This item is included at the request of a number of members. The Deputy Chief Fire Officer will be in attendance.
Minutes:
Following a request for this item by Councillor Bray and signed by five further councillors, Mr Lunn, Deputy Chief Fire Officer, attended the meeting to present information on the consultation being undertaken by the Fire & Rescue Service in relation to proposed cuts. During discussion following the presentation, the following points were raised:
· The high attendance at the consultation event held at Hinckley Fire Station
· Concern for Fire & Rescue Service staff at risk of redundancy
· The difficulties of providing a service with fewer staff
· The continued reduction in emergencies over the last ten years and the risk that there would come a time when numbers could reduce no further
· The importance of the public responding to the consultation
· The advances in technology having gone some way to improve services and offset cuts
· The importance of education, particularly in schools, in improving fire safety.
Mr Lunn was thanked for his presentation and for providing an exceptional service with frontline staff over many years.
In response to questions raised and points made, Mr Lunn provided the following responses:
· A co-ordination centre had been established following the 2001 attack on the World Trade Centre to enable mobilisation of resources from across the country
· The potential loss of 80 part time staff and eight full time would be in addition to the 80 jobs cut as part of last year’s consultation and reorganisation
· Where possible, staff would be redeployed rather than made redundant
· Service standards of a vehicle (and in most cases more than one) would be in attendance at an emergency in under ten minutes.
Members felt it important to note that, whilst some stations were losing one of their two fire engines which was being replaced with a fast response vehicle, Hinckley was losing one which would not be replaced. Concern was expressed and Mr Lunn agreed to feed it back as part of the consultation.
Councillor Bray suggested that, in addition to encourage the public to respond and councillors responding as individuals, the Council should provide a response to the consultation. Seconded by Councillor Bill, Councillor Bray proposed the following MOTION:
“(a) This Council expresses serious concern about the severe cuts to funding of our emergency services;
(b) This Council resolves to respond to the Combined Fire Authority’s consultation by expressing serious concerns over planning reductions in emergency cover including closure of two stations and removal of 11 fire engines including on call engines at Hinckley and Coalville.”
Councillor Bray along with six further members stood to request that voting be recorded on this motion.
Councillor Morrell requested a five-minute adjournment at this juncture. The meeting therefore adjourned at 8.00pm.
The meeting reconvened at 8.07pm.
Councillor Morrell, seconded by Councillor Bessant, proposed an AMENDMENT to the motion that matter be referred to the Scrutiny Commission to agree the exact wording of the Council’s response to the consultation. The amendment was supported and the motion, as amended, was put to the vote.
Councillors Allen, Bessant, Bill, Boothby, Bray, Camamile, Cartwright, Cook, DS Cope, GAW Cope, Hodgkins, Kirby, Ladkin, Lay, Morrell, Nickerson, O’Shea, Richards, Roberts, Smith, Sutton, Williams and Witherford voted FOR the motion (23).
There were no (0) votes against the motion and no abstentions.
The motion was therefore CARRIED and it was
RESOLVED –
(i) This Council expresses serious concern about the severe cuts to funding of our emergency services;
(ii) This Council resolves to respond to the Combined Fire Authority’s consultation by expressing serious concerns over planning reductions in emergency cover including closure of two stations and removal of 11 fire engines including on call engines at Hinckley and Coalville;
(iii) The matter be referred to the Scrutiny Commission to finalise the formal response to the consultation.