Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service removed from enhanced monitoring
12 Aug 2025 11:11 AM
Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service has made improvements and has therefore been removed from an enhanced level of monitoring by the fire inspectorate.
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Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service: return to default phase of monitoring
His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) continuously monitors the performance of all fire and rescue services in England.
The monitoring process consists of two stages: Scan and Engage. All fire and rescue services are in routine monitoring under the Scan stage by default, but may be escalated to enhanced monitoring under the Engage stage if they are not effectively addressing the inspectorate’s concerns.
Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service was moved into Engage on 12 July 2022.
His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services, Sir Andy Cooke has decided to remove the service from Engage because it has made improvements. These include:
- developing clear equality, diversity and inclusion objectives and improving understanding and increasing awareness of its importance across the organisation;
- improving staff confidence in the grievance process. It has appointed a professional standards officer to help establish a consistent approach to the discipline and grievance process and make sure that any investigations have a prompt outcome; and
- improving understanding and use of equality impact assessments.
The remaining cause of concern, on equality, diversity and inclusion, has now been closed. In March 2025, the service’s causes of concern relating to protection activity and values and culture were also closed.
Each service is overseen by one of the HM Inspectors of Fire and Rescue Services. HM Inspector Roy Wilsher has responsibility for Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service. He said:
“It has been quite a journey, but I am pleased with the good progress that Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service has made so far. While there is still work to do, I have recommended removing the service from our enhanced level of monitoring, known as Engage, and return it to routine monitoring.
“The service has carried out further work to educate and communicate with staff on the importance of equality, diversity and inclusion. We found evidence that staff have a better understanding of the service’s objectives in this area because of this.
“Some further progress is needed in its grievance and equality impact assessment processes, but the service has made sufficient efforts to increase staff confidence and completes assessments to a high standard. We will continue to monitor its progress to make sure the people of Gloucestershire are getting the service they deserve.”
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Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service: return to default phase of monitoring
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