LFB fails to make enough culture change progress - inspectorate

The inspectorate said said some staff "were still reluctant to report issues" due to "fear of reprisals" or concerns about investigations

London Fire Brigade (LFB) has not made enough progress improving issues with its culture, the inspectorate says.

A letter from HMICFRS says there is still "more work to do" to ensure LFB staff feel confident reporting and handling unacceptable behaviour.

It said some staff "were still reluctant to report issues" due to "fear of reprisals" or concerns about investigations.

HMICFRS is due to undertake a full inspection of LFB in June.

It follows an announcement earlier this month by the inspectorate that the brigade has been taken out of an enhanced level of monitoring.

LFB was placed under special measures by the inspectorate in 2022 after a report found the service was "institutionally misogynist and racist".

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Writing to LFB's commissioner Andy Roe on Friday, HM Inspector Lee Freeman said it would keep in place the third recommendation from the 2022 review - which advised LFB to "undertake a review of brigade processes designed to deal with behaviour such as bullying and discrimination and implement improvements that build trust and confidence among staff".

'Fear of reprisals'

In it, Mr Freeman mentioned that while the inspectorate recognised "progress made against our third recommendation", and staff "had good awareness and were confident in the brigade's external complaints service", some staff "were still reluctant to report issues".

He explained this was due to a "fear of reprisals, being perceived or labelled as a troublemaker, not feeling they would be treated fairly in any investigation or that the time taken to investigate cases was too long".

London Fire Brigade was found to have made some improvements by the inspectorate

He also stressed that although 70% of staff responded to LFB's 2023 staff survey, 39% of respondents agreed that if they raised a complaint, it would be dealt with appropriately, and only 18% agreed the brigade managed change well.

The letter also highlighted a professional standards unit had only been established in January, and work to improve the brigade's HR department was not yet finished, with a programme due to be completed in May.

Despite these concerns, HMICFRS pointed to areas where progress had been achieved at LFB - in the understanding of brigade values, the communication of those values, leadership training for managers, and reviewing the processes for dealing with behaviour such as bullying and discrimination.

The letter is the latest update from the inspectorate to LFB following a visit last month related to the findings of the report.

It comes weeks after the mother of an LFB firefighter who took his own life said the brigade's culture was "not going to change" and the commissioner was failing to "expose the truth"of her son's death.

Speaking last week, following HMICFRS' decision to lift London Fire Brigade out of its enhanced monitoring regime, London Fire Commissioner Andy Roe said: "The Inspectorate's decision recognises the significant amount of work that has been undertaken over the last 15 months since the Independent Culture Review.

"I want to take the opportunity to thank the whole Brigade. This is important recognition for so many of our staff that go about their work professionally every day. I am proud that our core values are rooted in our incredible history which shows our staff's courage and commitment to London.

"There is still more to do. As Commissioner, I have always been clear that the work to ensure that we have a safe and dignified workplace culture can never stop. I look forward to the Inspectorate, our staff and Londoners continuing to hold us to account."

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