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5 October 2007
West Yorkshire is hoping to enlist MPs in a battle ‘for the heart and soul’ of the national fire and rescue service.
A Government consultation paper on the future of fire funding threatens to strip away almost £30m. in grant aid from the big seven metropolitan brigades.
In a joint letter to the county’s 23 MPs Councillor Philip Booth, Chair of West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Authority, and Chief Fire Officer Phil Toase argue that the metropolitan brigades represent the ‘heart and soul’ of the fire service, serving nearly 40 per cent of the population.
The proposed changes in local government grant formula are complex but in essence they would:
• penalise the most efficient fire authorities
• move support away from the most deprived communities.
The metropolitan brigades deal with:
- 48 per cent of fire deaths
- 46 per cent of accidental house fires.
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West Yorkshire stands to lose up to £1.3m.
Consultation ends on 10 October 2007.
All seven Chairs, chiefs and finance officers have signed the protest.
“We serve the most vulnerable and deprived of our inner city communities who are patently at greatest risk from fire and our specialist skills and knowledge also provide the backbone for national resilience against a host of major threats,” explained Councillor Booth and Mr. Toase.
“Ironically, we have also proved to be the best performers in terms of delivering value for money. Over 60 per cent of all fire service efficiencies have been led by the metropolitan authorities, and our fire prevention work is saving some £65m. a year.