Mark Drakeford backs commissioners who appointed fire chief facing bullying claims
ITV Wales reporter Hamish Auskerry asked Mr Drakeford if he would support calls for a Wales-wide review of all fire and rescue services
Mark Drakeford says that there "was always going to be some rough weather along the way" following the revelation that the fire chief brought into the troubled South Wales Fire and Rescue Service is himself facing bullying allegations.
But the Welsh first minister says the commissioners who appointed Stuart Millington have his "absolute support".
The commissioners were installed in an unprecedented move after a damning report by Fenella Morris KC exposed a toxic culture in the service and its chief Huw Jakeway announced his intention to stand down.
Now, there are calls for a similar country-wide review of all fire services in Wales.
Hannah Blythyn, the minister who is responsible for fire services in Wales, will meet with North Wales Fire and Rescue Service this afternoon, as well as Mid and West Fire and Rescue, to seek assurances that they’ve read the recommendations of the Morris report.
The first minister says that Ms Blythyn is "certainly willing" to take further steps if it is deemed necessary.
The Fire Brigades Union in south Wales says it has "no confidence" in the appointment of Stuart Millington as interim chief fire officer following an emergency meeting on Friday evening.
Last week, ITV Wales revealed that the fire chief brought in to head up the troubled South Wales Fire and Rescue Service is himself at the centre of bullying allegations.
Stuart Millington, who was until recently an assistant chief fire officer in north Wales, will be taken to an employment tribunal in Mold. He denies the allegations.
ITV Wales has been contacted by serving officers at both north and south Wales services who have expressed their concern that Mr Millington is not the right person to take South Wales Fire and Rescue Service forward.
Ms Blythyn, the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership, announced earlier this month the appointment of four commissioners to oversee the service's reform. They include former minister for education, Kirsty Williams, and former chief constable of North Wales Police, Carl Foulkes.
They approved north Wales' assistant chief fire officer Mr Millington to become the interim chief on Friday, 9 February.
The commissioners’ brief according to the Welsh Government, which has responsibilities for the service, was to: “Establish and oversee a new senior management team and related processes that are untainted by the failings identified in the report.”
But ITV Wales has discovered that Mr Millington is himself being taken to an employment tribunal facing allegations of bullying by a member of staff in his previous role as assistant chief fire officer at North Wales Fire and Rescue.
ITV Wales has also been contacted by whistleblowers concerned about what they say has been a similar toxic culture permeating between officers.
They have shown our team WhatsApp messages from a serving female north Wales employee making a racist joke about members of the Royal Family. Mr Millington was not part of this WhatsApp group.
Another text says: “I’ve got plenty of stuff this is just testing the waters to see what I can get away with.” ITV Wales knows the identity of this employee.
A South Wales Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: "Stuart Millington has been appointed as Interim Chief Fire Officer by the four independent Commissioners under their terms of reference in order to maintain operational leadership continuity.
"South Wales Fire and Rescue Service will continue to deliver its frontline services as usual. The Commissioners are committed to implementing all the recommendations of the review and delivering long term and sustainable change to the culture at SWFRS."
Joel James MS, Shadow Minister for Social Partnership, said he was "deeply concerned" that neither the Welsh Government nor the commissioners "really understand what needs to change in SWFRS."
He said: "The fact that that they appointed Stuart Millington, someone facing an employment tribunal for bullying, gives the clear message that real change in SWFRS is a long way off."
North Wales Fire and Rescue Service said in a statement: "We do not tolerate inappropriate behaviour or language of any kind in our organisation - we continually strive to achieve the best culture in accordance with our core values, and have robust policies, procedures and guidance in place that support us in achieving the highest possible standards expected by members of the public and we also regularly assess the effectiveness of these, comparing them to legal requirements and best practice and make recommendations for improvement.
A Welsh Government spokesperson said: "An interim Chief Fire Officer has been appointed by the commissioners and a permanent Chief Fire Officer or Chief Executive Officer post will be advertised and appointed as soon as possible.”
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