THE fight to prevent a police takeover of the region’s fire service has so far cost taxpayer’s at least £37,000 in legal fees, latest figures have revealed.

Legal challenges against the decision to transfer control of the Hereford and Worcester Fire Service to West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner John Campion was thrown out last year.

Hereford and Worcester was one of several fire authorities seeking a judicial review of the ruling by former Home Secretary Amber Rudd which would have seen the governance of the service handed over to police and crime commissioners instead of councillors.

Mr Campion had put forward a plan which he claimed would save £4 million a year.

However, a separate legal challenge against the takeover continues.

Fire authorities have challenged whether the Home Secretary should have reviewed the previous decisions made about joint governance. They say it should be reviewed due to a number of changes since the takeover decision was taken including the breakup of the alliance between West Mercia Police and Warwickshire Police.

The ‘divorce settlement’ which was finally agreed in April will cost West Mercia Police around £10.5 million.

Fire authority treasurer Martin Reohorn said the cost of the judicial review against the Home Secretary’s decision had risen to £37,000.

Nigel Snape, head of the authority’s legal services, said: “Let’s address the point head on. The amount we’ve spent in relation to the judicial review, which is part of that cost, is £37,000. The remainder of the costs relate to some employment tribunal cases we had.”

Fire authority chairman Roger Phillips said the cost figures had been given at a previous meeting.

Chief fire officer Nathan Travis said they had no indication as to when the current governance challenge would be resolved.

“There is a PCC election in May next year and I believe the current PCC in their manifesto will be identifying that they wish to take over governance of the two fire and rescue services and if that election is successful for the PCC then obviously they would have a political mandate in order to achieve that.”

Chairman Roger Phillips said: “It is for him to go and get the mandate from the people to take over the two fire services which the four authorities consistently do not want to happen.

“When he does that, he will have a mandate from the electorate to do that.

“In the meantime, we are appointed for the governance and stewardship of this service.”