Gloucestershire fire service says tackling culture will take years

A fire service says it will take more than three years to tackle a workplace culture of harassment, bullying and racism.

Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service (GFRS) has created a plan to improve after it was placed into special measures in July.

Chief fire officer Mark Preece said inspectors were happy with the timescale in the service's plan.

He said managers were being trained and he would make GFRS safe for all staff.

Back in July, His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services said it was concerned not enough progress had been made to "promote a positive workplace culture".

The watchdog also called on the service to "improve levels of understanding and awareness of the importance of equality, diversity and inclusion".

Mr Preece told councillors on Friday that the culture of the service was one of his immediate priorities.

Gloucestershire's Fire and Rescue Scrutiny Committee was told that all middle, senior and strategic managers were undergoing cultural intelligence training.

Mr Preece said the Inspectorate had received the service's improvement plan and there had been "no adverse comments".

He told committee members he wanted to use "the right pace to make sure change embeds and is sustainable in the future".

Mr Preece said the process was not a "one off activity" and was about "continually working on making sure our culture is right".

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