13 September 2002
Professor Sir George Bain, the president and vice chancellor of Queen's University in Belfast, will lead the review into the fire service's 'organisation and management'. Bain will also examine firefighters' pay and its 'affordability across the economy'. The review is likely to last two to three months.
The employers said they welcomed the wide-ranging terms of the review and although they would not be bound by its final recommendations, would pay close attention to it. 'There may be things that local authorities don't welcome but that is the nature of an independent review,' said a spokesman.
But ministerial and employers' hopes that the review could avert strike action have been dashed. The FBU reiterated this week that it will not take part in the review and was recalling its annual conference in Manchester as Public Finance went to press.
Several areas have said they back a strike.
PFsep2002