LFB Budget Cuts

[Harve88]

I’m sure most you saw the news last week about the proposals to cut the budget in London by 25million over the next two years.

I can’t help but think station closures are coming, what’s others feelings on it?

Link

 

[Airze]

Could happen being snakey government as usual but right now it's definitely political suicide for Sadiq! Who knows, as long as I get to my training course before they freeze recruitment lol

[Charlie_]

There’s been rumours running around for a few weeks about station closures and which ladders may become pumps.
All of it speculation obviously, but it wouldn’t surprise me if that’s the route London end up taking to save £££

[Messyshaw]

This won't be popular, but there is a bit of LFB fat left that could be trimmed before front line appliances are sacrificed.

The cut represents a 3.2% cut in the annual budget over that 2 year period - so if some of the non statutory stuff were cutback maybe- just maybe, that would be a start. Don't get me wrong, I fully support much of the community work undertaken which includes:

• Junior Fire Setter - intervention where kids have urges to set fires
• Cadet scheme
• LIFE - job experience work for disadvantaged youngsters

But is it right this work continues whilst a station is closed or appliance removed?

Then how can you justify a new museum with a job ad for an assistant curator on £35,600?

Or a Learning Support Advisor who looks after the needs of those with learning needs in the apprenticeship scheme?

I am not saying these jobs aren't valuable, but as a community, we have to put the safety of Londoners first while paying for the national Covid-19 response, so this nice-to-have stuff must go before the need-to-have. I bet it doesn't though 

 

[Rory-495]

Clarification on the savings needed... the budget is being reduced by 10 million 20/21, 15 million 21/22 which is on top of an exciting budget gap of 44 million. 

So the total reduction is actually the higher figure of 69 million over 2 years. Dark days are ahead 

[Becile]

I don’t think you have to look far to see what’s coming, those of that look inwards from neighbouring counties , Indeed up and down the country, who have previously had cuts as a % bigger than this, whilst others didn’t. Regardless of county, shire or city brigade.
 

I’m not saying it’s right or wrong, immediately crewed specials, riding 5s , dedicated teams, project work, all luxuries for most !

[Yoffey]

Are we expecting cuts across the rest of the FireService?

[JuanFran]

I'm not in the Fire Service, but I think it's reasonable to assume that there will be. I wonder what the FRS will be post COVID-19 debt? Will it continue to be a proactive force which both responds to fires and incidents and does community work as well? Or will they need to cut back on staff numbers and revert to being a force which solely responds to emergencies? 

[Charlie_]

There’s a statutory duty for a fire service to promote fire safety in its area, so by law they won’t be able to cut that out. Asides smoke alarms are not very costly and advice is free.  For London moving HQ at union street to somewhere less extortionately priced might be a step in the right direction  

[JuanFran]

Ah OK, good to know. 

[Carl]

2 hours ago, Yoffey said:

Are we expecting cuts across the rest of the FireService?

I don't think we have ever stopped since the last round, its year on year and going forward I see it being no different. Its what is cut, that changes. 

[Yoffey]

Wonder if the Inspectorate Fire Review published earlier in the year will have a big say in future direction and funding .

[Messyshaw]

3 hours ago, Charlie_ said:

There’s a statutory duty for a fire service to promote fire safety in its area, so by law they won’t be able to cut that out. 

There may be statutory enforcement and other fire safety duties, but its naive the think they won't cut it just because its a legal requirement. 2 firefighters on a tandem either side of the river may be enough to cover that duty- or farm regulatory fire safety out to Babcocks to save cash

There are similar legal responsibilities in relation to providing operational fire crews, yet they've been cut endlessly over the years

It worries me when people say 'they won't do this' or 'they can't do that. These are unprecedented times, so nothing is protected 

Standby for 'legitimate' cuts to help pay for the UK's Covid response, but then additional and excessive cuts sneaked in under the wire and dressed up as 'covid' cuts. 

[JuanFran]

@Messyshaw, I believe what you are saying is the unfortunate truth. Despite the fact that I'm on the waiting list to start training for WMFS, I know that anything can happen, so I need to be ready. Ready to start, ready to wait, ready to never start, and ready to do whatever work I need to do to support my family.

[Becile]

Maybe I’m a bit surprised by some of the questions around “do we expect cuts” and“ hmicfrs direction”, it’s been clear for years on frs direction and how it will be determined, for our newer members, just google some of this or look a bit into the forums outside of Recruitment, you’ll see the level of (Sometimes viscous )cuts the frs  have endured In terms of funding, and government support and will endure further, if you think it’s all about response, think again,  just read some of the many reviews/reports that have been published over the not so distant past which have, and is, shaping all our futures, for better or worse.

[JuanFran]

I have started to do research into these reviews, and it's very interesting. I hope both the powers that be and the FBU can come to the best solutions possible for the public, the individual firefighter and the economy. 

[Becile]

Sir ken knight, the Bain report, hmicfrs, NFCC strategy, and more , will help any prospective ff understand some of the drivers. It’s bigger than the fbu and the senior frs leaders.

[Mike]

A friend was stood by today and the station commander visited with a memo. Apparently chiefy wants the opinion of fire stations on what can be done about potential money savings. Also..

I hear recruitment has been suspended. Whether that means no more rounds post the current one that people are still going through, or stopping the current process from this moment, including those people, I'm not sure. 

This looks to me as the stock taking for potential closures. We are thin on the ground for firefighters at the moment, but if stations shut and establishment reduced...

Current duty rumour is that they will shut a some one pump stations and amalgamate those trucks into other one pump stations, creating some more multi appliances. As Becile said, reducing the minimum of 5 on one pumpers might be an option. 

[Airze]

All scary times! Got my uniform day coming up so really really hoping that I can squeeze in before all this BS happens 🤞🏻

[JuanFran]

Same here, @Airze, but anything can happen.

[Dyson]

I think the Babcock contract(s) will go, and one appliance stations will be amalgamated see a change station ground boundaries where this is possible. 

[Mark177]

On 30/06/2020 at 19:42, Becile said:

I don’t think you have to look far to see what’s coming, those of that look inwards from neighbouring counties , Indeed up and down the country, who have previously had cuts as a % bigger than this, whilst others didn’t. Regardless of county, shire or city brigade.
 

I’m not saying it’s right or wrong, immediately crewed specials, riding 5s , dedicated teams, project work, all luxuries for most !

Problem with LFB ,  poor leadership

Why have they not stood up to these cuts?

On 01/07/2020 at 14:47, Charlie_ said:

There’s a statutory duty for a fire service to promote fire safety in its area, so by law they won’t be able to cut that out. Asides smoke alarms are not very costly and advice is free.  For London moving HQ at union street to somewhere less extortionately priced might be a step in the right direction  

I m not saying FS advice is not important,  but you look how many counties have hell of a lot of back room staff,