A police chief is being given a vote on the Avon Fire Authority after months of concerns about her role and influence.

Sue Mountstevens' spell on the body that oversees the fire and rescue service will only be brief as she is not standing for re-election in May.

Her successor as Avon and Somerset's police and crime commissioner will have to make a fresh bid to join.

Fire authority members debated Ms Mountstevens' application on three previous occasions before finally approving it this week.

Speaking at the meeting on December 16, clerk Amanda Brown said: "An application was received from the PCC for Avon and Somerset on April 28 this year.

"That's nearly eight months old. Quite rightly members wanted clarification on certain questions."

Ms Brown confirmed that whoever is PCC would have a single vote at fire authority – the same as the 20 existing members, who are all elected councillors from across the West of England – and would be appointed until the end of their term in office.

Ms Mountstevens said in her application she wanted to bring her nine years' experience to the table to help the fire authority to deliver an effective and efficient service.

The Avon Fire Brigade Union had warned against "blurring the lines" between trusted firefighters and police officers, who Councillor Cleo Lake said have "fractured relationships" with some communities.

She told the meeting: "Without an extensive consultation it's impossible to determine what views are out there about the police, the PCC or the fire service. While we should be mindful of this, collaboration is usually a good thing."

Fire authority chair Don Davies said there was no proposal for the fire service to collaborate at an operational level with the police, and the PCC's role would be confined to governance.

He added: "Collaboration is a two-way process. When the PCC is sitting in this meeting she can be asked questions by us around the role of the police in a formal public meeting."

Cllr Paul Myers said: "This has gone on long enough. We're in danger of looking a little bit exclusive. Let's get on with it."

Cllr Paul Goggin said the fire authority could take a different view after the PCC election in May.