Belsize Fire Station Under Threat
The BBC have reported a list of 17 fire stations across London which are facing closure as a result of Mayor Boris Johnson’s demand for cuts of £65m in the London Fire Brigade over the next two years.
Andrew Dismore, London Assembly member for Barnet and Camden and member of the Fire Authority said “Camden has the second best attendance times for the Fire Brigade in London: I do not believe that this can be maintained if Belsize Fire Station closes, so I do not support the closure of Belsize Fire Station.
“Whilst savings have to be made, these should not be at the expense of the “front line” of fire cover, like closing Belsize Fire Station. The Fire Commissioner has done a good job in identifying “back office” cuts which meets half of next year’s cuts target, but that final target set by Mayor Boris Johnson can only be met if fire stations close.
“Last month, the Fire Authority agreed with my proposal to write to Mayor Johnson, to tell him that the scale of cuts expected was unacceptable, will impact on public safety, and to ask him to reconsider his budget to protect the Fire Brigade from such draconian cuts.
“As a member of the Fire Authority, I have been pressing the Fire Brigade for months to publish their draft proposals. I believe that on something as important as this, the public should not be presented with a list of fire stations they intend to close with no say beforehand.
“There should be maximum public scrutiny, consultation and discussion. Indeed, at the last full Fire Authority meeting, I even proposed a motion that the current work in progress on the closures list should be put in the public domain, but this was defeated by the Liberal Democrat and Green Parties voting with the Conservatives, who were not prepared to back the transparency to which if believe the public are entitled.
“So I am grateful to the BBC and other news outlets for publishing this list, so we can see the threat to Belsize Fire Station from Boris Johnson’s cuts. Whilst no final decision has yet been taken, the station is on the list as part of the cuts ‘preferred option’.”
