Cleveland firefighters’ plan to take ownership of their brigade and run it as a mutual business will receive £95,000 backing from the £10m Mutual Support Programme, Minister for the Cabinet Office Francis Maude has announced.
The funding will provide specialist business expertise to move the plan for Britain’s first ‘John Lewis style’ Fire Brigade a step closer to reality.
As a mutual, Cleveland Fire Brigade will be owned by its employees and will provide fire and rescue services under contract to the local fire authority. Employees will have a high degree of control in how the fire brigade is run, giving them more power over how they do their jobs and the ability to expand their services by bidding for new business.
There are already 58 mutuals operating in other services such as health and social care. Evidence shows that giving employees ownership of their service boosts productivity and innovation, meaning better, more efficient public services.
Minister for the Cabinet Office, Francis Maude, said: “If a fire brigade can spin itself out as a mutual business, it shows there are few no-go areas of public service where this innovative approach to delivery cannot reach.”