THE Police and Crime Commissioner for West Mercia Police has been told to ‘get his own house in order’ before getting his hands on Fire Authorities.
The call comes from Redditch County Councillor Andy Fry after PCC John Campion was given the green light to run both Hereford and Worcester and Shropshire Fire Authorities by Home Secretary Amber Rudd – as well as West Mercia Police.
However the decision comes just a week after West Mercia was rated as ‘requires improvement’ in a report by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services into police effectiveness.
Coun Fry (Lab, Arrow Valley West) said the ‘ball was rolling’ to get a Judicial Review into the takeover decision after a meeting of Hereford & Worcester Fire Authority earlier this week.
“My advice to John Campion is to get your own house in order before you start messing up other people’s organisations,” he said.
“All four groups at Worcestershire County Council – that’s Labour, the Tories, Liberal Democrats and Independents – opposed the takeover by the PCC.
“My own personal view is that this should now be looked at by means of a Judicial Review, because even the Conservative councillors at County Hall were saying this was empire building.”
He also said that £4million in savings proposed by Mr Campion, a former Conservative County Councillor, had already been identified by leaders of the Fire Authorities.
Unless reversed by a Judicial Review the decision will mean Mr Campion will assume the role of Commissioner for Police, Fire and Crime, holding the Chief Fire Officers for both forces to account, while West Mercia Police and the two fire and rescue services will remain separate, individual organisations.
Mr Campion as PCC has presided over a 13 per cent increase in recorded crime in West Mercia with figures up from 75,663 to 85,433 incidents in the year ending September 2017.
Sexual offences have increased by 23 per cent with 3,507 incidents reported and public order and possession of weapon offences are up by 32.1 and 18.5 per cent respectively.
Coun Fry, the Labour leader on Hereford & Worcester Fire Authority, added: “We have an excellent fire service here in Redditch and a programme of new fire stations, including one in Redditch, and all parties have worked together on this for the benefit of all communities.
“I want to see better services making life better and safer for the people of Hereford and Worcester.”
