Forum Brief: Fire Service reforms

Warning that "change is essential", John Prescott has set out a series of wide ranging reforms to the fire service.

Publishing the government's white paper on the future of the service, the deputy prime minister said on Monday that it was time to "draw a line" under recent events.

Forum Response: Fire Brigades Union

Andy Gilchrist, general secretary of the FBU, said: "The FBU has already made a comprehensive submission to government outlining the union's views on the future of the Fire Service.

"Now the white paper has been published the union will need to respond in detail to all the issues raised by the government. Whilst there are proposals in the white paper, which we can support, there are of course many that we will need to take issue with.

"The FBU executive council, at its next meeting on the 8th, 9th and 10th of July, will therefore decide on how best FBU members can be consulted on the content of the white paper as well as the more crucial matter of what the FBU believes should be the future of the Fire Service.

"We will be contacting the deputy prime minister, John Prescott, to discuss our members concerns in the near future."

Forum Response: Association of British Insurers

Mary Francis, director general of the ABI, said: "Insurance companies are glad that greater emphasis will be given to fire prevention: that is at the heart of our own approach. We also welcome the recognition that fire services have a key role to play in helping businesses and the community, especially in more deprived areas.

"Protection of life must continue to have absolute priority, and we are pleased that more effective protection of economic assets and capability is now also recognised in the proposed objectives and structures for the fire and rescue services."

Forum Response: Local Government Association

Sir Jeremy Beecham, chairman of the LGA, said: "The white paper proposals will modernise the fire service and addresses many of local government's concerns.

"We need a new service that focuses more upon a number of key issues: fire prevention and safety issues are as important as fighting fires; developing coherent strategies for potential major emergencies eg. terrorist attacks; recognising fire service professional's valuable role in community safety work, crime reduction and working with young people; using modern technology to develop more efficient emergency services communications; widening career development opportunities in the fire service; and encouraging a broader spectrum of people to join the fire service"We are confident that fire authorities are ready to deliver this important modernisation agenda, our only disappointment is that the government seems committed to creating new elected regional authorities to run the service. The LGA believes that fire authorities, working in co-operation can develop regional ways of working themselves."We hope the government will reconsider this proposal when it sees how effectively the currently arranged elected authorities deliver a modernised service, after all it is our agenda that the government is proposing in its white paper - it's exactly what we've being calling for."