Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service making progress addressing issues raised in damning report

In October, the service was slammed by inspectors from His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS).

Inspector Roy Wilsher said he had ‘concerns’ about the service’s ability to ‘keep people safe and secure from fire and other risks’.

The report identified three causes of concern over prevention, protection and equality, diversity and inclusion.

Since then, most of the actions set out in a HMICFRS action plan to improve the beleaguered service have been completed or are on track.

However, there are ‘risks to the progress’ of two parts of the action plan, according to a new report into how the service is responding to it.

These are a review of protection procedures and the facilitation of equality, diversity and inclusion training ‘across all levels including management’.

Anne-Marie Carter, the service’s head of technology, transformation and the portfolio management office, gave an update on the service’s progress during a meeting of the Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Fire Authority this week.

She told members: “The initial feedback was that we are doing well, our plan was focused and had good support from the leadership team and the Fire Authority.”

In February the fire service revealed the changes it had made to address the issues raised in the report. The service announced it had set up a new improvement board, chaired by new chief fire officer Louise Harrison.