Fire authority roles to be extended
Elected members of Shropshire Fire and Rescue Authority are set to stay in their current roles for an extra four months to maintain “continuity and stability” during the coronavirus pandemic.
The authority’s annual meeting, scheduled for June, faces being differed for up to six months, while issues that were to be discussed will instead be on the agenda for its next meeting in October.
It means the 15 Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin councillors who make up the authority will retain their current committee positions for the time being, in a bid to avoid unnecessary disruption to the authority as it navigates through the pandemic. Chairman Eric Carter and vice-chairman Chris Mellings will also see their roles extended until the October meeting.
A report by Councillor Carter says new national guidance allowed for annual meetings to be postponed for up to a year, and notes that both Shropshire Council and Telford and Wrekin Council have taken this step.
The report said: “The group leaders of the fire authority have discussed the merits and challenges posed by deferment of the AGM.
“They agreed that in this period of uncertainty, and with the backdrop of holding meetings in a virtual format, it would seem sensible to maintain consistency of chairing and operating in the current structure.
“The risk is that if there were a change-around of members in key roles, this could cause greater confusion to an already challenging period of governance.
“However, members have also stated openly how important it is for democratic process to be followed so any decision to defer an AGM can only be made by the full fire authority.
“The group leaders all supported a proposal to the full Fire Authority to consider the deferment of the AGM for at least six months, with the AGM business to be moved to the Fire Authority meeting that it scheduled for October 14, 2020.”
Members will consider the report at a virtual meeting next Wednesday.
