999 calls centre set to slash wages bill

The national network of regional control centres for the fire service has met with a series of long delays and spiralling costs, leading to speculation the current Government will scrap the idea even though many millions of pounds have been spent.

While a decision is awaited from Whitehall, brigades are continuing to work on the assumption the Yorkshire control centre will go ahead and replace those operated independently by the region's four brigades.

Figures to go before South Yorkshire Fire Authority, the political body which controls the county's service, today show the scheme would slash its wage liability for control room staff by three-quarters if it does proceed.

Costs for operating the regional centre would be split on the basis of demand, with West Yorkshire meeting 40 per cent of the cost, North Yorkshire 15 per cent, Humberside 20 per cent and South Yorkshire 25 per cent.

That would mean the South Yorkshire authority contributing 89,000 towards staffing costs, compared to staffing costs of 410,000 a year under the current arrangements.

The report also warns that costs could increase in the short term, until all new staffing arrangements are in place. But there is an expectation a manager's role would disappear in the early stages, leaving a maximum rise in costs of 12,000.

Even that would only happen "in the extremely unlikely event that no further staffing reductions were to take place for a full year" according to the report.

Yorkshire's fire control centre is currently standing empty at Paragon Park in Wakefield.

Regional spokesman Ian Murray said the Yorkshire centre is already 300m over budget and three years late.

He said: "As well as costing some of our members their jobs, we believe the control centres are an outrageous waste of public money.

"Those behind the project claim that they will improve the resilience of the fire service, improving the way fire and rescue services can communicate with each other.

"We think that the existing control centres do a fantastic job, and there is no substitute for local knowledge – we have seen life or death situations where lives have been saved by that knowledge."

Mr Murray said the money spent would be better invested in front line services.

He said: "The centre is already three years late and there is little sign of anything happening soon. It is also already 300m over budget – we would say stop throwing money after something that looks as if it is not going to work, and put that money into front-line services."

If the centre is put to use, there are also problems to be resolved over the type of mobile data terminals, the devices used to pass operational information to firefighters, to be used.

South Yorkshire fire chiefs insist their current equipment is superior to the new system, which could lead to two systems being used in tandem.

Managers in South Yorkshire say they "will not accept an inferior replacement".

If the regionalisation programme does happen, it will make redundant South Yorkshire's fire control room, said to be the most modern in the country.

It was provided when the fire headquarters was moved from Wellington Street to Eyre Street in Sheffield to make way for the redevelopment.

New buildings, and the equipment inside, was provided by the developers but it would mean its equipment going unused.