Wales’ fire authorities ‘not fit for purpose’ says new local government secretary

Published

2 years ago

April 24, 2024

WALES’ fire and rescue authorities are ill-equipped to hold services to account amid allegations of sexual harassment and bullying, a committee heard.

Julie James, the newly appointed local government secretary, gave evidence to a Senedd inquiry on the governance of fire and rescue services in Wales.

Ms James, who has only been in post for one working week, told the equality committee she is still getting to grips with her new brief which also includes housing and planning.

She raised concerns about the size of Wales’ three fire and rescue authorities, which have between 24 and 28 members and generally drawn from council backbenches.

By comparison, West Midlands fire and rescue authority has 15 members and serves a population that is slightly less than the whole of Wales.

Ms James said: “I suspect, strongly, that what we are looking at here is a governance model … that isn’t really well equipped to hold a specialist service to account.”

Jenny Rathbone questioned why a Wales-wide culture review was only initiated in March – more than a year after reports of sexual harassment and bullying first emerged.

Ms James told the committee chair the Welsh Government was waiting for the outcome of Fenella Morris KC’s report on the “horrific” culture of South Wales Fire and Rescue Service.

Dan Stephens, fire and rescue adviser and inspector for Wales, said he conducted a review in March 2023, looking back at five years of disciplinary cases across the three services.

Mr Stephens told committee members the review found a more consistent approach to disciplinary matters in North and Mid and West Wales.

Ms James said four commissioners, appointed by her predecessor, Hannah Blythyn, to take over the South Wales service, have replaced managers implicated in the failings.

Pressed about concerns around Stuart Millington’s appointment as interim chief fire officer, she said the commissioners were aware of a complaint made about him in 2023.

She told the committee: “That had been subject to a full external investigation which concluded there was no disciplinary case to answer.”

Following his appointment by commissioners, the Fire Brigades Union passed a vote of no confidence in Mr Millington amid accusations of harassment and discrimination.

Ms James, who was responsible for fire and rescue services three years ago in a previous stint as local government secretary, said the matter is now subject to employment tribunal.

Plaid Cymru’s Sioned Williams disputed the local government secretary’s assertion that Mr Millington was fully exonerated, suggesting aspects of the grievance were upheld

Ms James said: “We will have to see how the employment tribunal comes out.”

She added that appointments should be made on merit but warned: “I do think the fact we keep appointing men is one of the issues.

“I’m going to insist there is a female in that management structure … because I think all services that have single-sex teams end up in places where we don’t want them to be.

“We all know diversity of voices at a decision-making point leads to better decisions.”

Responding to Jane Dodds’ call for radical reform, Ms James told the Lib Dem the current model does not particularly work but she has not yet formed a view on its replacement.

Vowing to consult widely, the local government secretary said fire and rescue authorities, which were established in 1995, are not fit for purpose.

Ms James would not commit to a timeline for replacing “sub-optimal” fire authorities, which resisted reform in 2018, but she stressed: “This isn’t a long-grass scenario.”

She said: “I do think we’re going to have to come up with a governance model that looks a bit more 21st century than the one we currently have.”

Ms James told the meeting on April 22 that the legislative programme for the next two years is crammed, so she would look at what can be done within existing legal structures.

But she warned reconfiguration can be ruinous: “The actual process is awful, so you have to weigh up the outcome with the process…. Quite often the process isn’t worth the outcome.”

Kurtz calls on Labour MPs to back release of Mandelson papers

Published

2 hours ago

February 4, 2026

Staff Writer

Opposition motion follows Epstein-linked document disclosures

A SENEDD Member has called on Labour MPs to support a Conservative Opposition Day Motion demanding the release of papers linked to Peter Mandelson’s appointment as the UK Ambassador to the United States.

Samuel Kurtz said the motion follows the publication of new files and photographs involving Lord Mandelson, which were released as part of a United States investigation into the disgraced and convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Speaking out, Mr Kurtz said that during Prime Minister’s Questions, the Prime Minister admitted he was aware of Peter Mandelson’s ongoing relationship with Epstein at the time of his appointment.

“That means the Prime Minister knowingly appointed Peter Mandelson to one of the most important diplomatic roles in government despite his links to Epstein,” he said. “This raises serious questions about the Prime Minister’s judgement.”

Mr Kurtz went on to accuse the Prime Minister of attempting to prevent transparency over the appointment process.

“Now, instead of being open and transparent, the Prime Minister is attempting to block the release of documents relating to Mandelson’s appointment in order to protect his own position,” he said.

He warned that Labour MPs who oppose the motion would share responsibility for withholding information, adding: “If Labour MPs support blocking the release of these papers, they will be complicit in covering up the process and judgement that led the Prime Minister to appoint Peter Mandelson as Ambassador, despite his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein.”

News

Welsh peace campaigner removed from court during Palestine protest case

Published

3 hours ago

February 4, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Concerns raised over use of terrorism laws against silent sign-holders as Welsh activist among those ejected from London hearings

A WELSH peace campaigner was among several protesters removed from court by security staff this week as plea hearings continued for people charged under terrorism legislation for holding pro-Palestine signs.

Angie Zelter, aged 74, from Knucklas, appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London on Monday as part of mass proceedings linked to the Government’s ban on Palestine Action.

Campaigners say hundreds of people across the UK – including some in Wales – have been charged under Section 13 of the Terrorism Act 2000 after quietly holding handwritten signs reading: “I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action.”

Zelter, a long-time anti-war activist and founder of Trident Ploughshares, attempted to read a prepared statement criticising the prosecutions before being escorted from the courtroom, according to supporters.

She told the court she did not accept being labelled a terrorist for what she described as peaceful protest and opposition to the war in Gaza.

Outside the building, fellow campaigners said she had sought to argue that international law and freedom of expression should protect non-violent dissent.

Also removed from the hearing was Tim Crosland, co-founder of Defend Our Juries, who said he had tried to raise legal objections to the charges before being asked to leave.

Arrests nationwide

Organisers of the “Lift The Ban” campaign claim nearly 3,000 people have been arrested across Britain since late 2025 for taking part in silent vigils, with several hundred now facing prosecution. The offences carry a maximum sentence of six months in prison.

The group argues the legislation is being used to criminalise peaceful protest. It is calling on the Government to lift the ban on Palestine Action and to change its stance on military cooperation with Israel.

However, ministers have defended the proscription, saying the organisation has been linked to criminal damage and disruption at sites connected to defence manufacturing.

Welsh perspective

While most hearings are taking place in London, campaigners say demonstrators in Wales have also taken part in sign-holding protests.

Civil liberties advocates have warned that applying terrorism laws to non-violent protest risks setting a troubling precedent.

For many in mid Wales, the sight of a pensioner from rural Powys being removed from a courtroom has sharpened debate over where the line lies between legitimate protest and criminality.

Further hearings are scheduled in the coming weeks, with more defendants from across the UK expected to appear.

Business

Bid to convert office space into chocolate factory, salon and laundrette

Published

10 hours ago

February 4, 2026

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A CALL for the retrospective conversion of office space previously connected to a Pembrokeshire car hire business to a chocolate factory, a beauty salon and a laundrette has been submitted to county planners

In an application to Pembrokeshire County Council, Mr M Williams, through agent Preseli Planning Ltd, sought retrospective permission for the subdivision of an office on land off Scotchwell Cottage, Cartlett, Haverfordwest into three units forming a chocolate manufacturing, a beauty salon, and a launderette, along with associated works.

A supporting statement said planning history at the site saw a 2018 application for the refurbishment of an existing office building and a change of use from oil depot offices to a hire car office and car/van storage yard, approved back in 2019.

For the chocolate manufacturing by ‘Pembrokeshire Chocolate company,’ as part of the latest scheme it said: “The operation comprises of manufacturing of handmade bespoke flavoured chocolate bars. Historically there was an element of counter sales but this has now ceased. The business sales comprise of online orders and the delivery of produce to local stockist. There are no counter sales from the premises.”

It said the beauty salon “offers treatments, nail services and hairdressing,” operating “on an appointment only basis, with the hairdresser element also offering a mobile service”. It said the third unit of the building functions as a commercial laundrette and ironing services known as ‘West Coast Laundry,’ which “predominantly provides services to holiday cottages, hotels and care homes”.

The statement added: “Beyond the unchanged access the site has parking provision for at least 12 vehicles and a turning area. The building now forms three units which employ two persons per unit. The 12 parking spaces, therefore, provide sufficient provision for staff.

“In terms of visiting members of the public the beauty salon operates on an appointment only basis and based on its small scale can only accommodate two customers at any one time. Therefore, ample parking provision exists to visitors.

“With regard to the chocolate manufacturing and commercial laundrette service these enterprises do not attract visitors but do attract the dropping off laundry and delivery of associated inputs. Drop off and collections associated with the laundry services tend to fall in line with holiday accommodation changeover days, for example Tuesday drop off and collections on the Thursday.

“With regard to the chocolate manufacturing ingredients are delivered by couriers and movements associated with this is also estimated at 10 vehicular movements per week.”