Fire inspectorate highlights leadership’s role in improving fire and rescue services
Iain Hoey
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Strategic leadership as a focus for fire and rescue sector improvements
As reported by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS), a national event was held on 14 November 2024 to address leadership in the fire and rescue sector.
The gathering, which brought together chief fire officers and fire authority chairs from across England, aimed to promote knowledge sharing and collaboration to drive improvements.
Roy Wilsher, His Majesty’s Inspector of Fire and Rescue Services, stressed the importance of leadership in tackling issues such as cultural shortcomings and misconduct management.
He acknowledged the progress made by some services but emphasised that further reform is necessary.
Wilsher noted that leadership responsibilities extend beyond individual services, involving national organisations like the National Fire Chiefs Council and the Local Government Association.
Grenfell recommendations and misconduct as priority areas
The event provided an opportunity to reflect on the sector’s key priorities, including implementing recommendations from the Grenfell Tower inquiry and findings from recent reports on misconduct.
Attendees were urged to prioritise addressing these areas to achieve meaningful improvements.
Dame Diana Johnson, Minister of State for Crime, Policing and Fire, also attended the event.
She highlighted the need for progress in integrity, cultural reform, and the overall modernisation of fire and rescue services.
Engagement initiatives underpin future inspection plans
The HMICFRS event is part of a broader engagement programme informing its upcoming 2025-27 inspection cycle.
The inspectorate has conducted workshops with all fire services in England and collaborated with key national bodies through external reference group meetings.
This engagement aims to refine the inspection process by focusing more closely on leadership.
Roy Wilsher described the importance of these initiatives: “It is of vital importance to us in the inspectorate to hear directly from those working in sector.
“And so, it is always a privilege to bring together chief fire officers and fire authority chairs from across England.”
Supporting sustainable improvement through collaboration
The inspectorate aims to use the insights from these events to better support services in making lasting improvements.
Wilsher highlighted the dedication of fire and rescue teams while acknowledging the ongoing challenges: “These engagement events help us to understand how we can best support services to make sustainable improvements and bring about effective change.”
Effective leadership emphasised at fire and rescue services event: Summary
On 14 November 2024, His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) hosted an event to discuss leadership’s role in improving fire and rescue services in England.
His Majesty’s Inspector Roy Wilsher highlighted the need for reforms in areas such as culture and misconduct management.
The event also reviewed priorities, including the implementation of Grenfell Tower inquiry recommendations.
Attended by key stakeholders such as Minister Dame Diana Johnson, the event forms part of HMICFRS’s preparations for its 2025-27 inspections, focusing on collaboration and leadership development to address the sector’s ongoing challenges.
