Fire service tolerating bad behaviour, says report

Some areas of Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service "tolerate unacceptable conduct", inspectors have found.

His Majesty's Inspector of Fire and Rescue Services Roy Wilsher said all levels of the service had not "consistently acted as role models or promoted a positive culture through their behaviour".

Although, he said managers had shown they were committed to making improvements.

Bedfordshire chief fire officer Andy Hopkinson said he recognised the issue, and that the service was investing in leaders to help "ensure everyone in the organisation feels engaged, respected and valued".

His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services assessed Bedfordshire in 10 areas covering all aspects of work carried out by firefighters and staff.

It found that the service was good in four areas and adequate in two areas, having made improvements in fire prevention, protection and response since the last inspection in February 2023.

But Wilsher found problems with the service's discipline and grievance processes.

He was concerned "principles of fairness, timeliness and transparency" were not applied consistently.

"We found evidence of managers overriding established policies, unclear communication of procedural changes and staff fearing victimisation when raising concerns," said Wilsher.

"This has contributed to a culture in which inappropriate behaviour isn't consistently challenged, undermining trust and organisational integrity."

The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) Bedfordshire said it believed the report served as a serious warning about the treatment of staff.

"These are not marginal issues, they strike at the heart of whether staff are safe, respected and able to speak up," said a spokesperson.

"Firefighters and the public deserve honesty, not selective PR."

The union said it was pressing for "real change" with "clear accountability for senior leadership behaviour".

However, Wilsher said managers had shown a "strong commitment to addressing previous findings and improving operational effectiveness".

He was "pleased with the performance of [the service] in keeping people safe and secure from fire and other risks".

Hopkinson added: "When it comes to improving public safety, this is the best inspection report we've ever had.

"We have delivered on our commitment to improve public safety and our communities are getting a better service as we perform better than ever before."

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