Press release: CONTROL REGIONALISATION: SELECT COMMITTEE INQUIRY

The House of Commons Select Committee for the department for Communities and Local Government (CLG) held its inquiry into the FiReControl project last week. It considered a range of written and oral evidence, including written and verbal submissions from the FBU. The most significant recent development has been the strengthening of opposition to the regionalisation project from various organisations within the Fire and Rescue Service. This now includes the Employers’ Organisation (LGA) and CFOA. For much of the past six years the FBU has been a lone voice highlighting the difficulties which will face the Service as a result of this ill-though-out project. Finally, as problems escalate and delays get worse, other are beginning to recognise the merits of our arguments.

The Select Committee inquiry has provided an opportunity for various voices within the Service to raise concerns and criticism of the CLG project and with the mismanagement which has dogged it from the start.

A link to the evidence session can by found at: http://www.parliamentlive.tv/Main/Player.aspx?meetingId=5837

We will carefully review all the evidence submitted to this inquiry as well as the findings which emerge and will use this information as the basis for the next stage of our campaigning against Control regionalisation, in support of our members’ jobs and in defence of a top quality service. Members should note that our political campaigning around this issue so far has meant that it remains at the top of the agenda in the Fire and Rescue Service. All FBU members can assist in ensuring that this remains the case by supporting our lobbying activities and events as they are announced.

Best wishes.

Yours fraternally

MATT WRACK

GENERAL SECRETARY

Members circular: REGIONALISATION OF CONTROLS – TAKING OUR CAMPAIGN FORWARD

CIRCULAR: 2010HOC0191MW 19 March 2010

TO: ALL CONTROL MEMBERS

ALL CONTROL MEMBERS – HOME ADDRESSES

ALL MEMBERS

Dear Brother/Sister

REGIONALISATION OF CONTROLS – TAKING OUR CAMPAIGN FORWARD

Our campaign against the regionalisation of Emergency Fire Controls in England has been one of the longest the FBU has ever undertaken. We make no apology for this. Our campaign is producing results. For most of the last seven years the FBU has been the most consistent – and often the only – voice of opposition to the ill-conceived FiReControl Project but our opposition and campaigning is undoubtedly having an effect.

Our campaign has focussed on the threat to our Service from the proposed regionalisation of Fire Controls. The concerns highlighted by the FBU include:

■ the impact on operational efficiency within the Service;

■ the impact on Firefighter and public safety;

■ the threat to jobs and conditions of service of members working in Emergency Fire Controls;

■ the escalating costs involved.

We have made clear that the threat of regionalisation is part and parcel of the attack on emergency operational intervention i.e. our ability to respond rapidly, safely and effectively to emergency incidents. This same agenda is being used to support and justify many of the cuts we face throughout the Service at local level.

Campaigning works

It has taken a considerable time but finally others are starting to wake up to what the FBU, the largest professional organisation within the Fire and Rescue Service, has been saying from the start.

On 21 October last year we held our rally at Westminster Central Hall followed by a lobby of Parliament (see circular 2009HOC0640MW). Two thousand members attended, making it the largest parliamentary lobby the Union has ever organised and one of the largest trade union lobbies in recent years.

Many other members who were not able to attend e-mailed or wrote to their MP or met with them locally. A number of Regions organised further lobbying events either locally or at Westminster.

This campaigning activity was extremely effective and it was no coincidence that less than four weeks later on 17 November the Communities and Local Government (CLG) Select Committee announced its new inquiry into the FiReControl project.

The terms of reference for the new inquiry were:

•progress with the project so far;

•the reasons for the cost and time overruns which the project has experienced; and

•what, if any, changes need to be made to the Government’s plans for proceeding with the project.

We know from Government and from MPs that our lobbying has had a significant impact on debates around the project. The Local Government Association (LGA) has now moved to a position of opposition and CFOA is also now far more critical.

This has been achieved through the hard work of FBU members and officials. Your lobbying of MPs, Councillors, Fire Authority Members and Fire Service Managers is vital and has proved that if we continue with the political pressure much can be achieved.

On the 8th February the CLG Select Committee met to hear oral evidence from interested parties regarding the Government’s FiReControl Project. The General Secretary answered questions from the Committee on behalf of the Union. The written submissions from the FBU will be circulated to Branches shortly and a full and detailed report will be published in the next edition of Firefighter.

Members should be aware that, in line with the decisions of Annual Conference, we will continue to press for the scrapping of the FiReControl Project in full while at the same time campaigning for the rights of FBU members should Regional Control Centres (RCCs) actually be established. This involves demands for:

■No compulsory redundancies

■Grey Book terms and conditions for existing and new staff

■FBU recognition

The numerous delays in the project have meant that our campaigning tactics and timelines have been amended on several occasions. There is every likelihood of further delay and therefore further adjustment to our campaign would be required. Members will be kept informed as such information becomes available. At the time of writing we are still awaiting the results of the Select Committee.

On behalf of the Executive Council we would like to thank all members and officials who have participated in campaigning either at national events or locally. Further political pressure can ensure further gains are made.

Best wishes.

Yours fraternally

MATT WRACK, GENERAL SECRETARY

SHARON RILEY, EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEMBER FOR CONTROL MEMBERS

Press release: Firefighters Back MP’S Call For Safer Cigarettes

The Fire Brigades Union threw its weight behind the early day motion calling on the government to legislate for fire safety in cigarette design, which was tabled today by Andrew Dismore MP.

“This simple piece of legislation could save 100 lives every year” said FBU assistant general secretary Andy Dark. “Cigarette fires are the biggest cause of fire-related deaths in the home. In 2005, the most recent year for which statistics are available, 82 deaths, 1,064 injuries and 3,000 fires per year in accidental home fires were caused by smoking materials, according to the Department for Communities and Local Government. Every three days someone dies in a fire caused by a cigarette. Safer cigarettes will not eliminate the danger, but will decrease it by ensuring that cigarettes go out if left burning.”

Mr Dismore’s Early Day Motion is:

“That this House welcomes the Finnish government’s call for the UK and the European Union to legislate for fire safety standards in cigarettes; remains concerned that every three days in the UK someone dies in a house fire caused by a cigarette; recalls that in the last year for which there are statistics, 2005, 82 deaths, 1,064 injuries and 3,000 fires were caused by smoking materials in the home; observes that reduced ignition propensity, or fire safer, cigarettes utilise ultra thin concentric bands in the cigarette paper to restrict oxygen to the burning end of the cigarette; regards fire safer cigarettes as an appropriate response to the persistent fire safety threat posed by conventional cigarettes; congratulates the RIP Coalition and the Fire Brigades Union for their existing work on fire safer cigarettes; and calls upon the government to take action to reduce the number of deaths, injuries and properties damaged from cigarettes through legislation on fire safety in cigarette design.”

***ENDS***

Contact:

Francis Beckett:- 020 8349 9194 – 07813 001372

Related links:

Fire Brigades Union

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