HMICFRS: South Wales Fire Still Failing High-Risk Audit Goals 2026

Key Points

• South Wales Fire and Rescue Service continues to miss its high-risk inspection targets, completing only 97 of 250 planned audits between October and December 2025.
• HMICFRS follow-up assessment found nine recommendations and all three causes of concern from the May 2025 inspection remain open.
• The service aims to complete around 1,000 high-risk fire safety audits annually but faces capacity and staffing challenges.
• Three recommendations have been closed following improvements in staff training, building control consultations and out-of-hours fire safety advice.
• Chief Fire Officer Fin Monahan acknowledged progress but said most recommendations will take time to fully implement.
• The inspection follows a damning 2024 culture review that uncovered widespread bullying, harassment and discrimination.
• HMICFRS expects to revisit the service within 12 to 18 months to assess further progress.

Wales Fire (Wales Times) July 30, 2026 – South uk/fire/">Wales Fire and Rescue Service remains unable to meet its statutory targets for inspecting high-risk buildings, according to a follow-up assessment by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) published today. Despite making what inspectors described as “significant progress” on reforms following a damning 2024 culture review, the service has failed to close nine recommendations and all three causes of concern identified during a full inspection in May 2025.

The risk-based inspection programme, which aims to complete approximately 1,000 high-risk fire safety audits each year, achieved only 97 inspections between October and December 2025 against a target of 250. HMICFRS inspectors said it remained unclear how the service would achieve the required number of inspections despite introducing a new performance management framework.

What did HMICFRS find in its follow-up assessment?

Inspectors reviewed progress made between October 2025 and March 2026 and found that three recommendations had been closed following improvements to staff training for site-specific risk visits, responses to statutory building control consultations and arrangements for providing specialist fire safety advice outside normal working hours.

However, as reported by Nation.Cymru staff, inspectors said: “We found that the service hadn’t made enough progress in this area and issues with capacity and carrying out high-risk audits continued.” The report highlighted ongoing staffing pressures, noting that although there were 32 qualified fire safety officers able to carry out audits at high-risk properties, not all routinely undertook inspections and many staff across the organisation remained in temporary posts.

HMICFRS also noted progress in introducing new technology to improve how operational risks are identified and managed, including new risk management software and plans to introduce tablet devices for staff. However, inspectors said there was “still work to do” before the systems were fully implemented and delivering the intended improvements.

Governance and Grenfell Tower Inquiry recommendations

The assessment noted progress on implementing recommendations from the Grenfell Tower Inquiry. As of December 2025, the service said it was working on all 71 recommendations, with 26 completed and awaiting sign-off and a further 30 in progress.

HMICFRS welcomed improvements to governance, including the introduction of a performance management framework, a strategic change committee chaired by one of the commissioners and a project management office to oversee delivery of the improvement programme.

How has the service responded to the findings?

Chief Fire Officer’s statement

Responding to the report, Chief Fire Officer Fin Monahan said the findings recognised the “significant progress” made by staff.

“The overall message is encouraging,”

he said.

“HMICFRS recognises that colleagues all over the Service are making positive progress and we have established strong foundations with a comprehensive action plan that addresses the recommendations.”

Monahan added: “However, as the inspection team point out, most of the recommendations will take time, so there is still work to do, and maintaining momentum will be important as we continue our improvement journey.” “We remain fully committed to building on these green shoots of change and delivering our improvement programme, and ensuring the communities we serve receive the highest standards of service.”

Commissioners’ oversight role

The findings come more than two years after an independent review uncovered widespread bullying, harassment and discrimination within the service, prompting the Welsh Government to remove elected members from their governance roles and appoint four commissioners to oversee its recovery. As reported by International Fire and Safety Journal, Commissioner Carl Foulkes currently chairs the service improvement board, which continues to meet every six weeks to monitor delivery and performance progress.

What were the original concerns identified in May 2025?

Initial inspection findings

A full HMICFRS inspection, carried out between October and December 2024 and published in May 2025, identified three causes of concern relating to risk assessment, recording operational risk information and protecting the public through fire safety inspections. Inspectors made 12 recommendations for improvement.

As reported by HM Inspector of Fire and Rescue Services Roy Wilsher in the original May 2025 report: “Sadly, I have concerns about the service’s performance in keeping people safe and secure from fire and other risks.” Wilsher continued: “In particular, I have concerns about the effectiveness of its strategies for making sure its activities consistently identify, prioritise and mitigate risks for the public.”

The original inspection highlighted a series of performance concerns, particularly in how the service identifies and manages fire risks, and in its approach to protection activities. The inspectorate said that although some strengths were evident, the protection department lacks a systematic approach to prioritising activity based on risk.

Fire Brigades Union response to original report

The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) responded to the original HMICFRS report with FBU Executive Council Member for Wales Gareth Tovey saying:

“Fire and rescue services in Wales are in a state of emergency due to years of underfunding.”

He added:

“Today’s report by the inspectorate comes as no surprise.”

Tovey said the report highlighted clear issues with public safety and the conditions faced by the workforce. He also pointed to similar findings from a recent Welsh Government report on North Wales Fire and Rescue Service. He said: “Bringing the service up to scratch, to adequately protect the public and look after the workforce, requires investment. This cannot be avoided.”

Background to the inspection and reform programme

The inspection was requested by commissioners appointed by the Welsh Government following an earlier culture review. The review led to the removal of elected members from the governance structure of the South Wales Fire and Rescue Authority. Commissioners were appointed to oversee operations, and in July 2024 they requested HMICFRS to conduct a full inspection.

HMICFRS said it adapted its inspection methodology, originally developed for English fire services, to suit the South Wales context. The inspection covered prevention, protection, emergency response, efficiency, staff training, leadership and organisational culture.

Following the publication on 3 January 2024 of the independent review by Fenella Morris KC on the culture and values of South Wales Fire and Rescue Service, the Welsh Government used its powers of direction under section 29(5) and (6) of the Local Government (Wales) Measure 2009. It removed elected members from their governance roles and appointed commissioners to oversee recovery.

The service has developed a new overarching strategy with 60 defined work strands that now inform the strategic plan and all ongoing activity. A key initiative is the development of a service-wide Community Risk Management Plan, designed to assess all risks across the service area, including risks to firefighters and the wider community. The organisation has also launched a new Academy for Leadership and Personal Development as part of a broader transformation programme that includes nine specific areas of work linked to cultural reform.

What are the predictions for future performance and public safety impact?

HMICFRS has confirmed that a follow-up inspection of South Wales Fire and Rescue Service is planned within the next 12 to 18 months. The Commissioners said they are confident in the pace of current reforms and stated that ongoing oversight mechanisms will remain in place through the improvement board.

For residents, businesses and building owners across South Wales, the continued shortfall in high-risk inspections means potential fire safety hazards may remain unidentified for longer than intended. The service’s target of 1,000 annual high-risk audits is designed to ensure systematic coverage of premises where fire incidents would pose the greatest threat to life and property. At the current completion rate observed in late 2025, the service would achieve less than 400 audits annually, leaving a significant gap in proactive fire safety oversight.

If staffing pressures persist and capacity issues are not resolved, the service may face increased scrutiny from HMICFRS during the next inspection cycle. The Fire Brigades Union’s warning about underfunding suggests that without additional investment, the pace of improvement may slow, potentially extending the period during which the service operates below expected standards.

For the communities served by South Wales Fire and Rescue Service, the implications are twofold: continued risk of undiscovered fire safety violations in high-risk premises, and potential delays in implementing the full suite of Grenfell Tower Inquiry recommendations. However, the closure of three recommendations and the establishment of governance structures provide a foundation for accelerated progress if staffing and capacity challenges can be addressed in the coming months.