Press releases

Press releases on this page are included in date order with the latest one first

Press Release - 2 JANUARY 2008 - 00:01hrs

Regional Fire Control Project:
Now officially three years late and 14 times the original cost estimates

Plans to close down all forty six of the fire service's 999 command and control centres in England and move to 9 regional centres are now officially three years late and 14 times over budget according to the latest figures. The Fire Brigades Union says the government needs to urgently re-think the plans, the time scales and the cost of the project now standing at £1.4 billion.

The Department for Communities and Local Government has repeatedly condemned the FBU for “scaremongering” over warnings that the plans would face major delays and that costs would soar. The new centres were set to start opening in November 2006 and are not now due to start opening until October 2009, a delay of nearly three years.

In a written House of Commons answer given on 27 October 2005 regarding the original cost estimates for regional fire controls, the then fire minister Jim Fitzpatrick said consultants Mott MacDonald “estimated project costs at £100 million, comprising project management costs, technology costs, accommodation costs and redundancy.” That original estimate jumped to £1 billion, with the latest Government answer to a question in the House of Lords confirming the cost will rise to £1.4 billion, 14 times the original estimate.

FBU General secretary Matt Wrack said: “Long delays and soaring costs have made this a disaster for the fire service. The entire UK fire service only costs £1.7 billion a year to run, so this is using up money on a scale the service has never seen before.

“Frontline fire stations and firefighters are being threatened with cuts while this Project soaks up hundreds of millions of pounds. The money could be spent on frontline fire services but is instead being diverted into this money pit of a project.

“The Government needs to re-think its plans and consider what impact this is having in local fire authorities being bled dry of cash. The current uncertainty and the burden this is placing on the fire service simply cannot be allowed to go on.”

CONTACT:Duncan Milligan - 07736 818100
Sharon Thorndyke - Regional Control Rep - 07824 438859

House of Lords - Written Answer.
The following question was answered on 18 December 2007.
Lord Hanningfield asked Her Majesty's Government:

"When will each of the nine regional fire control centres become operational; what is the anticipated start date for each centre; and whether each start date differs from the earliest-made estimate for each centre?" [HL845]

Baroness Andrews:

The forecast go-live dates for each of the nine region control centres are:

October 2009-east Midlands, north-east and south-west
January 2010-West Midlands
May 2010-south-east
September 2010-north-west
November 2010-London
January 2011-Yorkshire and Humberside
May 2011-east of England

Estimates for the regional rollout order and earliest achievable dates for all the nine regions were first published in November 2004. When this information was published, it was made clear that it was indicative and there was a high degree of uncertainty around the dates. The rollout dates have been refined as the technology and accommodation procurements have progressed.

FBU comment:
The dates published in November 2004 were for the first three centres to be fully operational in November 2006, which has now slipped (see above) to “go live” - partially operational - from October 2009

Hanningfield - Fire and Rescue Service
(Cost of the Fire Control Project)

House of Lords - Written Answer
The following question was answered on 18 December 2007.
Lord Hanningfield asked Her Majesty's Government:

What is the current estimated total cost for the delivery of the Fire Control project; how this figure compares to estimates made in (a) 2004; (b) 2005; and (c) 2006; and what are the reasons for any variance between these figures, other than annual inflation? [HL843]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Communities and Local Government (Baroness Andrews):
The 2007 Fire Control business case estimates total costs for the delivery of the Fire Control project to be £1.4 billion over 15 years (2004-05 to 2019-20).

The outline business case published in 2005 had previously estimated total costs to be £1 billion over 13 years (2004-05 to 2017-18). This variance is due to increased certainty on costs following the award of the IT contract and signing of the lease agreements, the addition of a further two years of running costs and annual inflation.

FBU comment:
The only reference is to those costs contained in the Outline Business Case. There is no mention of the original estimate of £100 million revealed on 27 October 2005 by Jim Fitzpatrick that we quote above. The £1.4 billion is only for the first 15 years, in fact the new buildings are leased for between 20 and 25 years.

Duncan Milligan
Head of Communications and Research
Fire Brigades Union
68 Coombe Road
Kingston Upon Thames
Surrey
KT2 7AE
0208 541 1765
Mobile 07736 818100

Press Release - 3rd December 2007 - 00:01hrs

"Deal or No Deal?" - Herts Firefighters Question County Council

Local fire crews are up in arms over the shortage of firefighters in the County despite Herts County Council agreeing in July last year that this problem would be resolved.

While engines fail to mobilise and crews attend incidents short of personnel, Herts County Council has begun to take more firefighters off of frontline duties - something that politicians agreed not to do following last years industrial action.

Local firefighter's concerns are also growing over the shortage of experienced personnel available on fire engines in the County. Recently several staff have become disillusioned with the way the Service is being run and have left to join brigades in other counties.

At the same time, Firefighters across the country are angry at recently revealed changes in their pension rules that mean seriously injured Firefighters will be forced to end their careers early but without receiving a penny in ill-health pension.

Herts FBU Secretary Tony Smith said, "Every day Herts Fire Crews are willing to risk their lives to save others but feel they are being let down by senior managers and the Council. Firefighters across the County are extremely angry that our employers have reneged on their agreement that saw an end to our industrial action last year. We are angry that our safety is being jeopardised and we are angry that if we get injured our employers will force us to leave the Service without a pension.

Last year our employers told us that they could be trusted and we believed them. They said they would work with us to improve the Service but their words are ringing hollow. Instead they continue to erode the frontline emergency response service we can offer to the public and now it seems that they will not look after us if we get injured in the line of duty.

Yet again it seems it will be left to local fire crews to make a stand to ensure firefighter and public safety and we are prepared to do that. This job is becoming increasingly dangerous and the number of serious incidents we attend is on the increase. In order for us to protect the public we need more firefighters on our fire engines, not less"

"Put simply, many feel that they have broken their word. If they want our trust they must put frontline firefighters back on the fire engines serving at the frontline."

Industrial action was taken last year by firefighters following a raft of cuts proposed by Hertfordshire County Council. Firefighters agreed to return to work after several periods of strike action. The Council closed Radlett and Bovingdon Fire Stations but agreed to make no further cuts to the frontline of the fire service.

For more information please contact:

Tony Smith - 07967 715 143 - Ben Read - 07906 382 082

Or email the.team@hertsfbu.org

Editors Notes

A delegation of firefighters will be attending Harpenden Fire Station, Leyton Road, Harpenden, AL5 2HU at 1pm on Tuesday 4th December 2007 in an effort to highlight their concerns to the Chief Fire Officer

In July, the Fire Authority in London (LFEPA) informed three retired firefighters that their pensions would cease.

This decision follows medical appeals on the issue of injury awards by the three under the terms of the Firefighters' Pension Scheme (FPS). As a result of this, LFEPA concluded that they could no longer pay the three retired firefighters their ill-health pensions. They were informed that their pensions would cease in August. That has now happened.

Firefighters across the country are angry that having paid a very high level of contribution (11%) to allow for the possibility of early retirement due to ill health are now facing a future of poverty as a result of guidance issued by CLG.

Hertfordshire firefighters are expected this week to vote unanimously in favour of industrial action should one of them have their ill health pension benefits removed.

For more info please visit:

www.fbu.org.uk/campaigns/pensions/justiceindex.php

Hertfordshire Fire Brigades Union
FBU Office, Hertfordshire Fire & Rescue Service
Old London Road, Hertford, Herts SG13 7LD
Tel: (01992) 507507 - Email: the.team@hertsfbu.org