The Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Authority held their Annual General Meeting on 12th June at Service Headquarters in Salisbury, where new leadership was elected, and the Service’s recent performance was reviewed.
Cllr Paul Oatway QPM from Wiltshire Council was elected as Chair of the Authority, with Cllr Clare Weight from BCP Council taking the role of Vice-Chair. New members Cllr Laura Beddow and Cllr Duncan Sowry-House from Dorset Council were also welcomed.
Cllr Oatway expressed his gratitude for the new role: “It is an honour to have been elected as Chair of Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Authority. I appreciate my fellow elected Members’ support and look forward to working with the Chief Fire Officer, the strategic leadership team, and all staff.
“Our aim is to support our communities across BCP, Dorset, Swindon, and Wiltshire in our prevention, protection, and emergency response efforts. Despite the financial challenges we face, we have a strong fire and rescue service, and I am proud of our staff and the work they do.”
The meeting reviewed significant papers, including the outcome of the Community Safety Plan public consultation and the annual Service performance review for 2023-24. The performance review outlined the Service’s performance against its priorities and targets.
Highlights from 2023-24 include:
- Completing over 7,700 Safe & Well visits to vulnerable community members, contributing to a 10% reduction in accidental dwelling fires.
- Investing in business fire safety, resulting in over 920 fire safety audits and nearly 6,800 positive interactions with local businesses.
- Meeting the corporate target for emergency response times, with an average response time of nine minutes and 31 seconds for fires in sleeping risk premises.
- Improving workforce diversity by 5.8% compared to the five-year average through longstanding initiatives and community engagement.
- Installing solar panels at five fire service sites, with plans for further installations.
Chief Fire Officer Ben Ansell QFSM acknowledged the efforts of the staff: “It has been a busy and challenging year for the organisation. Staff across the Service have worked hard to help their communities.
“We continue to face financial pressures and must make difficult decisions to maintain a balanced budget. Our staff are essential in keeping our communities safe, whether at home, at work, or on our roads. I look forward to working with Cllrs Oatway, Weight, and all members of the Fire and Rescue Authority to continue building on the work our staff deliver.”
