Fire service report 'incredibly depressing'

Gloucestershire Fire and rescue Service station

A report into a fire service, which found it needs to do more to improve how it keeps people safe, has been labelled "incredibly depressing”.

Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service (GFRS) had nine out of 11 areas rated "inadequate" or "requiring improvement" by a watchdog after an inspection.

His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services it was disappointed by the lack of progress since the previous inspection in 2021, despite some improvements being made.

Councillor Dave Norman said the bar has been significantly raised since 2019.

GFRS was placed in special measures over its performance in July 2022.

Inspectors said the service must improve its understanding of fire and risk, how it responds to major incidents, its best use of resources, future affordability, getting the right people with the right skills and managing performance and developing leaders.

The service was deemed adequate at preventing fire and risk as well as responding to fires and emergencies.

In the report, HM Inspector Roy Wilsher said there were concerns the departments in the service did not work together very well.

He said the work of firefighters was not always aligned to the plans of central teams.

'Fire service in reverse'

Speaking in a council meeting on 24 May, Assistant chief fire officer Adam Openshaw said they now have teams in the service who are working on plans to improve the situation and embed good practice.

However councillor Jeremy Hilton said GFRS has "not made enough progress", according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

“When you look at the report there were 11 areas of consideration by the inspectorate. None were outstanding, none were good," he said.

“Just two were adequate, six required improvements and three were inadequate.”

'Significant challenging journey'

Mr Norman, who holds the fire portfolio on Gloucestershire County Council, said: “I don’t want to make a statement and name any individuals but you would have to agree that the damage that was done to this service happened a long time before the first inspection.

“We have had to make a significant challenging journey to try and get us back to a level where I feel confident that we are going in the right direction. Which we are.”

ACFO Openshaw said: “There is work that is needed. We were very open with the work that was needed to be taken in Gloucestershire was not simple work that could be achieved in 12 to 18 months.

“Our goal is to continue to build on the progress made and aim for a point in the future where we can significantly improve those gradings.”