The council say new plans for Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service will improve safety for Islanders, but those on the front line say the review is being “clearly driven by financial savings with little or no regard for public safety”.
OnTheWight will be reporting live from the April Extraordinary Scrutiny Committee where members will be considering the proposed fire service review and the an update on the Cowes Floating Bridge.
OnTheWight has learnt that an Isle of Wight council cabinet member has resigned. He told us it's down to work pressures. The council has yet to officially announce it
Following a meeting with Cllr Outlaw, an insider with the Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service said that Ryde Fire Station could be left in a 'very risky situation' should proposed plans go ahead.
Cabinet member captured browsing the Web for trousers during a discussion about sensitive and controversial plans for the Isle of Wight Fire Service. Cllr Ward appears dismissive.
The Cabinet member responsible for Fire and Rescue Services says he believes, "most people will understand having firefighters in the right place at the right time will save lives, not put them in danger".
The council say there would be no redundancies and that the new system would guarantee a minimum of 12 immediately-available firefighters for 12 hours a day, every day.
FBU chair, Pete Mawhood said services were being run on luck and, had Sunday's fire in Sandown taken place at another time, the outcome could have been very different.
As well as a Cabinet reshuffle, the Annual Meeting of the Isle of Wight council saw re-election of Chairman and Vice-Chairman as well as Chairs of the various committees.
The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) had said that if the Cabinet approved the review of the Fire Service it will “put public safety at risk” and the Scrutiny Committee voted to scrap the plans.
The Fire Brigades Union says that if the Isle of Wight Council Cabinet decide to go ahead with the revamp, it will prove there is no democratic process within the council and that they can steam roll through any decision they like.
Cabinet members argue they would never agree to something that would put Islanders at risk, however, those opposing the changes to the fire service claim if approved, "the Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service will become less able to protect the residents, visitors and firefighters it serves".