The following message has come to me from the Bucks Fire Service Union
The issue concerns the outcome of a review of service provision undertaken by Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Fire Authority in accordance with its ‘Public Safety Plan’ (PSP).A decision was recently taken that could result in Aylesbury Fire Station losing two full time fire engines for prolonged periods of time. Importantly, this decision was taken without any public consultation and little or no evidence to fully evaluate the increased level of risk members of the public living in and around the Aylesbury area will now be facing.
I am writing to you as an elected representative to ask for your assistance in addressing this matter in attempt to get Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Fire Authority to re-evaluate this ill conceived proposal and, at the very least, to enable your constituency members to have a voice in this proposal through engagement in a meaningful and informed public consultation process.
A fire and rescue service should be directly answerable to the public it serves particularly when taking decisions that have the potential to increase the level of risk faced by the community.
The review formed part of the Fire Services ‘Public Safety Plan’ (PSP), a risk management planning document the government requires each Fire Authority to produce. I have attached a copy for information. I have also taken the time to formulate a briefing sheet which provides further information and evidence relating to this matter.
The review examined the provision and crewing of the Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service’s (BFRS) Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) team, which currently operates independently of Aylesbury Fire Station and its resources. USAR assist in dealing with the aftermath of major emergencies such as collapsed buildings, natural disasters and terrorist activity.
BFRS currently receives a separate financial grant from central government of just less than one million pounds to fund USAR, including crewing and training costs.
The primary objective of the review was to integrate the USAR function into that of Aylesbury fire station in order to combine the activities of both departments, and to do so without the need for the separate government funding. This would in effect enable BFRS to ease budgetary pressures elsewhere in the organisation by re-distributing the grant funding, and also the money resulting from a cut of 12 FF posts.
Crucially, the review was also expected to develop a system by which the integration of the USAR team would have minimal if any disruption on the ability of Aylesbury to function as a Fire Station for its community. Regrettably, this vital necessity was not achieved in time to meet the requirements of the year’s budget. Effectively what this means is that although the money has been saved there has been no mechanism introduced to limit the impact this integration of functions will have on the full-time fire service provided for the community by Fire fighters at Aylesbury Fire Station.
If the USAR team is mobilised to a local incident (within the Authorities boundaries) to use its specialist equipment to assist for example with a Road Traffic Collision or shoring up of a property, Aylesbury fire station will lose the capacity and resources to crew one full time fire appliance. If USAR is mobilised to a national incident then Aylesbury Fire Station will lose all full time cover for potentially prolonged periods. This clearly increases the level of risk posed to members of public which rely on the services of Aylesbury Fire Station. This change will result in delays for fire appliances to get to incidents where live saving intervention is required. In the fire service time is critical and a five minute delay could have disastrous consequences.
What is most surprising and disappointing about these changes is that the public were not given the opportunity to consult on the outcomes of a review which will have such a substantial impact on the emergency service they receive from their local fire station.
Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Fire Authority face severe financial constraints resulting from this coalition government’s Comprehensive spending review, and is under pressure to introduce changes in order to function with a reduced budget. This is something I both recognise and understand. However, when identifying areas where there may be some scope for savings this must be co-ordinated with a rigorous and robust process to fully comprehend the impact these cost cutting measures will have on service delivery for members of the public. In particular, an evidence based methodical process must be adhered to which clearly measures the increase in the level of risk the public may be exposed to as a result of any decision taken to alleviate financial pressures. The public must then be consulted on such an outcome.
This is an issue which I am sure you will be concerned to discover. If left unchallenged it will undoubtedly lead to a worse service and put your constituents at greater risk. Firefighters and the fire & rescue service are, quite rightly, held in the highest regard by members of the public. I
