Accountability for performance in English and Scottish fire and rescue services from 2010 to 2016

Using evidence from English and Scottish fire and rescue services from 2010-2016, this paper aims to show how divergent performance management regimes can affect public accountability. Performance management regimes enable agencies and the public to hold public sector organisations accountable by facilitating evaluation of their accomplishments. However, our findings show that local as opposed to central control over performance management, can have quite differing implications for public accountability. Impact It is often difficult to evaluate the implications that performance management regimes may have for accountability in public sector organisations. By analysing divergent performance management regimes operating in UK fire and rescue services, this paper illustrates that levels of hierarchical control over performance management regimes, can influence organisations' ability to deliver public services with improved accountability.