GMB members call on local MP to question business case takeover of Norfolk Fire Rescue Service by Police Commissioner
GMB Members call on local MP Sir Henry Bellingham to question business case takeover of Norfolk Fire Rescue Service by Police Commissioner
Local councillor calls on Lorne Green to produce a map of where the 17 planned closures would be to tell the public if it is their local station closing and GMB endorse this call
GMB Members recently contacted local MP Sir Henry Bellingham raising their concern in response to the Norfolk Police Commissioner, Lorne Green’s business case prior to the proposed transfer of the Norfolk Fire Rescue Service from the county council to the Commissioner. [See notes to editors for previous GMB press release]
Dave Dennis Branch Secretary of GMB Kings Lynn, in a letter to local Sir Henry Bellingham said as follows:
Good afternoon Sir Henry.
You and I have met in the past working together to avoid an incinerator being built in King’s Lynn and as Branch secretary of the GMB King’s Lynn number one branch of over 1000 trade union members most of who live in your constituency, I feel justified in contacting you.
At our recent well attended branch meeting we had a passionate address from Alexandra Kemp seeking to inform us of these latest proposals from the police commissioner (see copy below) about his ideas of some kind of “Unification” between the police and the fire service.
I and the members of our branch are no way convinced that these ideas are safe, all throughout the dialogue it is a cost cutting exercise what with the admin cost and reduction and downsizing of fire engines seems to defeat the objective.
Seeing the strength of the Norfolk County Councils opposition to this, I feel warranted to ask you on behalf of the many members of the GMB locally and many members of the public who we are involved with who share a huge miss giving of these proposals to express your feelings about these proposals? We of course would hope that common sense would prevail and that perhaps you would express your concerns on these issues.
I feel that there should be no need to illustrate that cost cutting whilst is a short time measure can have serous and dangerous consequences and perhaps we should take stock and remember that when thinking of the Grenfell disaster.
Fine and clever words form the police commissioner is all very well until something goes wrong and seeing that something could be life threatening then I hope you understand our concerns.
I look forward to your reply.
Dave Dennis.
Councillor Alexandra Kemp made the following added comments:
I have just done a media interview about the weakness of Lorne Green’s financial case, querying his claim about no station closures, when his report actually says £3.784 m from collocations and sales of premises.
I said he should produce a map of where the 17 closures would be to tell the public if it is their local station closing.
Then his report says £4.068 m would be saved from the sale-off of 8 full-size fire engines, a safety risk not a saving, as it has not been risk-assessed in the IRMP.
£1.533 million more spent on bureaucracy and extra governance costs, when he said he could run the service cheaper than NCC, but he can’t.
He has not responded to these important points.
We need to keep pressing him about this as he can’t say one thing, when the report he’d send to the Home Office says another."
ENDS
Contact: Ivan Mercer on 07713 077 194m, Dave Dennis on 07772 873 208 or GMB London Press Office 07583 039 451
Notes to Editors
1] Previous GMB press release
‘GMB query business case for takeover of Norfolk Fire Service by Police Commissioner’ (7 August 2018)
https://www.gmblondon.org.uk/news/takeover-of-norfolk-fire-rescue-service-by-police-commissioner
‘GMB oppose takeover of Norfolk Fire Service by Police Commissioner’ (12 April 2018)
https://www.gmblondon.org.uk/news/gmb-oppose-takeover-of-norfolk-fire-service-by-police-commissioner
2] Norfolk Police Commissioner – ‘A Case for Change’ Business Case (July 2018)
3] Norfolk Fire & Rescue Service – Keep in Safe Hands – Norfolk County Council’s initial response to the PCC’s business case
https://www.norfolk.gov.uk/-/media/norfolk/downloads/news/nfrs/nfrs-keep-in-safe-hands.pdf
Copy
Time is running out to Save Norfolk Fire Rescue Service ( released 6 August 2018)
How can the Police Commissioner say there will be no station closures under his plan to take over the Fire Service from the County Council?
His Business Case says: 17 collocation schemes in 10 years. That means 17 fire or police stations closed. It is there in black and white - it says the station closures would save £3.784 million. So which stations are they? Will it be your local fire station or police station closing? The public has a right to know. But the Police Commissioner’s Business Case doesn’t say which they are and it should, so the public can make an informed choice.
The Police Commissioner’s Business Case does say he would sell off 8 full size fire engines, replace them with smaller vehicles and save £4.068 million. But downsizing the fleet like this would put public safety at risk. The suggestion of introducing jointly-badged vehicles would affect the identity and public face of the fire service as the humanitarian service it is.
The Police Commissioner’s claim to save £10 million over 10 years, is not at all palatable when £7.852 million of this is from the selling off of estates and fire engines.
Though the takeover claims to increase efficiency, it actually increases back office staff, but does not bring in a single extra firefighter.
More from the Business Case:
The changeover would cost £315,000, to pay the accountants, lawyers and business advisers, and would take 14 months to complete.
Then there would be £144,000 in EXTRA governance costs over 10 years.
Plus £1.074 million for MORE backroom staff - more accountants, auditors, payroll and estates staff.
So the Police Commissioner’s Business Case for efficiency includes £1.533 million of public money on extra bureaucracy. How is this more efficient?
It is clearly a better deal for the taxpayer if the Fire Service stays with the County Council, as the service is cheaper run by the Council’s Communities Committee, than it would be by one man. After all, the Fire Service is fully integrated with the County Council services, Adult Social Care, Public Protection, Public Health, Resilience and Flood Planning, and Trading Standards.
The Fire Service and the Police already work well together, sharing headquarters, estates management and various back office functions, and this will continue to evolve, but the governance change is not needed.
The Firefighters are against the takeover. So are all 84 County Councillors. The County Council voted to protect the Fire Service the way the public wants.
People have until 5 Sept to respond to Lorne Green’s consultation on the takeover .Having your say really matters. Take the online survey at www.norfolk-PCC.gov.uk or write to TellLorne@norfolk.pnn.Police.uk or call 01953 424455 or write to Fire Consultation, OPCCN Building 8, Jubilee House, Falconers Chase, Wymondham NR18 OWW.
