‘Frontline fire services at stake’ as Shoreditch engine faces axe

On the frontline: a fire fighter tackles a blaze in De Beauvoir. Photograph: Eleonore de Bonneval

Hackney residents are being urged to have their say over drastic budget cuts to London’s fire service.

The London Fire Brigade launched a consultation last month as part of its goal to make £6.4m of savings demanded by Mayor Boris Johnson.

“With our fire services facing uncertain times, and response times already rising significantly in Hackney, it’s important that local people have their say over the future of London’s fire service,” said London Assembly Member Jennette Arnold OBE AM.

London Fire Brigade has continued to meet its target for average attendance time across the capital as a whole, but Hackney saw a rise in response times across 16 wards in 2014/15.

Ms Arnold, who represents Hackney and other North East London boroughs, says cutting more fire engines could exacerbate the recent rise.

“If you take fire engines out of service then of course lives could be put at risk. Nobody wants to see that happen. With frontline services at stake, it hugely important that local people are given the opportunity to make their views known.”

Two options have been proposed to meet the cuts. The first includes plans to scrap 13 fire engines, potentially including an engine at Shoreditch station. These engines were temporarily removed two years ago as part of a strike action contingency plan.

The Commissioner of London Fire Brigade recommends the permanent removal of these engines but says some of the savings will be reinvested to increase the number of staff available to crew fire rescue units.

Alternative proposals have been set out by Labour’s Andrew Dismore AM, Chair of the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority’s Resource Committee, which would meet the savings target through back office efficiencies and changing working patterns, enabling the 13 engines to be returned.

A public meeting to discuss the future of fire services in North East London, including Hackney, will take place at The Old Town Hall, Stratford at 7pm on 20 January 2016.