Combined fire service for Hampshire and Isle of Wight is put on hold

PLANS to combine fire services in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight have been delayed by the Home Office.
By david.george1
Published 18th Jul 2019, 09:38 BST
Updated 18th Jul 2019, 09:39 BST

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The fire services were due to merge in April next yearThe fire services were due to merge in April next year
The fire services were due to merge in April next year

Hampshire and the Isle of Wight’s fire services were due to merge in April 2020, but the island’s council has been told that the Home Office needs more time to prepare the merger.

The merger would provide an extra £460,000 per year for the service, with fire stations on the Isle of Wight brought up the Hampshire’s high standards.

Now, the combined authority is expected to launch in 2021.

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Hampshire’s chief fire officer, Neil Odin, said: ‘We remain totally focused on delivering this important initiative and will now need to review the programme plan we have recently constructed together.

‘The additional 12 months that this will run for will provide an opportunity for us to more closely align our services in advance of the CFA going live than was otherwise going to be possible.

‘The project plans will now be changed to meet the needs of our new timeline.’

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