Fire service takeover plans repeat plans already in place, fire authority chairman says
Plans for police and crime commissioner John Campion to take over the fire service will just repeat plans already in place, the chairman of the fire authority has said.
Councillor Eric Carter said there had been a great deal of collaboration between police and the fire service already.
His comments come ahead of a judicial review into the takeover, which will take place on June 5 and 6 this year. PCC John Campion wants there to be a single joint commissioner for West Mercia Police, Shropshire Fire and Rescue and Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue.
He says the plans will save £4 million and will help drive transformation across both services.
But Councillor Carter, the chairman of Shropshire’s fire authority, said the plans do not stand up. He will be joined in the review by representatives of Hereford and Worcester’s fire authorities.
Mr Campion said the delay was not in the best interests of the community that both fire and police services serve. But Councillor Carter He said the last 15 months had not been spent standing still.
“Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service and Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service have a history of collaboration but this has been formalised at a strategic level with the creation of a Fire Alliance between our two services,” the councillor said.
“This alliance creates increased capacity and resilience to both services and in the process of so doing will yield genuine, efficiencies.
“The Fire Alliance will initially focus on areas of information technology, risk planning, control rooms and joint procurement of goods and services. Change is being developed and delivered through engaging and working with the staff from both services.”
Councillor Carter said the fire service works well with West Mercia Police as well.
He said: “Shropshire already shares its fire station at Newport with police since 2016 and arrangements are in place to extend this facility to Bridgnorth and Much Wenlock Fire Stations in the next year.
“The longer term plan to build a joint training facility for Fire and Police as part of the Telford Fire Station redevelopment is now advancing. Within the next 12 months things will start happening. We’re in conversation with police about what they want.
He added: “There is stuff in Mr Campion’s business plan that we are already doing. We’ve not been standing still since this came up. We don’t believe it is necessary. We’re making the savings, we’re going to make further savings. We’re working with police. It’s working – why change it if it’s not broken?”
Mr Campion said the delay was not in the best interests of the community. He said: “I stand firm that, prior to the judicial review, the right outcome was made following an extensive public consultation, full business case and an independent review. I now hope that a decision is reached in June that allows us to move forward and work together to deliver more effective and efficient services for our communities.”
Currently, fire and rescue services are overseen by authorities made up of councillors from across the region.
The government has said it wants to see a more joined-up approach in the way police and fire services work together.
