Andrew Dismore

Dear Editor,

Whilst paying scant regard to the views of the people and not content with wrecking services in Barnet, Brian Coleman is about to do the same to the Fire Brigade. Appointed to chair the Fire Authority by Conservative mayor Boris Johnson, Mr. Coleman is determined to take a wrecking ball to the Fire Brigade and privatise all he can before the London elections in May, forestalling any chance the public may have of stopping him through the ballot box.

At the Fire Authority meeting on 15th March, mere weeks before the London elections, Brian Coleman plans to force through the privatisation of London Fire Brigade’s  Control and Mobilising centre.

How will Londoners feel when their home is ablaze, they are under extreme stress and call 999, to find on the other end of the line not professional Fire Brigade Control Officers but a private call handling company?

How will London’s front line fire-fighters,  who rely on Brigade Control for their incident information, have the confidence they need  that they are being given all  the essential details they need on the way to the dangers they face on a fire call, so as to fight the fire safely, quickly and effectively?.

Brian Coleman is set on privatising the London Fire Brigade in much the same way he is set on privatising Barnet’s services. Following the consequences of the financial problems last year of  Assetco, who now own all of London’s fire engines,  how can Brian Coleman even consider selling off  this vital part of the service?

yours sincerely

Andrew Dismore

Labour Candidate for Barnet and Camden