Merseyside Fire and Rescue congratulated for strong performance

MERSEYSIDE Fire and Rescue Service has been praised for its performance in responding to major incidents but needs to build on improvements in some areas, the fire inspectorate has said.

His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) has graded Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service's performance across 10 areas. It found the service was:- 'outstanding' in 1 area:- 'good' in 8 areas, and:- 'adequate' in 1 area.

HMICFRS said that the service is outstanding at responding to major and multi-agency incidents. It carries out comprehensive risk assessments https://hmicfrs.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/glossary/risk-assessment/ to anticipate, prepare for and respond to a wide range of emergency scenarios, which inspectors identified as promising practice.

The inspectorate said that the service continues to provide effective emergency response and maintains strong protection work for businesses and high-risk premises. Its fire engine availability remains high, making sure resources are ready to respond to emergencies.

Inspectors were also pleased to find that the service's culture has improved since its previous inspection. It has well-defined values, which are regularly demonstrated by leaders during fire station visits, meetings with staff, and through support for initiatives such as dignity and respect campaigns. And there is a positive working culture throughout the service, and staff feel empowered and willing to challenge unacceptable behaviours when they come across them.

However, while inspectors found that the service's prevention activity is good, it should demonstrate greater innovation and consistency in this area. For example, it uses limited information and data to target its prevention activity and it isn't using every opportunity to work with seldom-heard communities.

Inspectors also said that the service needs to ensure it is making the best use of its resources to maintain value for money and community safety. The service doesn't consistently monitor and review the benefits and results of its improvement projects. In some cases, it can show that the intended outcomes are achieved but information is limited in others.

His Majesty's Inspector of Fire and Rescue Services Michelle Skeer said:- "I congratulate Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service on its strong performance in keeping people safe and secure from fire and other risks. The service continues to provide a high standard of prevention, protection and response activities. However, there are areas where it needs to improve to make sure it provides a consistently good service. While the service remains effective overall, its grades for preventing fires and other risks and making best use of resources have moved from Outstanding to Good. This highlights that the service needs continued focus on prevention strategies and making the best use of its resources to maintain value for money and community safety. We were pleased to find that the service had made progress since its previous inspection. Notably, its culture has improved. And workforce planning processes are now more robust. These changes support better staff engagement and operational resilience. Overall, Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service performs well, but it must demonstrate continual improvement in prevention and resource management. We will monitor progress closely and expect to see further evidence of innovation and efficiency in future inspections."

Does a Petition highlight the lack of knowledge about Purdah?

A petition has been posted on:- Change.Org calling for Sefton Council to hold a public Town Hall meeting and for a forensic audit to be undertaken into the Council's funding. The petition entitled:- "Hold a public Town Hall and forensic audit on Sefton Council" that has recently been created by an individual using the name Mark Thomas.

In the run up to elections such actions often become more commonly used by various groups aiming to use public discourse to advance specific agendas, sometimes appearing to exploit a perceived lack of public understanding regarding electoral laws.

We can't confirm or deny the intentions of this petition being posted, but in this instance, the petition raises questions involving significant sums of public money and includes suggestions of potential fraud. While residents maintain the right to submit petitions, the Council's ability to respond is strictly limited during the pre-election period within the UK.

For the local elections due to be held in Sefton on:- 7 May 2026, the local authority is legally bound by the Code of Recommended Practice on Local Authority Publicity. This statutory guidance prevents the Council from publishing any material which appears designed to affect public support for a political party. This well established convention is known as:- the pre-election period of sensitivity, or simply as:- Purdah. That means should Sefton Council accede to the petition's request and hold a public meeting to address allegations of wrongdoing; it would be almost impossible to do so without providing a platform for political debate or defence. Doing so would likely constitute a breach of these primary legal rules.

Demands for a full public Town Hall meeting before the upcoming election are effectively impossible for the Council to meet, as the local authority is legally restricted from providing such a stage for controversial debate during this heightened period. This is especially relevant to the petition's demand that Council Leaders answer pressing questions. As a non-political body, the Council itself may only state that a full debate or investigation cannot be triggered until a new administration is formed following the election. Even such a statement could be viewed as a breach of neutrality rules.

While the motive behind the timing of the social media posts and the petition remains unconfirmed, its appearance just before an election is notable. The language of the petition is highly suggestive and may approach the threshold of libel due to the allegations of fraud. Frequently, such posts are followed by claims that the Council is trying to hide information, using the lack of a formal meeting as supposed evidence of a conspiracy. In reality, the Council's non-political officers are simply adhering to the laws of the land. Although the matters raised have been subject to political controversy and criticism from opposition Councillors, the Council has consistently denied any wrongdoing. It is important to remember that these types of posts are not always what they appear to be. If you feel strongly about these issues, you are encouraged to ask the political candidates directly and vote according to your beliefs on:- 7 May 2026. If you then still feel like the poster of the Petition that more needs to be done, residents still maintain the right to submit petitions for debating after the elections have been held.

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Merseyside Fire and Rescue congratulated for strong performance

Does a Petition highlight the lack of knowledge about Purdah?