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Fire authorities need better training, report says

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Wales' Fire and Rescue authority members were found to be ineffective in their roles

Welsh fire services need to improve training for those overseeing them, a new review says.

The review, carried out by the auditor general - which examines how public bodies manage and spend money - warned there was a risk these elected members did not have the necessary skills and knowledge to carry out their specialist functions.

Wales' three Fire and Rescue Authorities (FRAs) are made up of committees of local councillors who oversee fire fighting, safety promotion and road traffic accident and emergency response.

The Welsh government said it welcomed the report and was looking at proposals to address the "problems of governance and culture in the Fire and Rescue Service in Wales".

While the review acknowledged the importance of community representation, it warned the understanding of key roles and responsibilities within the governance structure was "not always demonstrated in practice".

A relatively high turnover rate of members also limits the extent to which individuals can develop and retain knowledge and skills, the review said.

In addition, it found appointing FRA members exclusively from councils had also resulted in a lack of member diversity.

The majority of FRA members are male, with very few from a black, Asian, or minority ethnic backgrounds, it said.

The study began before the Welsh government appointed four commissioners to run South Wales Fire and Rescue authority in February 2024 after a damning report about sexual harassment and misogyny.

Audit Wales recommended the Welsh government reviewed the governance model to ensure FRA members had the appropriate knowledge, expertise and diversity to be able to carry out their roles and to ensure accountability.

They also called on FRAs to strengthen the provision of training and development for members and to evaluate the effectiveness of that training.

The Welsh government said: “We welcome the auditor general’s report.

"We are already looking at proposals to reform and strengthen the current arrangements to address the problems of governance and culture in the Fire & Rescue Service in Wales.”