We are continuing to work within Best Value legislation, pending the transfer to the Wales Programme for Improvement under the Welsh Assembly Government. The basic principles of the Best Value legislation and our performance against the indicators are included in this section, showing the continuing progress being achieved by South Wales Fire and Rescue Service.

Wales Programme for Improvement

The Wales Programme for Improvement (WPI) was introduced to Local Authorities in Wales in 2002 with the exception of the Fire and Rescue Services. The Welsh Assembly Government has now developed an Improvement Programme for Fire and Rescue Authorities in Wales (WPI-FRA) and this has been implemented from April 2007.

The Wales Programme for Improvement requires Fire and Rescue Authorities (FRAs) to continually improve their services, to make value for money improvements and efficiency gains that are “genuine and sustainable or allow more or better services to be provided for the same resource input”. This reflects the Assembly Government’s wider public service reform agenda as set out in the “Making the Connections” agenda.

Each year we will publish our Improvement Plan and Improvement Plan Public Summary which outlines the priority areas to be addressed in the coming year and also gives comprehensive performance information against our strategic and core indicators.