Cornwall: County to meet fire minister over fire brigade cuts

At the County Council meeting today Councillor Ken Yeo, Executive Member for Public Protection, announced that the council will be calling for a meeting with the Fire Minister Parmjit Dhanda MP - reports the Falmouth Packet.

County Councillors wish to meet with the Fire Minister to discuss the funding issues for Cornwall County Fire Brigade.

Ken Yeo made the announcement during his response to Councillor Denis Dent (Newquay West) who had asked what measures were being taken to ensure a fully maintained fire service, not only at Falmouth and Camborne but also in Newquay.

Councillor Ken Yeo said: "Cornwall County Council will be calling for a delegation, in consultation with local MPs, to demand a meeting with the Fire Minister to discuss funding issues for Cornwall County Fire Brigade"

He continued: "We need to ensure that the Fire Service provides a service across the County which is not only a secure and responsive service but also one which works within the financial resources given to it by the County Council.

"This is dependant upon the level of Government funding the council receives. At this stage the Government shows no interest in making any financial exception for Cornwall's Fire Service, however the demographics of Cornwall are unique.

"This is something we wish to present to the Minister when we take the delegation to Parliament"

Cornwall: Fire crews use coffin to highlight closure risks

A symbolic black coffin was carried through the streets of Truro as a stark warning that people will die if cuts are made to the fire service in Falmouth and Camborne - reports the Falmouth Packet.

The shocking imagery was used as part of a protest march involving hundreds of fire fighters, who were campaigning against proposals to cut 24-hour fire cover at the Falmouth and Camborne stations.

Firemen from Falmouth and Camborne were joined by colleagues from across the south west, as far as Gloucestershire, Somerset and the West Midlands, as well as members of the public in the march from Union Place to Lemon Quay last Thursday (May 31).

Many were carrying placards and posters drawing attention to the proposed closures by Cornwall county council.

The council wants to end overnight staffing at Camborne and Falmouth, the county's only stations that are manned around the clock, in order to balance a budget shortfall across the whole of the council.

However, removing the full-time overnight fire fighters from the stations would increase the time taken for the engine to reach a fire by dangerous levels - possibly up to seven or eight minutes longer.

The plans have been opposed by the Fire Brigades' Union, which led the rally through Truro. The union has said the move would lead to an increased likelihood of injuries.

Sean Taylor, Fire Brigade Union representative for the fire headquarters in Truro, said: "The bottom line is that council tax payers, when they dial 999 and ask for a fire engine all they want is for a fire engine to turn up with qualified firemen onboard.

"With what the county council are proposing that won't be guaranteed. If you take fire engines out the equation lives are going to be lost" he added.

The march took place on the same day as members of the county council's scrutiny committee met to discuss the draft Fire Brigade Service Plan 2007/2010, which is aimed at ensuring that every council service uses its resources effectively. The plan includes the proposals to cut the 24-hour cover.

Chief fire officer Matt Littmoden said: "One of the objectives included in the plan is changing the emergency cover provision at Falmouth and Camborne fire stations. Fire fighters would no longer be on station 24 hours a day. Full time fire fighters would be at the station during the day and at night time retained fire fighters would provide the emergency cover. I have had to recommend this objective because I had to make savings.

"The downgrading of Falmouth and Camborne is purely a consequence of the budget and it is the least worst option" he added.

Hertfordshire: Fire service 'at breaking point'

A leading firefighter has warned resources in Hertfordshire are now at "breaking point" following cuts and closures across the county - reports the Watford Observer.

Tony Smith, secretary of Herts Fire Brigade Union, has spoken out against Hertfordshire County Council's decision to close Radlett and Bovingdon fire stations last year and warned more cuts to the service would leave it dangerously short.

He said: "Our chief says there are going to be more cuts coming. The cracks are starting to show because the cuts have been too deep and it is time to bring back those two stations and invest something in the service."

Figures released by the county council this week show on top of fires within the county border, Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue services attended 852 incidents in neighbouring counties between July and December last year.

Crews from neighbouring counties were called into Hertfordshire 171 times.

However, the county council maintains the number of call-outs is decreasing with crews in Hertfordshire attending 15,971 incidents in 2001/2, compared to 12,460 call-outs last year.

However, on Tuesday a petition containing a signature from almost every resident in Radlett was delivered to the county council demanding the village station reopen.

Stephen Oakes-Monger, of Park Road, Radlett spent two months knocking on every door in Radlett collecting almost 7,000 signatures.

The 48-year-old said: "It is an overwhelming condemnation of the county council's decision to close the fire station."

In the past two months there have been four fires in Radlett. And in March, an aerial ladder platform had to be called from Luton to attend a fire in The Heath, but took so long that the blaze was out before it arrived.

It is also alleged that, on at least one occasion, crews coming from across the county could not find their way to the fires in the village.