Fire service inspectors to return to Shropshire this summer
Fire service inspectors have confirmed that they will be making a follow-up visit to the Shropshire Fire & Rescue Service this summer following a critical report last year.
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His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) found weaknesses in strategic risk management, performance oversight, and governance which was named as a cause for concern.
Another 30 areas for concern also highlighted a need for enhanced resource management, strengthened financial oversight, and more effective governance processes.
The report also emphasised the importance of improving workplace culture, promoting diversity and inclusion, and ensuring more robust performance management systems.
A spokesperson for HMICFRS confirmed that the purpose of the inspection later this year, scheduled for July, will be to review the progress of the service. The inspectors say they continually monitor all services as part of the ongoing assessment process.
The follow-up to the critical inspection in November 2024 has featured prominently in recent meetings of the Shropshire & Wrekin Fire Authority.
One of these meetings, held on April 10, was observed by an HMICFRS official who was asked by Telford & Wrekin Councillor Paul Davis (Labour, Haygate & Park) whether he was “pleased” with what he had seen.
The official said he was “unable to give a detailed judgement” but that he had been “impressed with the amount of work” that he had seen.
