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While Westminster is in election mode, legislators in Wales continue business as usual with the Equality and Social Justice Committee publishing the report of its inquiry into the governance of the three fire and rescue services in Wales.
The report, called Sound the Alarm, looks at the fallout of the recent damning report into the culture of South Wales Fire and Rescue Service as well as how fire and rescue services are managed across the country. It finds that fire service staff are being let down by their leaders who lack candour; adding that there is an urgent need for reform, as those in charge may not ‘fully grasp the scale of the challenge ahead’ and that ‘some may need to reflect on their positions.’
“Fire service staff in Wales are being let down by the leaders responsible for the governance of the fire and rescue services and we need urgent change to restore faith so all staff feel safe in the workplace.
“We were disturbed by how many people at the top of the current governance system didn’t seem to be aware of how serious the problem is. We urge the Welsh Government to take radical steps to strengthen the efficiency and effectiveness of the governance structure – no change is not an option.”
Jenny Rathbone MS, Chair of the Equality and Social Justice Committee.
The Equality and Social Justice Committee was set up by the Welsh Parliament (commonly known as the Senedd) to look at policy and legislation, and to hold the Welsh Government to account in specific areas. The Committee has six Members who come from the different parties represented in the Senedd, and is chaired by Jenny Rathbone MS.
Evidence gathering
Taking evidence from a range of sources over a three month period earlier this year, the Committee looked in detail at the appointment of Stuart Millington as interim Chief Fire Officer for South Wales. He took up this position after Fenella Morris’s report into the culture of the service led to the swift retirement of the former chief Huw Jakeway and the removal of the fire authority. The controversy of Mr Millington’s appointment is described along with the process of how the newly installed Commissioners came to appoint him.
The report confirms that the Commissioners knew, “prior to appointing Mr Millington, that a complaint had been made about him in 2023; and that had been subject to a full external investigation and that had concluded there was no disciplinary case to answer.”
The Committee says that the appointment of Stuart Millington came up repeatedly during its scrutiny.
“We found the lack of clarity and the defensive, bordering on dismissive, tone of several individuals responding to these concerns troubling.”
This led the Committee to conclude that the controversy about the interim arrangements has ‘potentially reinforced negative perceptions’ by staff of senior management and that was not helping to restore confidence in the leadership of the service.
The report recommends that the Welsh Government works closely with the four Commissioners to bring fresh individuals with skills and experiences from outside the sector in Wales into the key roles responsible for organisational culture, starting with the current recruitment process for a new Chief Fire Officer for South Wales.
Spotlight on governance
Removing a fire and rescue authority is unprecedented and in a detailed section of this report, the inquiry points to the inadequacy of scrutiny and the self interest of those involved in South Wales. It calls the fire and rescue authorities an ‘anachronism’ and says change is needed.
“We reject the argument that governance arrangements of FRAs were peripheral or played no part in contributing to the failings of South Wales FRS. Failings on the scale of those identified by the Morris Review are almost certainly a reflection of deficiencies in the overall governance of an organisation. We suspect that those trying to claim otherwise are doing so primarily out of self-interest.
“And while we acknowledge the other FRAs in Wales may be able to demonstrate a commitment to change within current arrangements, the evidence suggests that some immediate changes should be considered given the seriousness of the findings.”
Elsewhere in Wales there is an ongoing review of the culture of the other two fire and rescue services, both of which continue to have oversight by fire and rescue authorities. The report acknowledges the review, saying that it should be given the time and space it needs to complete this work.
At a national level, the inquiry highlights how out of date the Welsh National Framework is and recommends that a new framework and performance indicators should be in place by May 2025.
The inspection and audit regimes are also briefly discussed and the inquiry recommends that the Welsh Government look at the fundamental role of the service in 5-20 years time. The Committee says the Government should consider how services could be delivered, including a single Wales-wide service in line with the ambulance service. Any change like this is unlikely before the next Senedd elections which are due in 2026.
Read the full report, Sound the alarm: The governance of fire and rescue services, published in June 2024.
