The Fire Brigades Union has responded to the latest inspection report into Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service.
Released today, the report by His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) finds Shropshire fire service “requiring improvement” in six key areas, and “inadequate” at managing resources.
The inspectorate raises concerns about the performance of Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service in managing resources to keep people safe from fire and other risks. The report criticises issues around the scrutiny of financial decisions, transparency around the funding of capital projects, and performance management arrangements.
HMICFRS also concludes that the service hasn’t made enough progress on equality, diversity and inclusion, and that firefighters lack confidence in processes tackling bullying, harassment and discrimination.
Despite commissioning an independent review into its culture, the service has failed to progress any of the recommendations.
Chief fire officer Simon Hardiman has recently returned to work, having received a written warning after he was found to have exchanged misogynistic messages about a female colleague.
Andrew Scattergood, FBU executive council member for the West Midlands said:
This damning report into Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service must be a wake-up call for the fire authority. Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service is failing women firefighters.
As the inspectorate identifies, firefighters do not have trust that bullying, harassment and discrimination are being addressed. Those at the very top of the service are responsible for perpetuating and failing to tackle misogyny: as part of the problem, they cannot be the solution. The fire authority must step in.
Firefighters work tirelessly to keep people safe, while the fire service has been cut to the bone. It is unacceptable that concerns have had to be raised about mismanagement of scant resources. Shropshire’s firefighters deserve better.
The fire authority has a duty to firefighters and the public: the urgent question is whether they will take any action to transform the service.”
Matt Wrack, Fire Brigades Union general secretary said:
All firefighters must be able to go to work without fear of bullying, harassment and discrimination. This is a matter of equality, but also of health and safety. It is absolutely unacceptable that Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service is continuing to fail women firefighters.
The inspectorate’s report also raises the alarm around resourcing. Since 2010, central government funding for the fire and rescue service has been slashed by 30%. Combined with failures of leadership, this is a recipe for disaster.
The fire authority and senior fire service management in Shropshire must take action to tackle misogyny and address these serious issues.
The Fire Brigades Union also calls on the Labour government to invest in fire and rescue services, and to set national standards – including on issues of equalities.”
