FBU regional secretary Ricky Matthews said: “Those who work in Buckinghamshire fire service command and control centre have been told their work is to be outsourced to Cambridgeshire with the loss of 20 posts. It is very unhelpful that this was communicated to many of them by letters delivered to their homes by taxi.
“It is also unhelpful that the fire authority insists on discussing theses issue behind closed doors rather than in public as it could and should, but this announcement came as a real surprise. Feelings are running very high across the service because of the proposals and the way they were communicated to the professional staff employed in the emergency 999 control room.
“We’re going to insist on an urgent meeting with senior managers to discuss what is being proposed, how it was communicated and what the alternatives are. I would like that discussion to take place in a calm atmosphere.
“We will not be commenting further until that discussion has taken place and local fire crews, officers and control crews have discussed a considered response. I would urge the fire authority to make no further unhelpful comments or interventions until that time.”
