Brighton councillor resigns from fire board just hours before cuts discussed

A Brighton councillor is under-fire after he stepped down from a fire authority in protest against planned cuts just hours before a key meeting.

Sven Rufus, a Green councillor on Brighton and Hove City Council, said it was with a “heavy heart” that he made the decision to step down both as vice chairman and as an ordinary member from the East Sussex Fire Authority.

Cllr Rufus, who represents Hollingdean and Stanmer ward, claimed he felt it was “the only way to highlight the grim future for our fire service, thanks to the austerity plans of all major Westminster parties”.

But, with the decision of the vote not being affected, some opposition councillors have claimed the announcement was an “empty gesture”.

Despite some political rivals privately suggesting he should resign from being a councillor all together, opposition leaders told The Latest it was a matter for the Green party to resolve.

Cllr Rufus is not personally commenting on the issue.

In a public statement, Cllr Rufus said: “As bad as it might seem now, continued cuts to the fire service will put more people’s live in danger over the coming years.”

The decision was taken ahead of the fire authority meeting on Thursday at the East Sussex Fire and Rescue Eastbourne HQ.

Faced with a reduction in grant of £7 million, authority members agreed to scrap one fire engine from Brighton and Hove.

This was despite experts and bosses admitting it would put more lives at risk.

Cllr Rufus, who has been on the fire authority for seven years, added: “Over the years, the Greens have consistently sought to increase funding for local services through council tax.

“Only recently did Labour realise how essential this was and join us in voting for increases. Unfortunately it’s too late, and the financial black hole we face is even more severe than it might otherwise have been.

“I fear that the damage being done to the service by the coalition cuts will only continue to get worse, no matter which party or parties form the next national government in 2015.

“It will soon become impossible to provide the service the public expect and deserve, as Labour and Tories heap more and more cuts upon the service. Through no fault of the firefighters or officers, the service will become unsustainable”.

Neil Schofield, a Labour activist who will stand for the party at the local election next year, said: “Far from being a demonstration of principle, Sven Rufus’ resignation is just the latest in a long line of cases of Green bottling – for example over the City Clean dispute or the aborted referendum over the council tax.

“Faced with the tough decisions that are the substance of politics, Greens walk away.

“They talk about austerity and even neoliberalism, but faced with the necessity for collective action they seem utterly impotent and take refuge in individual grandstanding instead.”

Speaking to The Argus, Conservative councillor Garry Peltzer Dunn said: “I think it’s very sad he felt it necessary to resign. He has a lot of experience and he’s an honourable man and I was disappointed not only did he resign the vice chairmanship but also from the authority.

“I would have thought he could just as reasonably voted against the proposals as did his colleagues and I don’t think he’s gained anything from resigning.”