Rhoda Grant and David Stewart, both Highlands and Islands Labour MSPs, are appealing to people throughout the region to respond to the request from the Scottish Parliament’s Justice Committee for written views on the reform of the fire and rescue service.
The call for opinions came from the Justice Committee the day after the decision was announced to reduce the number of fire controls in Scotland from eight to three.
The Committee is particularly interested in receiving views on the following:
- what impact there has been at a local level of the single fire service;
- the consultation process for local fire plans;
- the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s strategic plan;
- the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s proposals on its estate, including the proposals that there be three control rooms in Scotland and one fire college; and
- any other issues arising from fire reform.
Views should be lodged, in writing, by Tuesday 4 March 2014:
- e-mailed to : justice.committee@scottish.parliament.uk
- or posted to: Justice Committee, Room T2.60, Scottish Parliament, EH99 1SP.
Rhoda Grant says: I share the view of the Committee’s Convener, Christine Grahame MSP, who is reported as saying that cost-cutting in Scotland would undoubtedly have an impact. This impact is, I believe, being borne out with the closure of the Inverness fire control room and I would encourage anyone who has concerns about this to let the Committee know their views before next Tuesday’s deadline.’
David Stewart says: ‘Colleagues in the Justice Committee want to know if communities feel their fire service has improved since the SNP introduced the single service last year. They want to know if people feel they are getting equal access to fire and rescue services on par with other areas of Scotland. The reaction to the closure of the Inverness fire control room says to me that communities throughout the Highlands and Islands certainly do not feel they are getting equal treatment and I would urge people to make these views known to the Committee.’
A petition has been lodged calling on the Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to review the decision made by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service to close the Inverness control room. Rhoda Grant and David Stewart are encourage people concerned about this matter to support this petition.