New fire minister invited to Shropshire Fire & Rescue Service
The chairman of the Shropshire and Wrekin Fire Authority has written to the new Fire Minister about his misgivings over a police chief's bid to take it over.
In a letter welcoming Lord Stephen Greenhalgh to the role, authority chairman Councillor Eric Carter stated that he disagreed with moves by West Mercia Police & Crime Commissioner John Campion to merge the services.
He also invited him to visit Shropshire Fire & Rescue Service.
In July last year a High Court judge ruled in favour of plans to transfer the control of the fire service to the region's crime commissioner, John Campion.
He wants a single joint commissioner for West Mercia Police, Shropshire Fire and Rescue and Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue.
Mr Campion says the plans will save £4 million and will help drive transformation across both services.
In his letter Councillor Carter stated: "We have been fighting to avoid a takeover by the West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) since 2017.
"The PCC plan has not been supported by any of our unitary authorities, town and parish councils or even the Police and Crime Panel itself.
"Both the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy and the courts have seen the PCC business plan put forward as badly flawed yet there appears to be no resolution.
"It is my sincerest hope that you would be willing to meet with me, outside of your visit, so that I can explain the position fully so that when a decision is finally made you will be able to see it in the fullest context.
"In addition to my role as Chair of Shropshire and Wrekin Fire and Rescue Authority, I am a member of the Fire Services Management Committee of the Local Government Association and sit on the National Joint Council.
"I am also co-chair, alongside Mathew Ellis, PCC for Staffordshire, of the Emergency Services Working Group, Task-and-Finish Group A. This group brings together employers, government and officers to support the Duty to Collaborate and the inspection regime.
"So, as you can see, I am committed to effective collaboration, but I do not agree with governance changes being made where they are so obviously unnecessary and do not provide any significant advantage.
"As your predecessor stated in front of the chairs and chief fire officers at an Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services event last year, “if it ‘ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
Lord Greenhalgh formerly served as Second Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime in London from 2012-2016.
Earlier this year he was appointed as joint Minister of State with responsibility for fire in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Home Office.
He was created Baron Greenhalgh of Fulham in April.
