CHAIRMAN of the Hereford and Worcester Fire Authority Cllr Derek Prodger has been re-elected to the post for another year.

Earlier this year your Worcester News revealed Cllr Prodger had agreed the spending of £3,000 of taxpayer's money on a private back operation for the chief fire officer Mark Yates, who has since handed the money back.

Although Labour member Cllr RIchard Udall was also nominated for the post at a meeting of the authority on Monday, June 9, members voted 15 to seven to re-elect Cllr Prodger to the post.

Deputy chairman Brigadier Peter Jones was also re-elected to his post after no other nominations were made.

The decision to authorise the payment was made at a meeting of four councillors. Cllr Udall voted against, Cllr Prodger and Jones voted for.

  • In today's Worcester News our story should have made it clear that the money was paid back by the chief fire officer Mark Yates. We apologise that this was inadvertently omitted.