Lib Dems to Reject Management Plans to Cut Front-Line Fire Services (South East Cambridgeshire Liberal Democrats)

South East Cambridgeshire Liberal Democrats <info@secambslibdems.org.uk>

Lib Dems to Reject Management Plans to Cut Front-Line Fire Services

May 24, 2011 9:07 PM

Despite Cambridgeshire Fire Authority revealing potential cuts which meet the government's saving targets for the county without hitting front-line cover, the Lib Dems fear front-line emergency services are still at risk.

They are worried by a management plan for cuts over and above government imposed targets which could see the closure of rural stations and the removal of fire appliances. This could result in an "unacceptably poor level of emergency response", they say.

The management paper is to be presented for a decision at the next meeting of the Fire Authority on May 26.

The paper, outlining potential cuts over the next four years, states that if the extra money saved from cutting front-line services were not needed to balance the books it could be reinvested in front-line services to bring overall improvements.

But worried Liberal Democrats claim that they have seen no business case for this and that the level of detail provided is "wholly insufficient to make a judgement".

They are calling on Cambridgeshire Fire Authority Chairman, Roy Pegram, to lobby government Fire Minister, Bob Neill for fairer funding for the county.

Despite being 'the cheapest fire service per head of population in the country', Cambridgeshire has taken the maximum cut in central government funding.

"We are encouraged by the fact that £4 million savings have been found which appear toleave frontline services largely untouched," said Nigel Bell, Liberal Democrat Leader on the Fire Authority, "but we are concerned that management is recommending savings over and above this, that directly impact on the front-line.

"There is no place for the cutting of front-line services to be included in the savings proposals. It is vital that we maintain the highest level of emergency cover we can to protect our residents, particularly while there are other opportunities to save money such as closer working with other fire authorities, reducing the costs of senior management and procurement."

The Lib Dems are concerned because the paper, outlining management's recommended savings in the county fire service, states that one of the main risks is that inflation will continue at four per cent or even higher leaving the county's fire service to find another £1 million worth of savings.

"We cannot accept that a higher than predicted level of inflation should result in cuts to front line services," added Cllr Bell.

"If inflation is above target, then the planned 2.5 per cent increases for the next four years, as set by this year's budget, will need revisiting and government imposed caps will require resetting. The 'cheapest fire service in the country' should at least be keeping its remaining service budget in line with inflation."