Seven years on and still no justice for Grenfell community; Fire chiefs create 70-point to save cash in the year ahead

Every weekday morning we bring you the sector’s freshest news stories, starting today with the news that the Grenfell Tower Inquiry has announced that it will miss its self-imposed deadline to complete its long-awaited second phase report before the seventh anniversary of the fire on 14 June this year.

There’s also a story on how fire chiefs at South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service have compiled a list of 70 ways to save money, as the cash-strapped service looks to cut costs.

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Broken promises and delay, seven years on and still no justice for Grenfell community

Last week, the Grenfell Tower Inquiry announced that it would miss its self-imposed deadline to complete its long-awaited second phase report before the seventh anniversary of the fire on 14 June this year.

The inquiry’s update did not say when the report will be released, but it leaves a very narrow window for them to get it out before the Parliamentary summer recess begins on 23 July. More via Emergency Services Times

Paramedics made redundant over controversial contract

Paramedics and blue light drivers have lost their jobs because of a controversial new contract signed between independent ambulance providers.

The contract to manage “unplanned ambulance discharges”, effective from Thursday, April 25, will see 19 redundancies, including five paramedics and five blue light drivers. More via Bournemouth Echo

FBU pressures employers not to implement new anti-union laws

The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has launched fresh calls for fire and rescue service employers to refuse the government’s minimum service levels, which amounts to an attempt to ban firefighters and control staff from taking strike action.

The FBU is calling on firefighters and members of the public to contact employers directly, pressuring them to protect their right to strike by pledging not to issue work notices under the Minimum Service Levels Act. More via FBU

Battery bin fire sparks recycling reminder

People have been reminded not to throw their used batteries in the bin after a fire broke out in a dustbin lorry in West Yorkshire.

Refuse collectors were emptying bins in Kettlethorpe, Wakefield, on Wednesday when a fire began in the back of the vehicle.

Wakefield Council said the team called the fire service who dealt with the incident and no-one was injured. More via BBC News

Police chief constables regain powers to chair misconduct panels

New measures laid in Parliament earlier this week will now make it easier for police chiefs to sack rogue officers during misconduct hearings.

Police chief constables will be given the responsibility of chairing the hearings which decide on the removal of officers found guilty of police misconduct. More via Emergency Services Times

IOPC investigating actions of Kent Police officers prior to fatal M25 collision

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is investigating the involvement of Kent Police officers prior to a fatal road traffic collision at junction 30 of the M25 on Sunday 14 April 2024.

Shortly after 11.40pm, a Range Rover was involved in a collision with a motorcycle. Sadly, the motorcyclist, who has been named as 19-year-old Andrina Everett, died at the scene. The IOPC was notified by Kent Police shortly after the collision as officers had been pursuing the Range Rover when the collision occurred. More via IOPC

Former Dorset Police Special Constable guilty of gross misconduct

Gross misconduct has been proven against a former Dorset Police Special Constable, following an investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) into offensive messages he shared in a WhatsApp group with colleagues.

Jack Thrumble is a serving Police Constable with Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary but was a Dorset Police Special Constable at the time the messages were sent. More via Emergency Services Times

Fire chiefs create 70-point to save cash in the year ahead

Fire chiefs have compiled a list more than 70 ways to save money in the year ahead as the cash-strapped South Yorkshire service looks for efficiencies.

Under current plans, the cash ‘reserves’ or emergency money, will dwindle from around £18.5m to approximately £15.2m by March 2027 as the service draws on that cash to bolster its spending needs. More via Northern Advertiser

Data infrastructure is critical to successful implementation of AI in the emergency services

If emergency responders are told that all data is important, then nothing is important, that’s the message coming out loud and clear from the latest Emergency Services Times webinar. Getting data quality sorted, along with an emphasis on data skills and effective sharing with other agencies is critical to getting the blue lights ready for a future that makes the most of artificial intelligence. More via Emergency Services Times