The Fire and Rescue Scrutiny Committee were scheduled to meet to discuss the impact of local government reorganisation, the Community Risk Management Plan, cultural improvements within Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service, and the Improvement Board progress update.

Impact of Local Government Reorganisation on Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service

The committee was scheduled to consider a report on the impact of Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) on Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service (GFRS). The report noted that as a county fire and rescue service, LGR and devolution could have a significant impact on the service. The report considered the variable impact of the options being considered, and identified a range of issues to address, including:

• The legally permissible governance and management options for GFRS in different scenarios
• The impact of different scenarios for change on the service including for regulatory matters (inspection), service resilience, funding, governance, and sustainability

The report stated that GFRS is a relatively small service, and that the long term policy direction for Fire and Rescue, organisationally, is towards strategic (Mayoral) authorities.

The report considered the impact of two scenarios:

• Single Unitary Authority
• Two Unitary Authorities

In the event of a single unitary authority, the report stated that there would be a low overall impact, as the service would be retained within council governance, financial and management structures. It would also provide an opportunity to work more seamlessly on public safety issues with council services, especially those currently delivered by districts. The report stated that in the medium to long term, there was potential for GFRS to be delivered by a future strategic (Mayoral) authority.

In the event of two unitary authorities (either East/West or Greater Gloucester/Gloucestershire Unitary), the report stated that there would be a high overall impact, as the service could not remain within local authority governance, financial, and management structures. The report stated that post decision, urgent planning would be needed to implement a transition from Gloucestershire County Council (GCC) to a Fire & Rescue Authority or PCFC arrangement, and that cost estimates had been identified in proposals. The report suggested that this instability could create risks for operational delivery and regulatory performance, and that GFRS would become a precepting authority (or added to PCFC precept¹). The report also stated that the medium/long-term potential for GFRS to be delivered by a future strategic (Mayoral) authority remains, leading to 'double' organisational change.

The report concluded that in the 'fallow period' between submission and decision (December 2025 to circa August 2026) it is vital that a high level plan is developed for the 2UA scenario, including:

• Greater depth on the cost implications for the current and new councils
• Consideration of how to mitigate risks to operational delivery, the morale of the workforce, and regulatory performance
• An outline of the project plan, together with an understanding of how to quickly acquire the expertise and support needed
• Research into how other authorities (especially Cumbria and Northamptonshire) have managed their key decisions and actions in a similar scenario
• Further soundings with key stakeholders, including MHCLG officials, HMICFRS

Community Risk Management Plan 2026-2030

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on the Community Risk Management Plan (CRMP) 2026-2030, including current performance and proposed changes. The report noted that a CRMP is a statutory requirement for all fire and rescue services in England, as set out in the Fire and Rescue National Framework (2018). The CRMP establishes how Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service (GFRS) will strategically allocate resources and implement responsive, protection, and preventative operational measures to address fire and rescue related risks across the county. The plan is informed by a more detailed Community Risk Profile, which assesses current and emerging fire and rescue-related risks affecting residents, businesses, and visitors. Gloucestershire County Council (GCC) serves as the Fire Authority with overall responsibility for fire and rescue functions, and GFRS operates as the operational delivery arm for fire and rescue services. The current CRMP runs from 2022 until 2026, and the delivery of this four-year overarching strategy is managed alongside other significant and vital areas of work, such as the recommendations identified by His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS), and the recent West Midlands Employers Independent Review. The CRMP for 2026-30 is currently being drafted with the aim of this being presented to Cabinet for potential approval in April 2026.

GFRS carries out annual assessments of the community risk profile at a fire station level, meaning each hazardous event relevant to fire and rescue in Gloucestershire is assessed in terms of its likelihood and potential consequences across a range of categories, to arrive at a risk score. The top ten risk areas are:

The most significant factors that are shaping the emerging aims and objectives are:

• His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS)
• National operational recommendations
• Cultural improvement
• Ensuring efficiency
• The impact of climate change
• Increasing challenges for an on-call Service

The next steps are:

• Aims, objectives, and actions specific to risk have been drafted over the summer and have been collated into a more bitesize CRMP with an accompanying set of questions for public consultation during the autumn.
• Cabinet Member decision to begin consultation is currently being sought.
• A suite of delivery plans supports the effective co-ordination of activities delivering the aims and objectives set out in the CRMP as priority areas of work.

Gloucestershire Fire & Rescue Service - Cultural Journey and Employee Relations cases

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on GFRS's cultural journey and employee relations cases. The report stated that Gloucestershire Fire & Rescue Service (GFRS) has focused on improving workplace culture through the introduction of a Workplace Charter and enhanced reporting and standards mechanisms. The Workplace Charter unifies the NFCC leadership framework, GFRS's core values, and ethical principles to set clear behavioural expectations, promoting an inclusive culture aligned with the People Plan 2023–2026. It encourages staff participation in shaping the service's future environment and ensures respect and value for all employees. The Workplace charter was shaped through extensive workforce engagement and led by the Service Improvement Group (SIGMUB). It incorporates feedback into behavioural standards communicated widely across the service. Staff feedback led to embedding the charter into inductions, appraisals, and StaffHub resources, alongside a recognition scheme for exemplary behaviour. Display of the charter across all locations further supports awareness. In 2024, leaders pledged personal commitments to culture change aligned with the Workplace charter, supported by roadshows and workshops to embed understanding and engagement across all employees. Conduct cases have declined since 2023, coinciding with the Workplace charter's introduction, while grievance cases have remained steady due to increased awareness and confidence in the grievance process. In September 2023, GFRS launched a new anonymous reporting facility provided by the Crimestoppers charity. The Professional Standards Unit (PSU) was launched in May 2025 to improve misconduct and grievance case management, setting clearer expectations, monitoring case progress, providing training, and supporting managers with policies and guidance, enhancing accountability and learning. In 2024/2025 HMICFRS removed two significant causes of concern related to GFRS's organisational culture and approach to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI). The remaining cause of cause was removed in July 2025.

The number of formal concerns raised were:

The number of reports through Crimestoppers are:

Improvement Board Progress Update

The committee was scheduled to note the Improvement Board progress update. The report noted that His Majesty's Inspectorate of the Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) is the governing body for Fire & Rescue services across the country. Their remit is to inspect and report on each services' efficiency, effectiveness and people on behalf of the public publishing the findings, conclusions and recommendations for improvement. GFRS received its third inspection in the 23-25 framework in November 2023, was assessed against eleven areas and given a judgement criterion for each. Following the inspection, a report was published in May 2024, which identified three causes on concern on public safety through fire regulation, promoting values and culture and promoting fairness and diversity. GFRS have received two revisits from HMICFRS in 2025, resulting in the dismissal of three causes of concern; public safety through fire regulation and promoting values and culture and partially dismissing the third cause of concern; promoting fairness and diversity. The role of Improvement Board is to support, advise and hold the GFRS Strategic Leadership Team to account to deliver transformation within the organisation.

One ratification report for a cause of concern was presented by the People and Organisational Development team at Board with all activity complete. CoC 10.3 The service will assure itself it has effective grievance procedures. It should identify and implement ways to improve staff confidence in the grievance process . Board members approved the sign off for CoC 10.3, but to provide assurance, the Board requested that a report on the professional standards unit and the Your GFRS Round 2 report are brought back in six months' time to demonstrate their embedment in the Service.

A total of eight ratification reports for areas for improvement were presented at Board, four of which were overdue and requesting extensions.

The Business Planning, Performance and Transformation team presented AFI 1.1 The service needs to improve how it engages with its local community to build a comprehensive risk profile in its service area . The team requested a deadline extension to April 2026 due to investigating and aligning service need for a community panel providing multiple roles as well as embedding station risk profiles across all stations. Board members agreed the deadline extension for AFI 1.1 to 31st March 2026

The Prevention, Protection and Operational Assurance team presented ratification reports for AFI 2.1 and 2.2 with all activity complete. The service should make sure it allocates enough resources to meet its prevention strategy and The service should make sure it targets the most vulnerable referrals as a priority, and that staff understand the service's high-risk categories . Board members approved the sign off for AFI 2.1 and 2.2. To provide assurance for AFI 2.2, the Board requested that a report is brought as a future agenda item on an evaluation from members of the public on the impact of GFRS' targeted intervention.

The Service Delivery team presented ratification reports for AFI 5.1 and 5.2 requesting extensions. The service should make sure it is well-prepared to form part of a multiagency response to major incidents. It should make sure its procedures for responding are understood by all staff and are well tested and The service should make sure it is well-prepared to form part of a multi-agency response to a terrorist incident, and its procedures for responding are understood by all staff and are well tested . The team requested a deadline extension to December 2025 and February 2026 respectively, due to workload prioritisation following the introduction of a new cohort of watch managers, as well as moving Station Managers moves ahead of changes from the Response Review. Additionally, a requirement to improve record keeping on the existing PDRPro system has caused some unforeseen delays to factor in with the rest of the ongoing activity. Board members agreed the deadline extension for AFI 5.1 to 31st December 2025 and 5.2 to 28th February 2026. To provide assurance for AFI 5.1, the Board requested that a report is brought to Board in nine months' time to ensure embedding in the service.

The Prevention, Protection and Operational Assurance team presented ratification reports for AFI 5.4 requesting an extension. The service should make sure it participates in a programme of cross-border exercises, with learning from them recorded and shared . The team requested a deadline extension to December 2025, due to training provision across on-call staff. Board members agreed the deadline extension for AFI 5.4 to 31st December 2025.

The Business Planning, Performance and Transformation team presented AFI 6.3 with all activity complete. The service should make sure it has appropriate business continuity arrangements in place. It should regularly review the arrangements and test them to make sure they take account of all foreseeable threats and risks . Board members approved the sign off for AFI 6.3.

The Finance and Compliance team presented AFI 7.1 with all activity complete. The service should make sure it has sufficiently robust plans in place which address the medium-term financial challenges beyond 2023/24 and secure an affordable way of managing the risk of fire and other risks. Board members approved the sign off for AFI 7.1

GFRS commissioned West Midlands Employers (WME) to undertake an independent review to explore racism and bullying in the service during 1991 to 2018. The key findings relate to past institutional racism and organisational failings including poor watch cultures that hindered integration; leadership that prioritised operational competence over people management and inclusivity; lack of psychological safety when raising concerns with inconsistent and ineffective grievance processes; and widespread historical misogyny. The report did recognise encouraging, positive signs of how things are starting to change and recommendations for improvement. Board was joined by a watch manager who contributed to the Independent Review and who is a member of the Black and Asian Fire Alliance staff network providing detail of their experience since the report came out. Their account was emotional, praised senior leadership in GFRS but also highlighted that there is work to continue, including supporting the new cohort of firefighters and supporting junior managers to manage cultural concerns. The discussion identified work across the County Council that could assist with strengthening the direction required to ensure continuous improvement. The ACFO presented activity progress across the recommendations that align work to existing causes of concern and areas for improvement e.g. implementing a professional standards unit. Activity that is overdue did not require deadline extensions as they are aligned to wider service improvement work that was recently paused to allow for the HMICFRS revisits. GFRS are assured that these items will become on track now that resource has been reallocated according to the service improvement plan.