Local government

The centre of Sunderland will lose its fire station – and Tyne and Wear will lose a total of three fire stations and an estimated 130 jobs – unless the fire authority can be made to react to overwhelming public opinion and reverse decisions that will put the public and firefighters at risk...

Tory-controlled Swindon Council last night (22 Jan) called on the government to resume talks with the FBU to work out a settlement to our dispute that will offer fair, equitable and sustained pensions appropriate to the firefighters’ occupation. Councillors were lobbied on their way into the meeting...

Leicestershire firefighters have said it is their moral duty to fight proposals to cut services in the county after Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service published its Integrated Risk Management Plan. The ‘Proposals for Change’ document contains several proposals that would cut three fire engines...

Staffordshire fire authority could stop frontline cuts to the local fire and rescue service through a minimal increase in council tax funding of 2.5p a week. The fire authority has had its allocation of funding from council tax frozen over the past four years and the financial year 2015 – 16 could...

Essex firefighters and 999 control staff will begin strike action at 09.00 today (Wednesday) in their continuing fight against huge frontline cuts to the fire and rescue service in Essex. Essex County Fire and Rescue Authority (ECFRA) plan to cut at least 179 firefighters and control staff resulting...