Firefighters Demand Senior Officers Come Clean On Axing Bucks Emergency 999 Fire Control

THE FIRE BRIGADESUNION For immediate release:  Monday 21st November Firefighters Demand Senior Officers Come Clean On Axing Bucks Emergency 999 Fire Control The Fire Brigades Union is demanding a full public consultation over fire authority plans to axe Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service emergency 999 fire service command and control centre.   At its meeting on the 28th September the Fire Authority took the decision, behind closed doors, to commence the process of outsourcing the Aylesbury based emergency 999 control room to Cambridgeshire, over 50 miles away.  A number of other options were dismissed without the evidence being made public or any consultation taking place.   Regional FBU Control official Andy Cooper said “The Fire…

FBU response to plans to axe Buckinghamshire fire control centre

FIRE BRIGADES UNION IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 6 October 10 2011 FBU response to plans to axe Buckinghamshire fire control centre FBU regional secretary Ricky Mathews said: “Those who work in Buckinghamshire fire service command and control centre have been told their work is to be outsourced to Cambridgeshire with the loss of 20 posts. It is very unhelpful that this was communicated to many of them by letters delivered to their homes by taxi. “It is also unhelpful that the fire authority insists on discussing theses issue behind closed doors rather than in public as it could and should, but this announcement came as a real surprise. Feelings are running very high across the service because…

Conservative group block debate on future of Isle of Wight fire control

Conservative group block debate on future of Isle of Wight fire control   In an astonishing show of contempt for democracy and the safety of Island residents, at the full council meeting held on Wednesday 15th June, the Island’s conservative group succeeded in blocking a debate from taking place that could have seen the decision to transfer the IOW Fire Control to Surrey Fire and Rescue Service reversed and the vital service remain on the Island.   Labour Councillor Geoff Lumley moved a motion that would have seen the jobs of 12 island firefighters saved and prevented Island council tax and business rate payers being forced to pay for emergency 999 calls being answered and…

FBU CONDEMN RELEASE OF DELEGATED DECISION REPORT ON ISLAND’S FIRE CONTROL BEING OUTSOURCED TO SURREY FIRE SERVICE

THE FIRE BRIGADES UNION MEDIA RELEASE: Embargoed until 00.01hrs, Thursday 21 April 2011   FBU CONDEMN RELEASE OF DELEGATED DECISION REPORT ON ISLAND’S FIRE CONTROL BEING OUTSOURCED TO SURREY FIRE SERVICE Fire Brigades Union officials have strongly condemned the release of the Delegated Decision Report, issued on Friday 15th April, which recommends the outsourcing of the answering of emergency fire calls to Surrey Fire and Rescue Service’s control room in Reigate. The decision would see Island council tax payers paying £216,000 for emergency 999 calls being answered by Surrey Fire and Rescue Service some 70 miles from the Island with the loss of vital local knowledge. The paper invites comments from Councillors over a ten day period; however, with…

Berkshire FBU Members Join TUC March Against Cuts

Immediate Release -22nd March 2011     Berkshire FBU Members Join TUC March Against Cuts     Fire Brigades Union members from across Berkshire will be heading for London this Saturday (26th March) to add their voice to the call to halt damaging cuts that are being inflicted on public services across the country by the conservative led government austerity measures.   Fifty Berkshire FBU members will join tens of thousands of  people from across the UK to show support for all areas of the public sector that are being devastated by job losses and cuts to the essential services they provide.   The march commences on Victoria Embankment at 11am and proceeds to Hyde…

DEFEND OUR FIRE SERVICE: FBU GENERAL SECRETARY TO ADDRESS MASS MEETINGS

THE FIRE BRIGADES UNION For immediate release: 14th March 2011   DEFEND OUR FIRE SERVICE: FBU GENERAL SECRETARY TO ADDRESS MASS MEETINGS On the 21st March firefighters from across the region will be descending upon Buckinghamshire and Hampshire to attend mass meetings organised by the Fire Brigades Union.  FBU General Secretary Matt Wrack will lead a debate highlighting the savage attack on the fire and rescue services and how the FBU can respond on behalf of firefighters and the public to defend our service, which is held in such high regard.   FBU Regional Secretary Ricky Matthews said “Firefighters are drawn to the service with an overwhelming desire to help others and will during their…

SECRET COSTS OF CLOSING IOW EMERGENCY 999 UNCOVERED

THE FIRE BRIGADES UNION For immediate release: 10 March 2011 SECRET COSTS OF CLOSING IOW EMERGENCY 999 UNCOVERED A secret document outlining the costs involved with the permanent closure of the IOW’s only emergency 999 fire control room have been leaked to the Fire Brigades Union.  If approved it would see Isle of Wight council tax-payers subsidising Surrey residents, whilst at the same time see a lesser service for Islanders in future. FBU IOW Control Representative Andrew Cooper said “The lack of foresight, depth and clarity in this report is astounding, given the recent history of the Government wasting £460m+ on the abandoned regional fire control centres over the past eight years. “The Fire Control…

Fire Authority Fails Residents of Berkshire

Fire Authority Fails Residents of Berkshire     Berkshire Fire Authority has agreed to massive cuts in the service it provides to the people of Berkshire and made the frontline even thinner in the County. Instead of firefighters and fire engines, it will spend its money on new back office staff and new buildings.   The Authority agreed a budget cut of £1.4 million that will see –   a reduction to the number of firefighters at Newbury and Windsor a reduced attendance to automatic fire alarms in the County a 27% reduction in the number of operational and specialist officers a delayed attendance to incidents in rural areas the closure of Cookham Fire Station…

Berkshire fire authority back cuts to front line service

Immediate Release – 16th February 2011     Berkshire Fire Authority Management Committee Back Cuts to Fire Service Frontline Resources   The Management Committee of Berkshire’s Fire Authority failed to listen to warnings about the impact of their proposed budget for Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service at a meeting in Reading on Monday night.   The proposed budget will now proceed to a meeting of the full Fire Authority for final approval on Thursday 17th February. If approved Berkshire residents will see:-   • A reduction of the number of fire engines responding to Automatic Fire Alarms. • Delayed response to Low Risk Incidents in rural station areas. • The reduction in the number…

FBU raises concerns over Royal Berkshire Fire Authority budget proposal

FBU raises concerns over Royal Berkshire Fire Authority budget proposals   The proposed budget for Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service will be discussed at the Management Committee meeting of the Fire Authority to be held on Monday 14th February. If approved the budget will proceed to a meeting of the full Fire Authority for final approval on Thursday 17th February. Among the proposals to cut £1,480,000 from the service budget over the next year are:   A reduction of the number of fire engines responding to Automatic Fire Alarms (AFA)- If an AFA call develops into a fire situation the reduced or delayed attendance will limit crews in the actions they can take to…