Emergency services: Fire chiefs aim to press on with overhaul

FIRE chiefs at a Yorkshire brigade confirmed yesterday that they are pushing ahead with a multi-million pound overhaul of emergency cover – despite not knowing the full extent of the Government's cutbacks in funding.

By The Newsroom

Published 20th Oct 2010, 00:28 BST

Updated 20th Oct 2010, 00:29 BST

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service admitted yesterday that it will not know the full implications of the Comprehensive Spending Review, due to be announced today by Ministers, until December when officials are informed of the amount of government funding for the next financial year.

However, the brigade confirmed that it is still pursuing a 4.5m revamp of York's fire cover, which includes a new fire station .

Chief Fire Officer Nigel Hutchinson maintained that response rates will actually improve by more than six per cent under the overhaul of York's emergency cover.

But the brigade is nonetheless expecting to have to slash an existing 31.5m revenue budget by up to 1m in each of the next four financial years to cope with reduced grants from Westminster.