Dear Brother/Sister
REGIONALISATION OF CONTROLS – TAKING OUR CAMPAIGN FORWARD
Our campaign against the regionalisation of Emergency Fire Controls in England has been one of the longest the FBU has ever undertaken. We make no apology for this. Our campaign is producing results. For most of the last seven years the FBU has been the most consistent – and often the only - voice of opposition to the ill-conceived FiReControl Project but our opposition and campaigning is undoubtedly having an effect.
Our campaign has focussed on the threat to our Service from the proposed regionalisation of Fire Controls. The concerns highlighted by the FBU include:
- the impact on operational efficiency within the Service;
- the impact on Firefighter and public safety;
- the threat to jobs and conditions of service of members working in Emergency Fire Controls;
- the escalating costs involved.
We have made clear that the threat of regionalisation is part and parcel of the attack on emergency operational intervention i.e. our ability to respond rapidly, safely and effectively to emergency incidents. This same agenda is being used to support and justify many of the cuts we face throughout the Service at local level.
Campaigning works
It has taken a considerable time but finally others are starting to wake up to what the FBU, the largest professional organisation within the Fire and Rescue Service, has been saying from the start.
On 21 October last year we held our rally at Westminster Central Hall followed by a lobby of Parliament (see circular 2009HOC0640MW). Two thousand members attended, making it the largest parliamentary lobby the Union has ever organised and one of the largest trade union lobbies in recent years.
Many other members who were not able to attend e-mailed or wrote to their MP or met with them locally. A number of Regions organised further lobbying events either locally or at Westminster.
This campaigning activity was extremely effective and it was no coincidence that less than four weeks later on 17 November the Communities and Local Government (CLG) Select Committee announced its new inquiry into the FiReControl project.
The terms of reference for the new inquiry were:
- progress with the project so far;
- the reasons for the cost and time overruns which the project has experienced; and
- what, if any, changes need to be made to the Government's plans for proceeding with the project.
We know from Government and from MPs that our lobbying has had a significant impact on debates around the project. The Local Government Association (LGA) has now moved to a position of opposition and CFOA is also now far more critical.
This has been achieved through the hard work of FBU members and officials. Your lobbying of MPs, Councillors, Fire Authority Members and Fire Service Managers is vital and has proved that if we continue with the political pressure much can be achieved.
On the 8th February the CLG Select Committee met to hear oral evidence from interested parties regarding the Government’s FiReControl Project. The General Secretary answered questions from the Committee on behalf of the Union. The written submissions from the FBU will be circulated to Branches shortly and a full and detailed report will be published in the next edition of Firefighter.
Members should be aware that, in line with the decisions of Annual Conference, we will continue to press for the scrapping of the FiReControl Project in full while at the same time campaigning for the rights of FBU members should Regional Control Centres (RCCs) actually be established. This involves demands for:
- No compulsory redundancies
- Grey Book terms and conditions for existing and new staff
The numerous delays in the project have meant that our campaigning tactics and timelines have been amended on several occasions. There is every likelihood of further delay and therefore further adjustment to our campaign would be required. Members will be kept informed as such information becomes available. At the time of writing we are still awaiting the results of the Select Committee.
On behalf of the Executive Council we would like to thank all members and officials who have participated in campaigning either at national events or locally. Further political pressure can ensure further gains are made.
Best wishes.
Yours fraternally
MATT WRACK SHARON RILEY
GENERAL SECRETARY EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEMBER FOR CONTROL MEMBERS
MW/sll
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