The ageing population of Monmouthshire is set to present new challenges to South Wales Fire and Rescue Service says its leaders as its latest Annual Improvement Plan (AIP) — a comprehensive review of the Service’s performance over the past year and a strategic blueprint for the year ahead - is published.

Covering the period from April 2024 to March 2025, the AIP evaluates how SWFRS delivered against its objectives and performance indicators. It also outlines proposed priorities and activities for April 2026 to March 2027, ensuring a clear and accountable roadmap for continuous improvement.

At the heart of this year’s plan is SWFRS’s new mission: “To serve our communities, by reducing risk and responding to emergencies.” This mission reflects the Service’s unwavering commitment to the people of South Wales – placing community safety, resilience, and wellbeing at the centre of every decision.

SWFRS serves 10 unitary authorities across a diverse region of 2,800 km², encompassing bustling cities like Cardiff and Newport, expansive valleys, rural towns, and inland waterways. The Service protects half the population of Wales, including some of the most diverse communities in the country. Recent census data shows that 8.6 per cent of residents identify as an ethnicity other than White — significantly higher than the Welsh average — with Cardiff and Newport leading in diversity.

The region is also seeing demographic shifts, including a growing 65+ age group in areas like Monmouthshire and Vale of Glamorgan, and rapid population growth in Newport (+9.5 per cent ), Cardiff (+4.7 per cent ), and Bridgend (+4.5 per cent ). These changes present new challenges and opportunities for how SWFRS delivers its services.

This year’s AIP also reflects the Service’s response to two significant reviews: the Culture Review, published by Fenella Morris KC in January 2024, and the HMICFRS inspection from 2025. Both reports provided valuable insights into areas where SWFRS must improve – from leadership and communication to inclusivity and operational effectiveness. In response, the Service has committed to a programme of meaningful change, embedding the recommendations into its strategic planning and daily operations. These efforts are already underway and are helping to shape a more transparent, inclusive, and resilient organisation.

Chief Fire Officer Fin Monahan commented: “I wish to reassure our communities and staff that the SWFRS strategy provides a robust and integrated approach to address the areas where the Service needs improvement. This is more than examining the various recommendations and ticking them off. The strategy considers those recommendations holistically, and sets out to provide substantial, long-term, and sustainable change through 60 work strands that now guide all activity across the Service. We are already delivering on many of these strands, and our momentum continues to build.”

The AIP is built around eight strategic themes that guide the Service’s work:

To ensure these priorities reflect the needs and expectations of the communities SWFRS serves, the publication of the AIP marks the start of a 12-week public consultation. Residents, partners, and stakeholders are invited to share their views and help shape the Service’s future direction.