West Midlands Fire Service setting up governance improvement board after turbulent year

The Authority has put forward recommendations to establish a new Corporate Governance Improvement Board following a damning review of the running of the brigade. 

An audit report published last autumn found the service was in breach of its constitution in the suspension of an un-named senior officer last May, failed to follow the correct procedures in the appointment of a senior officer earning in excess of £100,000 and had not complied with its responsibilities in checking out the educational qualifications of former chief Wayne Brown who died last year.

A new fire service report said the board which will include brigade chiefs and Local Government Association representatives and an independent chairman is aimed to support the necessary improvements identified following ongoing inspections and reviews. The board membership will include external experts in governance, finance, and fire and rescue leadership.

The report stated: "As outlined, significant concerns have been raised by both government and the Inspectorate about the public criticism of governance of WMFRA. A voluntary Governance Improvement Board has been proposed as a way to drive any necessary improvements and is a model that has been used elsewhere as a response to BVIs. 

"As a preliminary step an initial review of WMFRA's governance is being conducted by the Centre for Governance and Scrutiny. The governance review will act as a diagnostic exercise with the aim of identifying and providing a clear sense of the nature and scale of any issues and weaknesses in governance that need to be addressed as an immediate priority."

The move follows the departure of interim chief executive Oliver Lee, who took over after the death of former chief Wayne Brown last January, and former chairman of the West Midlands Fire Authority, Wolverhampton councillor Greg Brackenridge. 

The service said a preliminary governance review led by the Centre for Governance and Scrutiny will assess existing policies, interview key staff and produce recommendations on governance arrangements. This will include recommendations made as part of the Home Office best value inspection carried out in December.

The authority's chairman Councillor Cathy Bayton said: “At the heart of West Midlands Fire Service are the dedicated firefighters, control room staff and support teams who serve our communities with professionalism and dedication every day. We are determined that their vital work is complemented by effective leadership and governance.

“The board will bring valuable external scrutiny and expertise, helping us to develop and strengthen our approach where necessary. We hope our communities take reassurance from this positive step.”

The board is expected to get underway next month.

New Chief Fire Officer Simon Tuhill was appointed three months ago after a turbulent 12 months for the emergency service and pledged to  provide a sense of stability after "a challenging"  2024. 

Authority members will discuss recommendations for the launch the new board at a meeting on February 17.

Meanwhile an investigation is underway into the cause of a major blaze at several business units in Hayes Lane in Lye near Stourbridge.