An early day motion has been tabled over fears that proposals could lead to lack of expertise when holding the authority to account.
The motion, tabled by Coventry South MP Jim Cunningham, criticised plans to transfer governance of the West Midlands Fire Service from the Fire Authority to the West Midlands Combined Authority.
Former managing director of John Lewis Andy Street is currently the West Midlands mayor.
A spokesman for Cunningham told PF: “[Proposals] are not ensuring that fire officers’ expertise is being used in holding the authority to account.”
“Governance needs to ensure that this expertise is listened to, because they are the ones that are out on the beat every day”.
The motion, signed by 14 cross-party MPs, said: “Firefighters themselves and other expert bodies, such as the Fire Brigades Union, [should] be included within the process of holding those who govern fire services to account.”.
Produced yesterday, the motion calls on the government to amend or withdraw the draft statutory instrument transferring the responsibility of fire governance in the West Midlands.
