Cornwall Fire & Rescue Service Newsdesk

at 29/07/2010 09:48

Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service is welcoming the news that the Government has decided to end the formal monitoring of its improvement plans much earlier than anticipated.

Recognising the improvements made by Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service, Fire Minister Bob Neill has confirmed that formal engagement through the Improvement Board in Cornwall, which was set up 2009 to oversee the Service’s improvement journey, is to end after its meeting in October.

CFRS Chief Fire Officer Des Tidbury said: “I am happy that the improvements we have made in Cornwall and the hard work and effort of the service and the council has been recognised, not only by the Department for Communities and Local Government, but also by the latest Operational Assessment Peer Review report. This report highlights the improvements achieved by CFRS over the past 18 months. Cornwall Fire and Rescue has embarked on a major change programme and, just over a year into the job as Chief Fire Officer at CFRS, I am proud of the progress that has been made. I want to pay tribute to all those, including external partners and colleagues from within Cornwall Council, who have contributed to the progress to date. We all know there is more to do and no one will be taking their eye off the ball.”

Cornwall Council cabinet member for community safety Lance Kennedy said: “A lot has been done and there is still a lot do but I am pleased that the Government recognises that Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service has come a long way and that a measure of trust has been built which will now allow us to put our own house in order. Operationally we have made huge strides in improving the service we provide to the people of Cornwall. Recent successes include the trial of 24 hour fire cover in Newquay, new equipment and personal protective fire kit and a management regime which encourages communication and openness. We are committed to preventing incidents and accidents from happening in the first place and using our resources more effectively. An example of this is using firefighters who may not be able to attend front line incidents to carry out home fire risk assessments and fit smoke alarms. In addition to operational improvement, I want to highlight the huge strides we have taken at management level and member involvement. None of this would have been possible without the highest level of commitment and honesty displayed by all the staff. I would also like to express my thanks to Pat Coleman and her board for the way this period in our evolution has been handled.”

Leader of Cornwall Council Alec Robertson said: “I am delighted that the Minister has personally confirmed to me that the Improvement Board, which has overseen a remarkable period of change within Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service, is no longer required to monitor CFRS’s improvement journey. The Minister is happy that CFRS has moved to a position where it has clear leadership and is showing signs of improvement. He also recognises, as do we all, that there remains some way to go to ensure that robust systems can deliver the creditable scope of ambition. I see the rapid progress made by CFRS as a model for how we as a Council must work together with our partners to turn around services and expect the same level of progress with our efforts to improve children’s services.”