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A Senedd Member criticised “slow progress” tackling a toxic culture within fire services, with less than half the recommendations of a damning report implemented 15 months on.

Conservative Altaf Hussain raised concerns about the pace of change since Fenella Morris’ independent review of the culture of South Wales Fire and Rescue Service in January 2024.

He told the Senedd: “South Wales Fire and Rescue was taken over by [the] Welsh Government in February 2024 – 14 months later, only 38 of 82 recommendations made by Fenella Morris have been implemented in this time.

“There appears, historically, to have been a real reluctance within the service to dismiss, even in the most serious cases of misconduct, as revealed by this report.

“We are seeing slow progress; I don’t know when we will see all achieved … workers who put their lives in danger must not face this toxic culture ever again.”

‘Serious achievement’

But Labour’s Jenny Rathbone, who chairs the Senedd’s equality committee which held an inquiry into fire services last year, was more upbeat about progress.

She said: “I’d like to congratulate the South Wales Fire Service commissioners on fully implementing 32 of Fenella Morris’ 82 recommendations.

“Unlike my colleague … I think that is a serious achievement and based on the evidence we heard…. I don’t think they would have got this far without that radical intervention.”

Plaid Cymru’s Peredur Owen Griffiths raised similarly scathing independent reviews of the cultures of north Wales and mid and west Wales fire services.

He said: “It was deeply upsetting to read … evidence of bullying, harassment, misogyny, discrimination, inappropriate management styles and promotion based on favouritism.”

‘Poor reward’

Mr Owen Griffiths added: “This working environment is a poor reward for brave men and women who put their lives on the line for public safety.”

He raised concerns about the Welsh Government’s reforms of the governance of fire and rescue authorities which were proposed in 2018 but have long since stalled.

The equality committee, which published its report in June, heard Wales’ three fire and rescue authorities are ill-equipped to hold services to account.

Sioned Williams, a Plaid Cymru member, said: “The completely unacceptable consequences of that inaction have had to be endured by staff and have damaged public confidence in such an important service, which, of course, is literally a matter of life and death.”

She called for radical, urgent action after ministers failed to deliver on the 2018 white paper.

‘Evolving picture’

Updating Senedd Members, Jayne Bryant said the Welsh Government does not plan to intervene in north or mid and west Wales fire authorities.

“Both authorities have started to take action and, as such, I do not plan, at this stage, to intervene,” she said in a statement on March 25. “However, … this is an evolving picture and one which I am monitoring closely.”

Turning to south Wales, Ms Bryant told the Senedd that significant activity is under way to deliver on the outstanding 44 recommendations from Fenella Morris’ report.

She said the service has completed a review of historic grievance cases, reopening some, and the Welsh Government will update 2015/16 priorities for fire services.

Ms Bryant stated ministers would consult on changes that can be made under current legislation, with more radical reform pushed beyond the next Senedd election in 2026.