PLANS for police and crime commissioner Clive Grunshaw to assume responsibility for fire service governance have been shelved.

Currently, Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service is overseen by the Combined Fire Authority, a cross-party committee made up of members from Lancashire County Council, Blackpool Council and Blackburn with Darwen Council.

The Government legislated last year to allow PCCs to take over the role of local fire authorities where a local case for the change could be made.

Following that, Mr Grunshaw approved proposals to draw up business cases for two new models which would see changes to the way the fire service was governed.

The first of the two potential new governance models would have seen Mr Grunshaw become police, fire and crime commissioner for Lancashire and have responsibility for governance of the service.

The second would have involved the appointment of a single employer model where a chief officer would be appointed as head of fire and police in Lancashire.

Under this model, there would continue to be separate funding streams for police and fire.

Responsibility for scrutiny would have fallen to the police, fire and crime commissioner, though driving collaboration between the services would be the remit of the chief officer.

But fire service bosses say the plan has been shelved.

Lancashire fire service deputy chief fire officer Justin Johnston said: “Our understanding is that Mr Grunshaw no longer has an interest in taking over the governance of the fire and rescue service but he does want to see close collaboration.

“That’s very true of the fire authority as well - they will look for opportunities to collaborate and be efficient and effective.

“We are starting from a really good point. We are already demonstrating that we do lots of collaboration and we are efficient and effective. That has been borne out in the recent HMICFRS inspection.”

Mr Grunshaw said: “In May 2018, following new laws on emergency service collaboration and in line with other parts of the country, I commissioned an independent review of the options for the future of how Lancashire Fire and Rescue service is governed, to see if there was a more effective way that could help protect frontline services.

“However, after careful consideration and stakeholder consultation on a draft business case, I have taken the decision not to proceed with any changes."