A DECISION to allow West Mercia’s police and fire services to be run by John Campion have been roundly criticised by opponents in Wyre Forest.

West Mercia’s Police and Crime Commissioner announced today that Home Secretary Amber Rudd had given the go-ahead to his plans to take over Hereford and Worcester and Shropshire Fire and Rescue Services.

But critics said they were disappointed that their views had been ignored and labelled the move as a denial of democracy.

When the plans were announced in June last year, they were met with fierce opposition from local authorities and the Fire Brigades Union (FBU).

Mr Campion, who is also a Wyre Forest District Councillor, said his joint governance proposal would bring about huge budget savings and make the services more efficient, enabling resources and expertise to be shared.

But Trevor Connolly, of the Fire Brigade Union, said: “We are disappointed that the views of our members and those of MP'S and councillors across the county have been ignored in what appears to be an ideologically driven takeover of governance of the fire service.

“Our aims remain protecting front line response and maintaining the independence of the service from law enforcement which has historically allowed firefighters to help the most vulnerable in society.

“We will work within the new governance arrangements to achieve those aims. The new governance does not come with any additional funding which will leave the PCC with the same difficult decisions as the FA.”

Councillor Fran Oborski, who sits on the district Fire Authority, added: “I am appalled and disgusted that the Home Secretary has chosen to overrule all the Principal Local Authorities and West Mercia PCC’s own Police and Crime Panel.

“This is a complete denial of democracy and is a totally unacceptable concentration of power in the hands of one individual.

“At a time when we are told that West Mercia Police “needs to do better” and when communities are calling for their need for more visible Policing, the PCC needs to concentrate on “ getting his day job right” before taking on Fire and Rescue Services which enjoy a much higher level of public satisfaction.

“I am extremely concerned that financial pressures will mean that there is a danger that the increasingly important community support roles of fire and rescue Services will not receive the support they need and that the financial demands of the police service will always be put first.

“This is a very sad day for community safety in its widest sense.”

Wyre Forest Labour’s Stephen Brown said: “Naked power grabs by politicians to extend their grubby sphere of influence is an inevitable consequence of Tory Government policy in allowing the politicisation of the Police by imposing PCC's on us when nobody wanted it.

“Campion is a blatant career politician who's seen such an opportunity and grabbed it. Shame on the Home Secretary for allowing it, but it's no surprise when Tories support Tories.

“There's clearly also a democratic deficit here because he was elected PCC not Police Crime & Fire & Rescue Commissioner.

“Campion has no more experience in police matters than fire matters. We should let the professionals get on with their jobs and stop politicians interfering in matters that have no place being politically interfered with.”

And Kidderminster-based UKIP MEP James Carver said: “It is very disappointing that the fears of all the local councils, the police and crime panel and Fire Brigades Union that this merger would not deliver economic efficient or effective emergency services have been ignored.

“To have governance in the hands of a directly elected political figurehead, from whichever party, provides no political balance or democratic safeguards.”