A week left to comment on Brighton and Hove fire crew cuts

Fire chiefs are urging the public to comment on proposed cuts to crews in Brighton and Hove.

One proposal involves removing a fire engine from either Preston Circus in Brighton or Hove, leaving four based in Brighton and Hove plus the aerial ladder platform.

East Sussex Fire and Rescue Authority said that crews would still be providing cover 24 hours a day and seven days a week.

But the fire service would shed 24 firefighters and save more than £1 million by the 2018-19 financial year.

The fire authority said: “This change would have no significant impact on life risk and attendance standards would still be met.”

Another proposal involves converting Roedean into a “day crewed plus” fire station.

This would be a new way of working for East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service although the system is used elsewhere in the country.

The fire service said: “It means that firefighters stay in accommodation provided by us on site on a self-rostering system.

“They are therefore still ready to turn out 24 hours a day.

“This option would mean we could save money by reducing posts but it would not affect attendance times.”

Twenty jobs would be cut and a six-figure sum would be saved over the next four years.

The fire authority is asking for comments about the proposals by next Monday (28 April).

The findings of the consultation will be considered at a Fire Authority meeting in June.

Fire authority chairman Phil Howson said: “We need to hear from the community we serve in order to help inform our debate.

“The usual reaction when considering emergency services is to be against change but there are very good reasons for us looking at how we work.

“The community needs have changed.

“We have significantly fewer call outs now than in previous years. This is in part due to the success of our work in preventing fires and other emergencies.

“We are also facing cuts in our budgets. Last July we put this at a figure of £7.1 million over the next five years.

“These two factors together make it the right time to look at how we deliver services in East Sussex and Brighton and Hove to make sure that the right options are pursued.”

The Fire Brigades Union said that it was concerned that the cuts could put lives at risk.

It is urging the fire authority to look at ways of sharing services and making savings to back office staff rather than cutting the number of firefighters and fire engines.

Some union members would like to see a proposal to merge the fire services in East and West Sussex revived.