Planned Changes to Fire Service Are Not Led by Politicians, Councillor Says

Published on: 12 Apr, 2019
Updated on: 14 Apr, 2019

By Rebecca Curley

local democracy reporter

Politicians did not plan proposed changes to Surrey Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS), a senior councillor has said, to reassure residents concerned about safety who contacted the council.

SCC is consulting on the Making Surrey Safer Plan for 2020-2023, a fire service transformation that would affect night-time cover across the county.

But deputy leader Cllr Colin Kemp issued a statement through social media on Wednesday, April 10: “These changes are not being led by politicians or officers sitting in county hall. This transformation has been designed and led by senior fire officers with years of experience and supported by the National Fire Chiefs Council.”

Cllr Kemp, SCC member for Goldsworth East and Horsell Village and Woking council member for Horsell, said he had been sent a lot of “correspondence about the consultation and transformation” of SFRS. “The transformation process has no savings target. We are not closing any fire stations.”

SCC’s proposals include spending more time on prevention and educating residents and businesses about the risks of fire as well as changes to Banstead, Camberley, Egham, Fordbridge, Guildford, Haslemere, Painshill, Walton and Woking stations, with night cover being provided by neighbouring stations.

The service also wants to “recover costs” from non-emergency call-outs such as freeing trapped animals and persistent false automatic fire alarms. Fire authorities have powers to charge for certain call-outs under the Localism Act 2011.

Cllr Kemp said welfare visits would increase from 2,500 to 10,000 in the first year. The number of pumps available in the county will be 25 during the day, 23 at night and 30 during the day at weekends. The national recognised criteria is 20 during the day and 16 at night.

And he said he was speaking as an individual councillor, not on behalf of the county or borough councils. The consultation is open until May 26.

Visit https://www.surreysays.co.uk/environment-and-infrastructure/surrey-fire-and-rescue-service-making-surrey-safer/