Though there are some small efficient fire and rescue services, having 40 plus separate services does not on the face of it appear to be the most effective way of delivering the service in England. However, without proper political support, fire and rescue services, who operate under different legislative structures, whether combined, county, metropolitan or LFEPA will not be able to merge. It is certainly unlikely that an English Fire and Rescue Service will appear anytime soon, and the issues faced by merging with other emergency services are significantly more complex than the ones faced by the two Sussex services. If the new Fire Minister wants to see merged services, he will have to force his political will on CLG and the Treasury to enable them to happen.
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