Meetings
Fire and Rescue Services
This page gives details of any meetings held which will, or did, discuss the matter, and includes links to the relevant Papers, Agendas and Minutes.
Note: Meeting Agenda can change at short notice. Particularly where future meeting dates are indicated more than a week in advance. Please check before planning to attend a Committee Meeting that the item you are interested in has not been moved.
Meeting: 24/11/2025 - Equality and Social Justice Committee (Item 3)
- Webcast for 24/11/2025 - Equality and Social Justice Committee
- Transcript for 24/11/2025 - Equality and Social Justice Committee
3 Correspondence to the Chair from the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government regarding reform of Fire and Rescue Authorities in Wales
Supporting documents:
Meeting: 20/10/2025 - Equality and Social Justice Committee (Item 6)
- Webcast for 20/10/2025 - Equality and Social Justice Committee
- Transcript for 20/10/2025 - Equality and Social Justice Committee
6 Fire and Rescue Service Association: consideration of draft response to the consultation
Supporting documents:
- Restricted enclosure 7 , View reasons restricted (6/1)
Minutes:
Members considered a draft consultation response.
Meeting: 15/09/2025 - Equality and Social Justice Committee (Item 3)
- Webcast for 15/09/2025 - Equality and Social Justice Committee
- Transcript for 15/09/2025 - Equality and Social Justice Committee
3 Correspondence from the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government and the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Trefnydd and Chief Whip to the Chair regarding governance reform proposals for the Fire and Rescue Service
Supporting documents:
Meeting: 14/10/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee (Item 4)
- Webcast for 14/10/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee
- Transcript for 14/10/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee
4 Correspondence from to the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government to the Chair regarding the inspection report published by the Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser and Inspector for Wales on the effectiveness of South Wales Fire and Rescue Service’s response to domestic dwelling fires
Supporting documents:
Meeting: 09/10/2024 - Plenary (Item 6)
Debate on the Equality and Social Justice Committee report - Sound the Alarm: the Governance of Fire and Rescue Services
NDM8685 Jenny
Rathbone (Cardiff Central)
To propose that the Senedd:
Notes the Equality and Social Justice
Committee report, “Sound the Alarm: the Governance of Fire and Rescue
Services”, laid on 6 June 2024.
Note: The response from the Welsh Government to the report was laid in the Table Office on 2 October 2024.
Minutes:
The item started at 16.16
NDM8685 Jenny Rathbone
(Cardiff Central)
To
propose that the Senedd:
Notes
the Equality and Social Justice Committee report, “Sound the Alarm: the
Governance of Fire and Rescue Services”, laid on
6 June 2024.
Note:
The response from the Welsh Government to the report was laid in
the Table Office on 2 October 2024.
The
motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.
Meeting: 16/09/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee (Item 4)
- Webcast for 16/09/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee
- Transcript for 16/09/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee
4 Correspondence from the Cabinet Secretary for Housing, Local Government and Planning regarding the report of the Equality and Social Justice Committee – Sounding the Alarm – the Governance of Fire and Rescue Services
Supporting documents:
- Correspondence from the Cabinet Secretary for Housing, Local Government and Planning regarding the report of the Equality and Social Justice Committee – Sounding the Alarm – the Governance of Fire and Rescue Services – 15 July 2024, item 4
PDF 147 KB
- Written response by the Welsh Government to the report of the Equality and Social Justice Committee -Sounding the Alarm - the Governance of Fire and Rescue Services - July 2024, item 4
PDF 228 KB
Meeting: 15/07/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee (Item 2)
- Webcast for 15/07/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee
- Transcript for 15/07/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee
2 Correspondence from the South Wales Fire and Rescue Service Commissioners regarding the appointment of a new Chief Fire Officer
Supporting documents:
Meeting: 10/06/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee (Item 3)
- Webcast for 10/06/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee
- Transcript for 10/06/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee
3 Minutes from the meeting between the Cabinet Secretary for Housing, Local Government and Planning and the South Wales Fire and Rescue Authority Commissioners and data diversity statistics from South Wales Fire and Rescue Authority
Supporting documents:
- Minutes, item 3
PDF 115 KB
- Data Diversity (1), item 3
PDF 205 KB
- Data Diversity (2), item 3
PDF 205 KB
Meeting: 03/06/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee (Item 6)
- Webcast for 03/06/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee
- Transcript for 03/06/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee
6 Governance of Fire and Rescue Services: consideration of draft report
Supporting documents:
- Restricted enclosure 36 , View reasons restricted (6/1)
- Restricted enclosure 37 , View reasons restricted (6/2)
Minutes:
Members agreed the draft report.
Meeting: 03/06/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee (Item 3)
- Webcast for 03/06/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee
- Transcript for 03/06/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee
3 Correspondence between the North Wales Fire and Rescue Service and the Chair regarding fire and rescue services inquiry request for clarification
Supporting documents:
- Correspondence from the North Wales Fire and Rescue Service to the Chair regarding fire and rescue services inquiry request for clarification - 20 May 2024, item 3
PDF 139 KB
- Correspondence to the North Wales Fire and Rescue Service from the Chair regarding fire and rescue services inquiry request for clarification - 14 May 2024, item 3
PDF 134 KB
Meeting: 03/06/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee (Item 3)
- Webcast for 03/06/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee
- Transcript for 03/06/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee
3 Correspondence between the Fire Commissioners and the Chair regarding fire and rescue services inquiry request for clarification
Supporting documents:
- Correspondence from the Fire Commissioners to the Chair regarding fire and rescue services inquiry request for clarification - 22 May 2024, item 3
PDF 204 KB
- Correspondence from the Chair to the Fire Commissioners regarding fire and rescue services inquiry request for clarification - 15 May 2024, item 3
PDF 143 KB
Meeting: 03/06/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee (Item 3)
- Webcast for 03/06/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee
- Transcript for 03/06/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee
3 Correspondence from the Cabinet Secretary for Housing, Local Government and Planning regarding fire and rescue services and actions following 22 April meeting, 22 May 2024
Supporting documents:
Meeting: 13/05/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee (Item 6)
- Webcast for 13/05/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee
- Transcript for 13/05/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee
6 Governance of Fire and Rescue Services: consideration of draft report
Supporting documents:
- Restricted enclosure 55 , View reasons restricted (6/1)
- Restricted enclosure 56 , View reasons restricted (6/2)
- Restricted enclosure 57 , View reasons restricted (6/3)
- DOC 2- Additional information from South Wales Fire and Rescue Services (page 8), item 6
PDF 53 KB
View as HTML (6/4) 10 KB
- DOC 3- Additional information from South Wales Fire and Rescue Service regarding sex and ethnicity (all services and background) statistics, item 6
PDF 375 KB
View as HTML (6/5) 145 KB
- DOC 4 - Additional information from South Wales Fire and Rescue Service sex and ethnicity (by grade) statistics, item 6
PDF 381 KB
View as HTML (6/6) 227 KB
- DOC 5 - Additional information from Mid & West Wales Fire Service, item 6
PDF 207 KB
- Restricted enclosure 62 , View reasons restricted (6/8)
Minutes:
Members considered the draft report.
Meeting: 22/04/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee (Item 3)
- Webcast for 22/04/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee
- Transcript for 22/04/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee
3 Correspondence between the Fire Leaders Association and the First Minister relating to evidence given by the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership in the Equality and Social Justice Committee's Fire and Rescue Services inquiry
Supporting documents:
- Correspondence to the Fire Leaders Association from the First Minister relating to evidence given by the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership in the Equality and Social Justice Committee's Fire and Rescue Services inquiry - 9 April, item 3
PDF 151 KB
- Correspondence from the Fire Leaders Association to the First Minister relating to evidence given by the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership in the Equality and Social Justice Committee's Fire and Rescue Services inquiry - 16 March 2024, item 3
PDF 187 KB
Meeting: 22/04/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee (Item 2)
- Webcast for 22/04/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee
- Transcript for 22/04/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee
2 Governance of Fire and Rescue Services: evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Housing, Local Government and Planning and the Chief Fire Adviser
Julie James MS, Cabinet Secretary for Housing, Local Government and Planning
Liz Lalley, Director, Risk, Resilience and Community Safety, Welsh Government
Dan Stephens, Fire & Rescue Adviser and Inspector for Wales
Supporting documents:
- Restricted enclosure 71 , View reasons restricted (2/1)
- Welsh Government Evidence Paper on Fire and Rescue Authority Governance, item 2
PDF 3 MB
Minutes:
Members heard evidence from:
Julie James MS, Cabinet Secretary for Housing, Local
Government and Planning
Liz Lalley, Director, Risk, Resilience and Community Safety,
Welsh Government
Dan Stephens, Fire & Rescue Adviser and Inspector for Wales
Meeting: 22/04/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee (Item 3)
- Webcast for 22/04/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee
- Transcript for 22/04/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee
3 Written evidence submission from the WLGA to the Chair in relation to the Committee's Inquiry into Fire and Rescue Services
Supporting documents:
Meeting: 22/04/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee (Item 3)
- Webcast for 22/04/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee
- Transcript for 22/04/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee
3 Correspondence between the Chair and the Cabinet Secretary for Housing, Local Government and Planning regarding further information relating to the Committee’s inquiry into Governance of Fire and Rescue Services in Wales
Supporting documents:
- Correspondence to the Chair from the Cabinet Secretary for Housing, Local Government and Planning regarding further information relating to the Committee’s inquiry into Governance of Fire and Rescue Services in Wales- 11 April, item 3
PDF 227 KB
- Correspondence from the Chair to the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership regarding further information relating to the Committee’s inquiry into Governance of Fire and Rescue Services in Wales - 18 March 2024, item 3
PDF 198 KB
Meeting: 22/04/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee (Item 5)
- Webcast for 22/04/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee
- Transcript for 22/04/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee
Governance of Fire and Rescue Services: consideration of evidence
Minutes:
Members considered the evidence heard in the final evidence session in the inquiry looking at governance of Fire and Rescue Services in Wales.
Meeting: 15/04/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee (Item 2)
- Webcast for 15/04/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee
- Transcript for 15/04/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee
2 Correspondence between the Chair and the South Wales Fire Commissioners regarding Fire and Rescue Services in Wales
Supporting documents:
- Correspondence to the Chair from the South Wales Fire Commissioners regarding Fire and Rescue Services in Wales- 27 March 2024, item 2
PDF 305 KB
- Correspondence from the Chair to the South Wales Fire Commissioners regarding Fire and Rescue Services in Wales- 18 March 2024, item 2
PDF 207 KB
Meeting: 15/04/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee (Item 2)
- Webcast for 15/04/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee
- Transcript for 15/04/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee
Correspondence from the Welsh Ambulance Service NHS Trust to the Chair providing additional information in the Fire and Rescue Services inquiry
Supporting documents:
- Correspondence to the Chair from the Welsh Ambulance Service NHS Trust providing additional information regarding the number and ethnicity of female leaders within the Welsh Ambulance Service - 3 April 2024
- Correspondence to the Chair from the Welsh Ambulance Service NHS Trust providing additional information in the Fire and Rescue Services inquiry - 25 March 2024, item 2
PDF 252 KB
Meeting: 18/03/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee (Item 6)
- Webcast for 18/03/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee
- Transcript for 18/03/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee
6 Governance of Fire and Rescue Services: consideration of evidence and next steps
Supporting documents:
- Consultation response 1 - Fire Officers Association, item 6
PDF 178 KB
- Consultation response 2 - Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Authority, item 6
PDF 201 KB
- Consultation response 3 - Fire Standards Board, item 6
PDF 380 KB
- Consultation response 4 - North Wales Fire and Rescue Authority, item 6
PDF 166 KB
- Consultation response 5 - Audit Wales, item 6
PDF 123 KB
- Consultation response 6 - Wales Ambulance Services NHS Trust, item 6
PDF 132 KB
- Consultation response 7 - Fire and Rescue Services Association, item 6
PDF 224 KB
- Consultation response 8 - National Fire Chiefs Council, item 6
PDF 174 KB
- Correspondence response 9 - Women in the Fire Service, item 6
PDF 520 KB
Minutes:
Members considered the evidence.
Meeting: 18/03/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee (Item 3)
- Webcast for 18/03/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee
- Transcript for 18/03/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee
3 Governance of Fire and Rescue Services: panel seven
Jason Killens, Chief Executive Officer, Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust
Angela Lewis, Director of People and Culture, Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust
Supporting documents:
- Restricted enclosure 108 , View reasons restricted (3/1)
- Evidence paper from Welsh Ambulance Service NHS Trust, item 3
PDF 132 KB
Minutes:
Members heard evidence from:
Jason Killens, Chief Executive Officer, Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust
Angela Lewis, Director of People and Culture, Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust
Meeting: 11/03/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee (Item 7)
- Webcast for 11/03/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee
- Transcript for 11/03/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee
Governance of Fire and Rescue Services: consideration of evidence
Minutes:
Members considered the evidence.
Meeting: 11/03/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee (Item 2)
- Webcast for 11/03/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee
- Transcript for 11/03/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee
2 Governance of Fire and Rescue Services: panel five
Adrian Crompton, Auditor General for Wales
Gary Emery, Audit Director
Martin Peters, Head of Law and Ethics
Supporting documents:
- Restricted enclosure 115 , View reasons restricted (2/1)
- Restricted enclosure 116 , View reasons restricted (2/2)
Minutes:
Members received evidence from:
Adrian Crompton, Auditor General for Wales, Audit Wales
Gary Emery, Audit Director, Audit Wales
Martin Peters, Head of Law and Ethics, Audit Wales
Meeting: 11/03/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee (Item 5)
- Webcast for 11/03/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee
- Transcript for 11/03/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee
Governance of Fire and Rescue Services: panel six
Councillor Dylan Rees, Chair of the North Wales Fire and Rescue Authority
Dawn Docx, Chief Fire Officer of the North Wales Fire and Rescue Service
Councillor Gwynfor Thomas, Chair of the Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Authority
Roger Thomas, Chief Fire Officer of the Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Authority
Councillor Steven Bradwick, former Chair of the South Wales Fire and Rescue Authority
Dewi Rose, Temporary Deputy Chief Fire Officer of the South Wales Fire and Rescue Service
Minutes:
Members heard evidence from:
Councillor Dylan Rees, Chair of the North Wales Fire and
Rescue Authority
Dawn Docx, Chief Fire Officer of the North Wales Fire and
Rescue Service
Councillor Gwynfor Thomas, Chair of the Mid and West Wales
Fire and Rescue Authority
Roger Thomas, Chief Fire Officer of the Mid and West Wales
Fire and Rescue Authority
Councillor Steven Bradwick, former Chair of the South Wales
Fire and Rescue Authority
Dewi Rose, Temporary Deputy Chief Fire Officer of the South
Wales Fire and Rescue Service
Meeting: 04/03/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee (Item 8)
- Webcast for 04/03/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee
- Transcript for 04/03/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee
Governance of Fire and Rescue Services: consideration of evidence
Minutes:
Members considered the evidence.
Meeting: 04/03/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee (Item 3)
- Webcast for 04/03/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee
- Transcript for 04/03/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee
Governance of Fire and Rescue Services: panel two
Peter Crews, Branch Secretary Cwm Taff Local Government
Branch (covering South Wales Fire & Rescue), UNISON
Michelle Edwards, Assistant Branch Secretary and Health and Safety Officer, UNISON
Minutes:
Members heard evidence from Peter Crews, Branch Secretary Cwm Taff Local Government Branch (covering South Wales Fire & Rescue), UNISON
Apologies were received from Michelle Edwards, Assistant Branch Secretary and Health and Safety Officer, UNISON
Meeting: 04/03/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee (Item 5)
- Webcast for 04/03/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee
- Transcript for 04/03/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee
5 Correspondence from Councillor Gwynfor Thomas to the Chair regarding attendance at the Equality and Social Justice Committee meeting on 4 March 2024
Supporting documents:
Meeting: 04/03/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee (Item 7)
- Webcast for 04/03/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee
- Transcript for 04/03/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee
Governance of Fire and Rescue Services: private briefing
Fire Commissioners:
Vij Randeniya (former Chief Fire Officer for the West
Midlands)
Baroness Wilcox of Newport (former Leader of Newport City
Council)
Kirsty Williams (former Member of the Senedd and Minister for Education)
Minutes:
Members received a private briefing from the following Fire Commissioners:
Vij Randeniya (former Chief Fire Officer for the West Midlands)
Baroness Wilcox of Newport (former Leader of Newport City Council)
Kirsty Williams (former Member of the Senedd and Minister for Education)
Meeting: 04/03/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee (Item 4)
- Webcast for 04/03/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee
- Transcript for 04/03/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee
Governance of Fire and Rescue Services: panel three
Tristan Ashby, Chief Executive Officer of the Fire and
Rescue Services Association
Mark Hardingham, Chair, National Fire Chiefs Council
Minutes:
Members heard evidence from:
Tristan Ashby, Chief Executive Officer of the Fire and
Rescue Services Association
Mark Hardingham, Chair, National Fire Chiefs Council
Meeting: 04/03/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee (Item 2)
- Webcast for 04/03/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee
- Transcript for 04/03/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee
2 Governance of Fire and Rescue Services: panel one
Matt Wrack, General Secretary, Fire Brigade Union
Cerith Griffiths, Executive Council member for Wales, Fire
Brigade Union
Supporting documents:
- Restricted enclosure 134 , View reasons restricted (2/1)
Minutes:
Members heard evidence from:
Matt Wrack, General Secretary, Fire Brigade Union
Cerith Griffiths, Executive Council member for Wales, Fire
Brigade Union
Meeting: 26/02/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee (Item 5)
- Webcast for 26/02/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee
- Transcript for 26/02/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee
Governance of Fire and Rescue Services: consideration of evidence
Minutes:
Members considered the evidence.
Meeting: 26/02/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee (Item 3)
- Webcast for 26/02/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee
- Transcript for 26/02/2024 - Equality and Social Justice Committee
3 Governance of Fire and Rescue Services: evidence session with the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership and Chief Fire Adviser
Hannah Blythyn, MS, Deputy Minister for Social Partnership
Dan Stephens, Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser and Inspector for Wales
Liz Lalley, Director - Risk, Resilience and Community Safety, Welsh Government
Supporting documents:
- Restricted enclosure 140 , View reasons restricted (3/1)
- Restricted enclosure 141 , View reasons restricted (3/2)
Minutes:
Members heard evidence from:
Hannah Blythyn, MS, Deputy Minister for Social Partnership
Dan Stephens, Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser and Inspector for Wales
Liz Lalley, Director - Risk, Resilience and Community Safety, Welsh Government