New call for changes to fire service authorities

WALES’ fire and rescue authorities are ill-equipped to hold services to account amid allegations of sexual harassment and bullying, a committee has heard.

Newly appointed local government secretary Julie James told a Senedd inquiry on the governance of fire and rescue services in Wales, about concerns over the size of Wales’ three fire and rescue authorities.

They have between 24 and 28 members, generally drawn from council backbenches. By contrast, West Midlands fire and rescue authority has 15 members and serves a population slightly less than that of Wales.

Ms James said: “I suspect, strongly, that what we are looking at here is a governance model... that isn’t really well equipped to hold a specialist service to account.”

Questioned why a Wales-wide culture review was only initiated in March – more than a year after reports of sexual harassment and bullying first emerged. Ms James said the Welsh Government was waiting for the outcome of Fenella Morris KC’s report on the “horrific” culture of South Wales Fire and Rescue Service.

Dan Stephens, fire and rescue adviser and inspector for Wales, said he conducted a review in March 2023, looking back at five years of disciplinary cases across the three services. He told committee members the review found a more consistent approach to disciplinary matters in North and Mid and West Wales.

Ms James said four commissioners, appointed by her predecessor, Hannah Blythyn, to take over the South Wales service, have replaced managers implicated in the failings.

Pressed about concerns around Stuart Millington’s appointment as interim chief fire officer, she said the commissioners were aware of a complaint made about him in 2023. She told the committee: “That had been subject to a full external investigation which concluded there was no disciplinary case to answer.”

Following his appointment by commissioners, the Fire Brigades Union passed a vote of no confidence in Mr Millington amid accusations of harassment and discrimination. Ms James said the matter is now subject to employment tribunal.

On a general point, she told the inquiry appointments should be made on merit, but added: “I’m going to insist there is a female in that management structure... because I think all services that have single-sex teams end up in places where we don’t want them to be.”

She would not commit to a timeline for replacing “sub-optimal” fire authorities but stressed: “This isn’t a long-grass scenario.”