96-hour shifts and massive reductions in response times likely
Proposed budget cut of over £4 million will ‘devastate’ fire and rescue services in Mid and West Wales, firefighters have said.
Senior managers at Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service presented the fire authority with a range of options at a meeting last week.
Fire Brigades Union secretary for Mid and West Wales, Barrie Davies, who attended the meeting, said: “These cuts will put the lives of the public and firefighters at risk.
“Our service has been cut every year for the last ten years, and yet again it’s the front line which will bear the brunt.
“The Welsh Government must recognise fire services now face a severe funding crisis, and invest in Mid and West Wales to stop the slowing of response times and provide the quality of service that communities in Mid and West Wales deserve.”
The service argues savings are necessary as the Welsh Government passes on cuts to local authorities from the comprehensive spending review.
The service is facing £2.6 million of cuts in the next financial year, with another £1.5 million scheduled for the year after.
The options for cuts presented at the meeting were:
– Closing Knighton, Montgomery, Pontyates and Cymmer fire stations with the loss of all four fire engines.
– Closing Pontarddulais and Gorseinon fire stations and replacing them with one new fire station with a loss of one fire engine.
– Removing every full-time firefighter from Pembroke Dock, Milford Haven and Ammanford fire stations and replacing them with part-time cover.
– Downgrading Morriston, Port Talbot and Neath fire stations from 24-hour shift stations to day-crewed stations (causing particular delays at night).
– Changing to the crewing system at Swansea Central and Swansea West fire stations from 24-hour shift stations to a self-rostered crewing arrangement, which could see firefighters working 96-hour shifts.
– Merging Swansea command area with Neath Port Talbot as well as Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion into one, ensuring fewer senior officers available to respond to serious incidents.
Fire authority members also discussed the possibility of removing their ‘no redundancy’ policy.
Senior managers are also considering merging South Wales control room with Mid and West Wales and relocating it to the Bridgend headquarters of South Wales Police.
Ends
For more information, contact Barrie Davies on 07742 216047 or FBU Mid and West Wales
Regional Secretary Cerith Griffiths on 07827 300089. Alternatively contact the press office on 02084 811 505 (will divert) or [email protected].
Notes
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