The Fire Brigades Union have hit back at reports that a petition aimed at saving Cumbria’s 999 Fire Control room has failed. An online e-petition was intended to run along side a more traditional paper petition was submitted without the Unions knowledge to a council meeting last Thursday.
As the online petition had attracted less than 3000 signatures it fell short of the number required to trigger a full council debate. However, the FBU traditional petition has actually attracted over 20,000 signatures and this number is growing daily, more than enough to trigger a debate.
Morven Anson, FBU Cumbria Control Chair said ‘Gary Strong’s claims are an insult to the 20,000 people throughout the county who have so far joined the campaign to save this invaluable local resource. The e-petition was submitted without our knowledge and it may result in us being unable to submit our actual petition next month, as planned.
“Closing down Cumbria’s only fire control room has never been properly debated at a full council meeting. This is an attempt to close down debate and railroad through the changes without them being subject to the scrutiny they deserve.
“The voters of Cumbria deserve more than to be served up the same tired and discredited script about the failed technology of the Government’s regional control project. That was a financial and technology disaster costing taxpayers over £500 million for a system which never worked.
“You cannot treat a safety critical service in this way. We will not have full debate shut down, the public deserves better than this.
“Cheshire plan to make a ‘healthy income’ from this project at the expense of the Cumbrian taxpayer. Gary Strong may claim to have no intention of reversing the decision, but it his duty as a County Councillor to take notice of the public’s views.”
The Fire Brigades Union say they will continue to fight the move to Winsford, Cheshire which is due to happen later this year resulting in a double disruption of the 999 service. They claim with the proposed move to Warrington now brought forward to the end of 2013, to continue with the move to Cheshire would be a waste of taxpayers money, particularly as Cumbria are set to foot the bill for the full cost.
