomes in a performance exercise comparing North Yorkshire figures with government indicators.

As a result a review of the service, which is published today, says: "We believe we perform well, and consultation tends to suggest you largely agree with us. But that is not apparent in the Best Value Indicators and targets set by the Government."

The service will now prioritise local issues and community needs above statistical markers.

The review says: "The variable performance shows the difficulty in spreading resources thinly to cover so many targets."

It adds: "Consultation suggests strongly a need for action regarding road safety - nearly half our activity is caused by road traffic accidents - but it is not part of the Best Value regime."

So "rather than struggling to meet every (Best Value) indicator" the service is looking to focus on the concept of community safety and be excellent in areas important to the public.

Its Best Value officer, Ian Shakespeare, said: "Rather than telling the public what we have done, we now want to ask what they want and need us to do."

These responses will be incorporated into local planning for each community, and to help the service develop what it needs for front-line performance.

A spokesman for the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, which inspects the service, said: "In concentrating on these vital safety issues the service is likely to improve its performance in other areas as well. This is a positive move forward."

Phone the North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service Best Value office on 01609 780150 for more details of its full service review.

Updated: 11:42 Wednesday, April 02, 2003