FIRE chiefs have announced they have no plans to turn their backs on the newly formed cross-county border fire service - despite calls from the leader of Wiltshire Council to do so.

Speaking in the House of Lords, council leader Jane Scott called for Wiltshire’s fire and rescue service to instead be partnered with the county’s police force. This comes just six months after Wiltshire Fire and Rescue merged with the fire service in Dorset in a bid to save millions of pounds.

But chairman of Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Authority, councillor Rebecca Knox, said: "The Policing and Crime Bill is currently in the House of Lords and, as such, there are some issues which the Government is taking to the debate as a result of consultation with police, fire and health colleagues.

“Greater collaboration is most welcome where local communities benefit, particularly in terms of safety, service and prevention work.

"Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service resulted from greater collaboration and went further to combine two fire and rescue authorities and services, saving over £6m per annum as a result, and we continue to work with other partners within health, social services, adult and children services as well of course as the police.

“Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Authority has responded to each stage of consultation on the Policing and Crime Bill, either with DCLG or the Home Office, through its representative body at the Fire Commission, or through the officer body CFOA.

“There are absolutely no plans to change our governance arrangements or key parts of the service in relation to the PCC debate.

"We continue to look at our committee structures to ensure they are fully supporting our Service.

"We have already held a number of meetings of the new Authority, Policy & Resources, Finance & Audit and in particular Local Performance & Scrutiny Committees, where we are clearly demonstrating the levels of operational effectiveness and financial savings that we forecast as the basis for our combination.”