Deadline for fire cuts talks is extended
Fire chiefs have agreed to extend a public consultation on more than £3million of proposed cuts.
A 10-week survey on the plans, which would see widespread changes for firefighters across Tyne and Wear, was due to finish on January 14.
But following pressure from unions and the public, bosses have now agreed to extend it by a two weeks.
Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Authority (TWFRA) vice-chairman and Newcastle City Council leader Nick Forbes claimed Government “chaos” had presented an opportunity for an extension after ministers failed to confirm how much cash will be available for firefighters next year.
He told yesterday’s fire authority meeting: “We had hoped to know where we are financially last week, when we were due to get the [Government’s] financial setStation tlement. We know why we haven’t got it, which is because the Government is in chaos, so we have a period of uncertainty about the future.
“If we extend the consultation period, we also ask people who might be interested in submitting a response to not hold off.”
From next year, TWFRA expects it will have lost almost a fifth of its budget – £11.3million – since 2010.
And by 2021/22, it is predicting a gap in its finances of up to £3.6million.
The three proposals it is consulting on could save about £3.3million if all the suggested measures we implemented. Plans include: Moving a fire engine from Washington Community Fire Station to Sunderland Central Community Fire Station;
to part-time staffing at Hebburn Community Fire Station, with evening cover provided from South Shields;
fire engine at Farringdon Community Fire becoming part-time
This could also see the loss of up to 70 jobs, but the authority has insisted this is not expected to require redundancies.
Assistant Chief Fire Officer Alan Robson said: “This puts pressure on the closing date for the analysis of the consultation and time for feedback to the fire authority.
“That would potentially delay reporting to the March authority meeting, if that analysis can’t be done in time.”
The Fire Brigades Union secretary Russ King said: “We asked from the start about this being extended to take into account Christmas and we’re pleased the fire authority has started to listen to the FBU and its members.”