WILTSHIRE’S chief fire officer Simon Routh-Jones has missed out on the top job of the soon-to-be-merged Wiltshire and Dorset service.

The post has gone to the CFO of Dorset Darran Gunter, who will take over as the chief fire officer designate of the new force from April next year.

Mr Gunter 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.”

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.”