‘Bare bones’ fire service’s £3m cuts bid

A FIRE service planning savings as it faces a £3million budget shortfall has already been “cut to the bone”, unions warn.

Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue plans to cut around 70 jobs by 2022.

Proposals also include relocating some appliances to stations in Newcastle, Sunderland, North and South Tyneside.

Chief fire officer Chris Lowther said resources had to be put where there was the “greatest risk”.

But the Fire Brigades Union said: “These cuts will be a depletion of an already cut-to-the-bone service. Theresa May stood up and said austerity was over. That clearly is not the case in Tyne and Wear.”