North East fire chiefs hit out at budget cuts

Jan 3 2011 by Adrian Pearson, The Journal

FIRE chiefs have hit out after "unreasonable" Government cuts left a North East authority facing the worst budget reduction in the country.

The Tyne and Wear Fire Authority is struggling to cope with the multi-million pound cuts and faces the possibility of reducing the number of fire engines.

The brigade has accused the Government of “perversely” targeting poorer areas while leaving well-off Tory patches relatively unhurt.

Over the next two years, more than £4m will go from the service and even deeper cuts are expected to be ordered after that. Brigade bosses say unless ministers see sense and change their funding settlement, frontline services will be hit.

Iain Bathgate, chief officer for Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service, has already said job losses are “inevitable”.

At 12.9%, the fire brigade’s cut for the next two years is almost double the national average.

Members of the fire authority are to write to ministers pleading with them to see sense.

They warn that it is “perverse that the richer authorities are to receive more cash funding than those with the greatest need”.

Alan McLean, the national president of the Fire Brigades Union and formerly the North East’s executive council member, said: “I wish more authorities would follow Tyne and Wear’s example and speak out about this, because they are having their ability to perform taken away with them, and I agree whole- heartedly with what Tyne and Wear are doing and saying.

“This is grossly unfair, the impact of which is grossly underestimated and it will be devastating for many.”

The authority says it is “extremely concerned at the very high level of formula grant reductions” in which Tyne and Wear is “the worst affected fire authority in the country”.

Officers warn “it is inevitable that these unexpected, front-loaded cuts will impact on front line services unless grant funding is increased”.

Newcastle councillor Nick Forbes, who chairs the Fire Authority committee, said: “I’m extremely concerned about the impact of the cuts on fire and rescue services in Tyne and Wear.

“While our funding is being slashed, some areas in the South are actually getting an increase.

“That’s hardly fair and shows the Government has an agenda to distribute resources away from the North East.

“My colleagues and I are working hard to minimise the impact of these cuts, but we’ve already made virtually all the efficiencies we can and are faced with the awful prospect of having to consider reducing the number of fire engines.

“We are lobbying the Government hard in the hope they change their minds even at this late stage.”

The Tyne and Wear Fire Authority will discuss the cuts, and agree a response to Government, later this month.