WILTSHIRE is set to welcome a new chief fire officer ahead of the merger between Wiltshire & Swindon and Dorset fire and rescue services.

Chief fire officer Darran Gunter, the existing chief fire officer (CFO) for the Dorset Fire and Rescue Service, was appointed the CFO Designate of the new merged service following a rigorous selection process.

CFO Gunter will take the lead on the new force from April 1 next year.

He said: “Our combination is by far the most complex and challenging change programme that both services have embarked on.

“We are determined to protect and, where possible, strengthen frontline services and I feel privileged and very proud to work with two such fire and rescue services.

“I am extremely grateful for the continued support from Simon Routh-Jones of Wiltshire and the professional team of members and staff from both services.”

The appointment came following a process involving members of both fire authorities in Swindon and Wiltshire and in Dorset, as well as a team of independent specialist advisors.

Simon Routh-Jones, Chief Fire Officer of Wiltshire FRS, was also in the running for the new job, but missed out.

Mr Routh-Jones said: “My role is very much of a similar nature to what it was. I’m responsible for Wiltshire Fire and Rescue until the combination, obviously, working closely with Darran Gunter, so that we can forge a partnership of equals going forward.”

And he said he was confident one chief fire officer could manage the increased geographical area of the new service.

“In some ways, Dorset and Wiltshire is smaller than Avon and Somerset, so there should be no problem with that if you put together a strategic management structure that can manage the whole area,” he said.

“From north to south, there is quite a distance to go, there are no trains up and down and the roads are not that good, but as long as the structure is in there and the means of communication, it can be done.

“I’m certainly very positive.”

Coun Chris Devine, chairman of Wiltshire & Swindon Combined Fire Authority, and Coun Rebecca Knox, chairman of Dorset Fire Authority, said in a statement: “Darran will continue working closely with elected members on the Joint Committee overseeing the combination, and staff in both Wiltshire and Dorset Fire & Rescue Services, to create a new organisation, its vision, and its future strategies and priorities.

“We are very grateful to Simon Routh-Jones, Chief Fire Officer of Wiltshire FRS, who has been instrumental in the combination strategy, and we would like to thank him for all he has done in getting the project to this stage.

“He will continue to work with Darran to support the process to its conclusion.

“We look forward to continuing our work with Darran, Simon and both fire and rescue services to build and develop a new, unified and successful fire authority."”

The appointment was just the latest step towards the two forces becoming a single body in an attempt to save money and avoid closures amid funding cuts.

Government funding is expected to fall by 50 per cent in the coming years and the merger was agreed in November following a three-month consultation period.

It has been agreed the combined service will be called Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Authority and it will have an equal number of members from each county.