Local government

Andy Street, the West Midlands metro mayor, has had hopes of taking over the fire and rescue service dashed, after failing to gain the support of local authorities. Four of the seven West Midlands councils have refused to support the move, after strong opposition from the Fire Brigades Union (FBU)...

The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has condemned the decision to allow Northamptonshire Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Stephen Mold to takeover the county’s fire and rescue service. Announced by the Home Office this week it means the county council fire authority, which is made up of 57 councillors...

No public mandate exists for the West Midlands Fire Service to be taken over by the Mayor according to the results of a public consultation, the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has said. The consultation saw just 1163 people respond out of a population of 2.8 million people within the West Midlands. The...

The public is being denied the right to have a say on proposed changes to the Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service that the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) say are a threat to public safety. Managers at the service have proposed measures that would include a reduction in the number of firefighters who...

The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has welcomed mayor Andy Burnham’s decision to freeze proposed funding cuts to Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service while a review is undertaken into how they would affect the preparedness of the service. In an address to firefighters at the Fire Training Centre...

Tyne and Wear Fire Authority has delayed a vote on cutting the number of firefighters who serve in fire crews, a week after the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) warned the move could put lives at risk. The authority had been due to vote yesterday (6 Nov) on reducing crew sizes from five to four at fire...

Fire crew sizes for a fleet of controversial small fire vehicles in North Yorkshire will increase as a result of pressure from the Fire Brigades Union (FBU). The Chair of North Yorkshire Fire Authority, Cllr Andrew Backhouse, yesterday announced that four firefighters will now crew each TRV...

The Home Secretary has announced the creation of the first ever Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner in a move that the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has branded reckless. The current police and crime commissioner for Essex, Roger Hirst, will take up the expanded brief to include control of Essex Fire...

The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has slammed a deal to give two senior managers at North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service a £35k pay rise as 48 frontline firefighter posts face the axe. The union called the decision by North Yorkshire chief fire officer (CFO) Nigel Hutchinson, and members of the...