That the Parliament notes the Service Delivery Review consultation exercise currently being conducted by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS); believes that it sets out detailed service cuts at community fire stations across Scotland; understands that the consultation proposes a major reduction in fire cover at Lochgelly fire station, with a reported decrease in firefighter numbers from 45 to 25, fire appliances from two to one and the withdrawal of the rope rescue unit; believes that this will have a major impact on the ability of the service to respond to major incidents; further believes that it will increase the reportedly already rising incident response times, and put lives, homes and businesses at greater risk; notes that these latest proposals come after what it sees as 12 years of sustained cuts, which, it understands, have seen 1,250 firefighter jobs lost, £56 million removed from the revenue budget and fire appliances withdrawn; calls on the Scottish Government to stop hiding behind the statement that cuts are "operational matters" for the SFRS, and to take responsibility for its budget decisions, and further calls on MSPs from all parties to make representations to the Scottish Government to express opposition to what it sees as a dangerous and backwards step.
Supported by:
Paul Sweeney