Fire Authority
Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Authority
The Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Authority (the Authority) is an independent body which has responsibility for ensuring proper governance arrangements and controls are in place to enable the effective exercise of the Authority’s functions and the management of risk. The Authority has functions which are set down in the
Fire
and Rescue Services Act 2004, with the four core functions being:
The Authority is a precepting authority; this means that its net cost, after receiving a Government Grant and a proportions of local business rates, is met by all council tax payers in Bedford Borough, Central Bedfordshire and Luton Borough.
Members
The Authority is made up of councillors (“Members”) appointed to it for the municipal year by its three constituent authorities. Their numbers are proportional to the populations they represent:Once appointed to the Authority, Members represent the community as a whole, not just the area they serve as a local councillor. They serve as a valuable link between communities and the Service. Members are collectively responsible for setting the overall strategic direction of the organisation, including the setting of its budget, promoting its core values and ensuring that the Service is effective, efficient and provides Value for Money.