Home Secretary yet to decide on who directs fire & rescue service
Two years on and the question ‘Who should govern Gloucestershire’s Fire and Rescue Service (GFRS)?’ is still to be resolved. The results of a public consultation showed a clear majority in favour of taking responsibility away from the county council and placing it with the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC). But the outcome rests with the Home Secretary Priti Patel who is yet to announce her decision. The consultation, which was conducted on behalf of the Office of the PCC, was carried out online, in public and through questionnaires in public buildings. It produced statistically significant results both demographically and in quantity.Respondents included GFRS employees, Gloucestershire Constabulary staff and the general public. When all the responses were analysed, 55% were in favour of reform. All of the information gathered during the consultation was incorporated into the business case which was sent to the Home Office in February l
The options for change • No change / status quo :This would mean Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service remain part of the county council and collaboration is progressed on a voluntary basis. • Representation :This is where the PCC would become a formal part of the existing governance for fire and rescue in GCC, with full voting rights. Gloucestershire County Council rejected this as an option. • Governance : Here the PCC takes on responsibility for Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service in much the same way he currently does for Gloucestershire Constabulary. The role would become the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner. Police and fire would retain their own chief officers and staff and be operationally independent of each another.This is the option favoured by the PCC. • Single employer :This is where the PCC would take on responsibility for fire alongside the police and also appoint a single chief officer for both services. Front-line services would remain distinct but support services would be increasingly integrated.
You can find out more about it at: www.gloucestershire-pcc.gov.uk
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