Dear Brother/Sister

CONTROL REGIONALISATION – NEW PARLIAMENTARY INQUIRY

The Parliamentary Select Committee for Communities and Local Government has agreed to undertake an inquiry into the Government’s plans for the regionalisation of Emergency Fire Controls (the FiReControl Programme).  Select Committees are important Parliamentary bodies which oversee the work of Government.  In particular, their role in relation to Government departments (such as CLG) is to examine spending, administration and policy. They occasionally examine particular areas of policy and the CLG Select Committee has now agreed to examine key issues surrounding Control regionalisation.

The inquiry will consider:

• progress with the project so far;

• the reasons for the cost and time overruns which the project has experienced; and

• what, if any changes, need to be made to the Government’s plans for proceeding with the project.

The Committee will consider oral and written evidence in February next year and interested parties are invited to make written submissions.  In addition to this inquiry, the project is also being examined by the National Audit Office in relation to the management of the programme, including procurement arrangements.

Both of these inquiries will be welcomed by FBU members. They provide a further, important opportunity to explain our concerns about the regionalisation project and the threat it poses to our Service.

There can be little doubt that the campaigning undertaken by FBU members over the past few years has played a key role in ensuring these inquiries are conducted. The FBU has consistently exposed the failings of the project and our recent lobby of Parliament very successfully brought the issues home to many MPs. I have no doubt that these inquiries will confirm the concerns expressed by the FBU in recent years. They will therefore provide further opportunities for Government to accept the failings within the project and to change direction by scrapping it.

The Union will be making submissions to the inquiries and work on this has already begun. Further information will be circulated as necessary.

Best wishes.

Yours fraternally


MATT WRACK
GENERAL SECRETARY
MW/sll