Welsh Government sends commissioners in to oversee fire and rescue authority

The Welsh Government has appointed commissioners to oversee South Wales Fire and Rescue Authority following the publication of an independent review that found a culture of sexism and misogyny in many places.

The report by Fenella Morris KC of 39 Essex Chambers also revealed failings in management, policies, procedures, and systems at the service.

In a plenary session yesterday (6 February), Deputy Minister for Social Partnership Hannah Blythyn said she had no confidence the fire authority had the internal capacity or capability needed to oversee its own recovery and that management at all levels had been implicated in the failings highlighted by the review.

She said the South Wales Fire and Rescue Authority cannot be “both the problem and the solution”.

The Deputy Minister said the intention of the South Wales Chief Fire Officer, Huw Jakeway, to retire was not sufficient to stimulate the wholesale change in processes, values and culture which would be necessary to address the serious cultural issues in the service.

The Deputy Minister has removed all of the functions of South Wales Fire and Rescue Authority and conferred them on four commissioners. 

They are:

• Baroness Wilcox, formerly Leader of Newport City Council;
• Kirsty Williams, formerly Member of the Senedd for Brecon and Radnor;
• Vij Randeniya, formerly Chief Fire Officer, West Midlands Fire Service; and
• Carl Foulkes, formerly Chief Constable, North Wales Police

The commissioners will have powers to restructure and reform the management of the service and a remit to instil a positive and non-discriminatory culture, Blythyn said.

They will remain in post until the work is finished and will regularly update the Deputy Minister.

The Deputy Minister said the authority’s own proposals for implementing the recommendations of the report did not provide any assurance that the underlying problems could or would be addressed.

Blythyn said: “It is hard to see how South Wales Fire and Rescue Service would be able to make the changes needed, when those currently in post are part of the problem and cannot also be the solution.

“Unless action is taken now, there is also the risk these failures could affect service delivery and put lives at risk.”

She added: “I have little if any confidence about the likelihood of South Wales Fire and Rescue Authority restoring an acceptable standard of management, or of its addressing the wider risks to service delivery and firefighter and public safety.

“I believe that creates a compelling case for Welsh Government intervention, in the interests of securing a swift and sustainable recovery.”

In a statement the South Wales Fire and Rescue Authority said: “The Service acknowledges the Welsh Government statement in Plenary today and welcomes the scrutiny and direction that will be provided by the four appointed Commissioners…..

“We would like to reassure the public and all staff that we would never compromise on their safety, and this was supported in the Independent Culture Review Report.

“To date, the Service has continued to take forward the Draft Action Plan in response to the recommendations within the Report. Last week we held five staff sessions to consult on the plan, with another three sessions planned for this week, to fulfil our promise of engaging with staff on how to take recommendations forward. Four working groups have been convened to deliver the Action Plan, and a governance structure was established, as detailed in the Draft Action Plan, published on our website on 16 January 2024.”