HEREFORD and Worcester fire authority leaders will be joining Shropshire and Wrekin colleagues in their legal challenge against a decision to transfer control of the service to the Police and Crime Commissioner.

The annual meeting was expected to be the last organised by the fire authority and chairman Nigel Phillips had originally prepared for the chairmen of both Herefordshire Council and Worcestershire County Council to be present to mark the end of the tenure.

But a change of plans meant councillors decided to go into closed session to debate proposals to seek a judicial review into the ruling by former Home Secretary Amber Rudd that gave West Mercia Police & Crime Commissioner John Campion control over the service.

Conservative Coun Phillips said: “When we arranged this special meeting, there were special circumstances.

“Originally we were due to disappear on June 1. We felt that it was appropriate for us to all meet together for one last time on the 30 to finalise our annual reports and accounts.

“But the necessary legislation has been lacking in clarity about what the future holds.”

Following the decision to take legal action councillor Phillips said the committee had thought very carefully and believed that it was in the public interest to challenge the Home Secretary’s decision.

He said: “The current oversight arrangements of the service by the fire authority have been in place for over 20 years and have demonstrated themselves to have been proactive, diligent and forward-thinking – as well as representative of the needs of our local communities – ensuring that the service continues to be both effectively and efficiently managed, despite the pressures of ever-reducing public funds.

“This is demonstrated by the service’s most recent annual report and medium term financial plan, that not only show an on-going strong performance in traditional areas of work, such emergency response and fire prevention activities, but also the growing role of the service in supporting other public service organisations in their priority areas of focus, such as public health and helping the most vulnerable in our society.

“To change these arrangements without having the robust evidence to show it will significantly improve what the service is already doing is a big risk – as the upheaval in itself has a potentially damaging effect on both staff performance and morale”.

Independent councillor Bob Matthews agreed with the decision and said placing too much power in the hands of a few was a recipe for disaster.

He said: “I fully support the decision for a judicial review in respect of the former Home Secretary’s resolution to change the governance of H&W fire authority and place it under control of the PCC.

“I am of the opinion that if you place too much control into the hands of a few history tells us it’s normally a recipe for disaster.

“The service is working efficiently under present management and it should be left that way.”

West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner John Campion said this was now a dispute between the Home Office and the Fire and Rescue Authority.

He said: “The central argument, that single governance in West Mercia can deliver more effective and efficient services for our communities, has been consistently supported via public consultation, independent assessment, and by Government.

“This course of action will mean additional costs to the taxpayer and will delay benefits being delivered for our local communities and emergency services alike.”