Leading
Conservative politicians have clashed over the future of fire service
services in Sussex. the leader of West Sussex County Council, Louise
Goldsmith has hit out at proposals by the recently re-elected Sussex
Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), Katy Bourne, to take over the
responsibility for the entire region’s fire services. The Chichester West
councillor marked out her opposition during a council meeting last
week after receiving a letter from Ms Bourne.
Councillor Louise Goldsmith
Ms
Goldsmith has called on the Home Secretary, Theresa May, to visit the
county to see the good work of firefighters in West Sussex. Whilst Ms
Bourne has written to relevant bodies asking for their co-operation
on the potential change.
Prime
Minister David Cameron outlined plans allowing PCCs to take over fire
services in a money-saving move last year, and legislation for the
proposals is currently going through Parliament, whilst the Home
Secretary, speaking of the “continued need for reform” in a
speech last week, outlined plans to invite PCCs to prepare bids to
take on responsibility for fire and rescue services.
Ms
Goldsmith has asserted that she is “firmly of the view that we have
an excellent model, one that I am extremely proud of and one that I
would not want to see put at risk. I believe we deliver all of those
things already and that we have achieved considerably more benefits
in terms of integration with our other preventative, community safety
and safeguarding services.”
PCC Katy Bourne
Meanwhile,
Ms Bourne has said “In the new Police and Crime Bill there will be
a duty to collaborate between emergency services and a key part is
for PCCs to consider whether to take on responsibility for fire and
rescue where a local case is made.
“The
Home Secretary has publicly encouraged fire and rescue services,
local authorities and Police and Crime Commissioners to examine these
opportunities and this is why I have written to interested parties
seeking their co-operation in exploring all the options available to
us.”
Conflict
between senior Conservative figures in Sussex appears to be hotting
up! See the BBC website for further information.
