Fire union says 200 job cuts put lives at risk

The county’s Chief Fire Officer, Simon Pilling, yesterday revealed proposals that he says will help the West Yorkshire brigade to cope with Government cuts in funding.

But John Durkin, chair of the Fire Brigades Union in West Yorkshire, said: “We are concerned that these measures will compromise both firefighter safety and the safety of the public.”

The proposed reductions would be over and above the effects of a cuts package given the green light by fire chiefs late last year.

That package will lead to the loss of more than 100 full-time firefighter jobs and the closure of 10 fire stations in the period up to 2016.

If approved, the new action plan would be put into practice between 2016 and 2020.

Six fire stations in Leeds would shut in that period, with three new bases replacing them. Stations in Haworth, Shipley, Idle, Ossett and Marsden would be closed or merged.

The plans are designed to deliver an annual saving of £8m.

Mr Pilling said: “Doing nothing is not an option as my inability to recruit would eventually leave fire stations as glorified garages with unstaffed vehicles and equipment.”

West Yorkshire Fire Service currently has just over 1,300 full-time firefighters.

A brigade spokesman said it was hoped that none of the job losses would be compulsory.