Pete Murphy is Professor of Public Policy and Management at Nottingham Trent University, UK. Katarzyna Lakoma is a Research Associate and PhD student at Nottingham Trent University, UK.Peter Eckersley is Senior Research Fellow at Nottingham Trent University and Research Associate at the Leibniz Institute for Research on Society and Space, Germany. Russ Glennon is Reader in Public Management and Strategy at Manchester Metropolitan University, UK.

The authors have produced a small tour de force that combines comprehensive knowledge of performance management, a holistic systemic perspective, and real affinity for the fire and rescue services and the improvement of services to the public.

• Chapter 1. Alarm Bells Ringing: Introduction Chapter 2. The Gold Standard: An Evaluative Model Chapter 3. A Sinking Platform: The Data Dilemma Chapter 4. Two Steps Forward and One Back: The 2018 National Framework Chapter 5. So Near and Yet So Far: A Rigorous and Independent Inspectorate? Chapter 6. A Glass Half-full or a Glass Half-empty: Conclusions, Reflections and Reactions

Pete Murphy is Professor of Public Policy and Management at Nottingham Trent University, UK. Katarzyna Lakoma is a Research Associate and PhD student at Nottingham Trent University, UK.Peter Eckersley is Senior Research Fellow at Nottingham Trent University and Research Associate at the Leibniz Institute for Research on Society and Space, Germany. Russ Glennon is Reader in Public Management and Strategy at Manchester Metropolitan University, UK.

The authors have produced a small tour de force that combines comprehensive knowledge of performance management, a holistic systemic perspective, and real affinity for the fire and rescue services and the improvement of services to the public.

• Chapter 1. Alarm Bells Ringing: Introduction Chapter 2. The Gold Standard: An Evaluative Model Chapter 3. A Sinking Platform: The Data Dilemma Chapter 4. Two Steps Forward and One Back: The 2018 National Framework Chapter 5. So Near and Yet So Far: A Rigorous and Independent Inspectorate? Chapter 6. A Glass Half-full or a Glass Half-empty: Conclusions, Reflections and Reactions