Lib Dems call on Leicestershire County Council to withdraw planned fire service cuts

Lib Dems to urge council to explore alternative saving options like selling £11m HQ. Credit: ITV News Central

Liberal Democrats have called an 'extraordinary meeting' of the County Council this morning in response to the Combined Fire Authority's (CFA) consultation on further cutbacks to the Fire Service.

These proposed cutbacks include:

  • The removal of 11 fire engines - a third of the total currently in operation.

  • The loss of a large number of firefighters.

  • The closure of Kibworth Station and Central Fire Station.

  • The replacement of three fire engines based at Coalville, Melton Mowbray and Billesdon with "Tactical Response Vehicles" and the removal of a fire engine from Hinckley and Loughborough fire stations.

The Lib Dems will use the meeting to call on the CFA to withdraw the measures and to explore alternative savings, such as selling the £11m HQ in Birstall which is only partially occupied.

They claim that the issue needs to be raised at County Hall, due to the lack of scrutiny process in the Fire Authority decision-making process.

The Fire Brigade Union has issued warnings that these cutbacks will increase the risk to Leicestershire residents by increasing response times, particularly the time taken to get crews and resources to safely carry out a rescue.

In the past few days these concerns have been echoed by a collection of retired station officers and operational staff.

They will also be left with far fewer resources to deal with large scale disasters, such as large chemical fires. While such incidents are rare, should one happen, the FBU warn that it could stretch their resources too far to safely deal with the problems they face.