Fire chiefs’ cuts fear

FIRE chiefs took their concerns over funding to the Cambridgeshire service to the House of Commons yesterday.

Fire services bosses, who have to find £4.2 million in savings, met with a number of MPS from around the county, including Peterborough MP Stewart Jackson, Steve Barclay and Julian Huppert.

Among the fire service team were Graham Stagg, chief fire officer, plus other senior officers and Roy Pegram, chairman of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Fire Authority. They were accompanied by representatives of the Fire Brigades Union.

Afterwards, Mr Stagg, said: “This is the third time we have met with local MPS on this subject over the past year and we feel it is time well spent.

“It is incredibly important that our local MPS understand the impact that the budget cuts are having on Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service and also that they understand how and why we are planning to implement those cuts.

“Thanks to past meetings, our MPS have been able to raise the profile of CFRS and how it is struggling to meet budget cuts.

“The support of our local MPS can only help our battle to seek a fairer funding arrangement in future years.”

Fire chiefs will outline their spending plans to Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Fire Authority at a meeting on Thursday.

They fear that if cuts of more than £4.2 million have to be made work will have to start to reducing frontline services.”