Monday 31 March
08.00hrs
Avon Fire Authority (AFA) has today appointed a Director to the
Local Authority Combined Company (LACC), which will run the South
West Regional Control Centre (RCC) in Taunton.
At a meeting on Friday 28 March AFA Members agreed that as the
project to merge all fire control rooms in the South West moves
into a critical phase, it is time to appoint a Director to
represent the interests of its staff.
Chair of Avon Fire Authority, Councillor Terry Walker, said:
“Today’s decision has been made purely to ensure Avon Fire
Authority has a say in any key decisions being made by the LACC. It
does not mean Avon is signing up to the RCC and no decision on this
will be made until the full business case becomes available in the
summer.
“Currently, no Fire Authority in the region has agreed to sign
up to the RCC project, but so far Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Devon
and Somerset, Dorset and Cornwall have all appointed directors to
the LACC. Avon Fire Authority believes that it must now
become involved to ensure that it can have some influence over the
long term future of the existing control staff."
Avon Fire Authority has always been against the idea of a new
control centre for the South West and originally cited its Lansdown
facilities, near Bath, as a suitable option.
Avon Fire & Rescue Service Chief Fire Officer / Chief
Executive, Kevin Pearson, said: “Whilst there are still concerns
about the RCC project, and in particular about projected costs and
savings, we feel it is important for Avon’s needs and views to be
represented when key decisions about the staff are being made.
“We want to be able to protect the interests of our staff when
decisions on working hours, pensions and terms and conditions of
employment are being made. This decision does not mean Avon Fire
Authority has committed to this
project.”