Îʶ¦ÓéÀÖ

An independent was published by Fenella Morris KC on 3 January 2024.

As a result, the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership made an oral statement on 9 January 2024. On 6 February 2024, the Deputy Minister made a further oral statement and issued Directions to the Fire and Rescue Authority (FRA).

The Directions confer all of the functions of the FRA to 4 Commissioners:

• The Baroness Wilcox of Newport, former leader of Newport City Council and the Îʶ¦ÓéÀÖ Local Government Authority (WLGA)
• Kirsty Williams, former Member of the Senedd for Brecon and Radnor
• Vij Randeniya, former Chief Fire Officer of West Midlands Fire and Rescue Service
• Carl Foulkes, former Chief Constable of North Wales Police

• Implement of all the recommendations of the review of SWFRS culture and values within deadlines stipulated in it.
• Establish and oversee a new senior management team and related processes that are untainted by the failings identified in the report.As a first step, they will appoint a Chief Fire Officer and, as necessary, other senior staff necessary to contribute fully and effectively to the FRA’s recovery.
• Establish and implement a process to identify grievance cases arising during the period covered by the report which may have been improperly and/or unfairly dealt with. They will also ensure those cases are reopened and re-examined, leading to a fair and just outcome.
• Implement all of the recommendations made in the Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser’s thematic reviews on:
  • learning from Grenfell Tower Inquiry 
  • fire and rescue service capacity
  • fire and rescue service operational training
• Make arrangements for a significant and sustained reduction in SWFRS’s attendance at false alarms.
• Develop proposals for the future governance of FRA to minimise the risk of further such failings.
• Discharge other functions of the FRA and its members as set out in statute and the FRA’s standing orders.
• Advise the Îʶ¦ÓéÀÖon progress with the above, and on the potential for ending intervention.
• Undertake all their work in the full spirit of social partnership, and through continual and effective engagement with SWFRS staff and representative bodies.

Follow the  on the SWFRA website.