Police and Crime Commissioner wins fight to take over Shropshire fire authority

A judicial review ruled the Home Secretary acted correctly in handing control of the Shropshire's fire authority to John Campion.

The decision from Mr Justice Garnham on whether the then Home Secretary Amber Rudd had taken in to account all factors, was delivered in the Royal Courts of Justice today.

Shropshire and Wrekin Fire and Rescue Authority, along with fire authorities from Hereford & Worcester and Cambridgeshire raised the judicial review because they didn’t feel that the Home Secretary had paid adequate attention to public safety and didn’t consider a number of factors in arriving at her decision in favour of PCC control.

Mr Justice Garnham said he believed the Home Secretary had taken adequate consideration of public safety but had not followed the proper ‘tests’ in arriving at her decision. However he felt that had Ms Rudd followed the correct test she would most likely have arrived at the same decision.

Councillor Eric Carter, chair of Shropshire and Wrekin Fire and Rescue Authority said: “I think I can safely speak for my whole authority in saying how disappointed we are with this ruling; we still firmly believe the best way of governing a fire service is by locally elected representatives who really know their communities.

“I believe there is more at stake here than just saving money and the recent report of the Her Majesty’s Inspector of Constabularies and the fire and rescue service backs this up by awarding Shropshire a “Good “ rating across the board. This says we are good at delivering efficiency, effectiveness and looking after people. I am not sure what a change in governance would do, but I am sure Mr Campion’s business plan would put all that in danger.”

Significant

He added: "The judicial review has helped to clear up some technical and legal issues but the fact remains that Mr Campion’s business case is flawed."

Mr Campion said: “The benefits of joint governance have been clearly and consistently acknowledged. It is a change that can deliver significant benefits to our communities and our police and fire services, by focusing resources on front line emergency service deliver.”

“This process has gone on long enough. The significant cost the fire authorities have incurred and the delay orchestrated have done nothing to help our police and fire services, nor the communities of West Mercia.

"The money that the fire authorities are spending on expensive legal fees could be better spent on frontline firefighters and the resources they need to keep us safe.

"I hope the Government will now progress joint governance without delay that will focus on delivering the best possible services to our communities.”

Shropshire and Wrekin Fire Authority is considering whether to appeal and has asked the current Home Secretary to take another look at the business case.

Councillor Chris Mellings, vice chair of the authority said: “As an authority we still believe in the strength of leadership and governance we have given Shropshire Fire Service for 22 years but we need to know what the public think. In order to do this we have set up a survey on our website for our communities to give their views – it’s never too late."

The survey can be found at surveygizmo.eu/s3/90159381/SWFRA