No reduction in fire appliance crewing - as Fire Chief goes back to the drawing board

As one of the Conservative Councillors who vehemently opposed the downsizing of provision at the Goole Fire Station in July 2008, it will come as little surprise that I strongly opposed the general thrust of the proposals to reduce spending by some £7million being put forward by the Humberside Fire Chief to the Humberside Fire Authority members who met this past week.

(picture with David Davis MP on a visit to Goole Fire Station)

The Chief’s plan for the reduction of Fire Appliance crewing down from 5 fire-fighters down to 4 was most contentious - and in this respect I am grateful that the Fire Authority members have listened to what many people said as part of the consultation process, and rejected this key proposal.

Unfortunately my other major concern for changing of the crewing arrangements for specialist appliances attending road traffic collisions, was approved by the Fire Authority members.

But I can accept the proposals for changes to the Command Unit crewing and technical rescue fire station crewing arrangements, and also changes to the Operational Command to give a more flexible duty system.

Fire Chief Frank Duffield is quoted as saying “We have to look at all of the options; I am disappointed the members have chosen to reject some, but I understand they are responding to the consultation. The authority has now tasked me with finding that shortfall, so we will be going back to the drawing board and come up with further suggestions.”

The Government has made it clear that the cuts in public spending following the Comprehensive Spending Review should not, where possible, reduce front line services but rather that savings should be made through further partnership working, cutting back office support, curbing excessive spending and eradicating economic wastage.

“When the Fire Chief goes back to the drawing board I would suggest that instead of looking at cuts to front line services, more emphasis should be given to reducing non-operational officers and by exploring local partnership arrangements with other public services. I hope that lessons are learnt from the scrapping of the plans for a Regional Call Centre in West Yorkshire that the Fire and Rescue Service does not go down the regionalisation route to look for further savings. I believe it is essential that Humberside Fire and Rescue Service look at improved localised partnership working as a driver to cut costs, as stated in their own Strategic Plan.”

Goole Fire Station Provision Cut

Members of Humberside Fire Authority today voted to reduce the fire cover at Goole Fire Station to just a single full time pump. This was on the casting vote of the Chairman of the Fire Authority Cllr Doreen Engall.

This decision will have a detrimental effect on Fire and Rescue provision for Goole, Howden and Howdenshire residents who despite many signing petitions, writing letters and campaigning, are now faced with the likelihood of having to suffer from longer response times in the event of a fire or accident. (please see posts passim). I can only assume Cllr Engall who along with myself represents Howdenshire, in using her casting vote to reduce the fire cover in Goole has been listening to a whole different set of people. I can neither support nor condone her decision, and I firmly disassociate myself from it. I can only hope she is not left to regret her stance on this issue.

Understandably, the authority also voted unanimously to close the retained Station at Sledmere near Driffield.

But there is some good news, because at the same time the Authority voted against plans to close Hull's Central Fire Station, but in favour of an amendment to keep the station open until a new facility is ready in the city center.

Other proposals for stations in North Lincs and North East Lincs were rejected with Authority members calling instead for efficiency savings to be made from non-frontline services.

So North Lincs, North East Lincs, and Hull get away relatively unscathed, BUT the East Riding suffers from the cuts........... Hopefully someone will be able to explain?

Councillors Paul Robinson and Caroline Fox Resign from Fire Service Review Panel

With David Davis MP outside Goole Fire Station

Cllrs Paul Robinson and Caroline Fox have resigned from the ERYC’s Review Panel, which is presently considering the Humberside Fire Brigade’s proposals to re-structure the Brigade locally, in order that they can publicly campaign against the cuts. The proposal is for Goole to replace one of the full-time pumps at Goole with a retained pump.

Paul, said, “After taking evidence on the first day of the panel hearings last Friday, it became apparent that Caroline and I could better represent our local residents by resigning from the panel so that we could publicly oppose the cuts”.

“We believe that members of the Humberside Fire Authority will be playing fast and loose with the safety of our local communities if they vote through the cuts as proposed. Goole Fire Station provides much of the cover for Howdenshire and I now want to campaign publicly with our local MP David Davis, Prospective Goole MP Andrew Percy, the Fire Brigades Union, and local councillors from ALL parties who are also working very hard to fight these cuts”.

Due to the distances involved in getting to rural communities such as Gilberdyke, Rawcliffe and Holme-on-Spalding Moor, our rural communities are even more at risk as a result of these proposals. The response time of the second pump would increase meaning that it could take much longer for that pump to respond.”

Caroline adds, “The evidence we heard on the first day of the panel was so convincingly against the cuts that I personally felt that as my own ward would be deeply affected by the proposals, it would be better if I removed myself from the panel to help assist the campaign to save the two pumps at Goole.

I find it bizarre in the extreme that in just a couple of years the Humberside Fire Brigade has gone from designating parts of rural East Yorkshire according to different risks to designating practically all of our rural communities as low risk. Given the new housing and development that is taking place in our communities I would have thought that the Fire Authority would be looking at improving the fire cover locally, not reducing it.”

Paul and Caroline add, “We feel so strongly about these proposals that we’ve decided we need to speak out on behalf of our local communities. We will now join with Councillors of ALL parties who have opposed these cuts and we hope that our opposition will act as a warning to Councillors on the Fire Authority that our communities will not take proposals to cut our local services lightly. We must all continue to work together to ensure that the Fire Authority sees sense and listen to the massive opposition to these cuts.”

David Davis MP added, "I welcome Paul and Caroline's principles in resigning from the panel, they will now have more time to oppose the ill thought out cuts that are a potential for disaster. These cuts will directly impact on Howden and Howdenshire in my constituency which rely on cover from Goole Fire Station. That is why I am happy to join the campaign against these proposals. I would urge as many local people as possible to make their voices heard on this important issue."