Northamptonshire FBU members travelled to Westminster to meet shadow fire minister Alex Norris and explain their concerns about the county’s police, fire and crime commissioner, Stephen Mold
They have been campaigning for democracy and accountability in their service, calling for Mold’s resignation after he appointed an interim chief fire officer with no firefighting experience. In November, he again announced a preferred CFO candidate with no firefighting experience – a retired police officer.
In the same month, Buckinghamshire fire and rescue service appointed a CFO from the police. FBU members held a rally outside a meeting of the fire authority, urging it to prioritise investment as the way to improve the service. It currently has some of the lowest levels of funding in England and has been declared “overly reliant on neighbouring services” by the inspectorate.
FBU general secretary Matt Wrack called for police and fire governance to remain separate. “Firefighting is a humanitarian profession, entirely different to policing” he said. Appointing police to lead the fire and rescue service undermines public trust.”
