Various Devon and Somerset Councils are grappling with a £1.8 million shortfall in the Fire Service budget. They propose that Ilfracombe go from full time to retained and for Plympton, Exmouth and Paignton to go from 24 hour full time cover, to retained at night. The Councils are blaming the Labour Government for the shortfall.
We've been having this discussion down here for the past year, ever since the LibDem controlled County Council proposed that Falmouth and Camborne Fire Station, the only two full time Fire Stations in the County, go from full time to retained. There has been a vigorous campaign from the West Briton to save the Stations, with many Independents, Conservatives and especially the Labour PPC for Truro Falmouth, a Dr Charlotte Mackenzie, making political hay. Dr C has been particularly vicous in her letters to the West Briton, saying its all LibDem incompetence and nothing to do with the Government. A quick trawl around the internet sees many Councils experiencing similar problems with the Fire Service, and all blaming the Government. Will Dr C put her hand up now and say she got it wrong and was just trying to get some cheap publicity? No, I don't think that's the way NuLabour does things.
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Rob, the Liberal Democrat executive at Cornwall County Council now seem to accept that it is up to them to find the money, by offering to reprieve Camborne. We will continue to press for full-time night cover at Falmouth to continue so that people can sleep easy in their beds.
What about the people of Newquay, 100,000 in the summer, Perranporth, 27,000 in the summer, Truro with the main hospital for Cornwall, St Mawes, 40 minutes by Fire Engine, etc etc. There is no logic to your argument that only Camborne and Falmouth need full time Firemen. But it would take up half the Counties budget to provide cover everywhere so cuts have to be made, because your lazy, sleazy incompetent Labour Gov won't provide proper funding. If you want to have a chance of being elected stop jumping on bandwagons and posturing and try to do something for people.
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