Fire service in the North-East to be "privatised" next year (From Darlington and Stockton Times)
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Government aims to "privatise" Cleveland Fire Authority in 2014
7:40am Monday 4th March 2013 in News
By Robert Merrick, Parliamentary Correspondent
A NORTH-East fire service will be “privatised” next year, under Government plans - after ministers decided to fast-track the controversial move.
The shake-up of Cleveland Fire Authority (CFA) - to allow private firms to bid to run its services - would be carried out by 2014, under a fresh proposal to be rushed through parliament.
The fast-track comes as a letter by a Government minister has laid bare, for the first time, the full impact of creating a public service mutual (PSM), in Cleveland.
Long-standing legislation to prevent the creation of privately-run fire brigades would be repealed – allowing firms to answer emergencies, enter premises and make a profit.
The model would then be quickly extended across the whole of England, giving companies the chance to bid for contracts from all fire authorities.
Tom Blenkinsop, the Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland MP, said: “This now looks like a clear conspiracy to privatise the fire service.
“And the Government is trying to do it as quickly as possible, although – if you asked the man in the street – I’m pretty sure they would say they don’t want a private fire service.”
Dave Howe, the chairman of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) in Cleveland, added: “We didn’t expect the Government to do this so quickly.
“We are very concerned because, at the moment, only the local fire authority has the legal responsibility to put out fires, attend road accidents and even terrorism incidents.
“Now, if you read this letter, it clearly states that those powers would be available to private companies, like G4S, relying on making a profit – that’s the most serious worry.”
Last night, Robbie Payne, the Cleveland Fire Authority (CFA) chairman, again insisted that he did not wish to see a private firm responding to 999 calls.
But, pointing to the impact of harsh funding cuts, he warned: “We are not ruling anything in or out. If we were properly funded we would not consider going down this road.”
Concerns were first raised last year CFA will assume a “commissioning role”, pitching its brigade into head-to-head battles with private firms for service contracts.
However, Brandon Lewis, the fire minister, has now set out the clear end game for the mutual, in a letter to an all-party committee of MPs.
It describes the “legislative barriers” that need to be removed – including, crucially, a 2004 Act that states “only fire fighters employed by a fire and rescue authority have access to emergency powers”
Pointing out they include “powers of entry”, the letter reads: “Without these powers, the contractor’s employees would be restricted in their ability to fight fires, or deal with other incidents.”
And, setting out the fast-track timetable, Mr Lewis wrote: “Cleveland would like to be in a position to deliver the full range of their services, via a mutual social enterprise, in 2014.”
The letter was sent to the obscure regulatory reform committee, which was asked to approve the changes without the need for a full vote in parliament.
However, such a move requires a unanimous vote, which – given the presence of Labour MPs Dave Anderson (Blaydon) and Ian Lavery (Wansbeck) – will not happen.
That suggests the controversy is heading for a fiery showdown on the Commons floor, on a date yet to be determined.
A department for communities and local government spokesman said: “Claims that the Government intends to privatise the fire service are completely untrue.
“The Government does want to back locally-led mutuals and parliament will absolutely have the opportunity to scrutinise our plans to support employee-led cooperatives.”
Comments(30)
oliviaden6
says...
8:57am Mon 4 Mar 13
Stop this underhand double dealing now keep our hard fought for institutions as they are, do not privatise them it is a licence to kill.
It has ben said that once anybody reaches the age of 65 in this country you may as well die because to the Government you are just a burden, but never never mention you have worked for the past 50 years and paid your way all that time it means nothing anymore?
GunnerB
says...
9:33am Mon 4 Mar 13
David Lacey
says...
10:46am Mon 4 Mar 13
.
Privatisation would not work. But some form of restructuring is long overdue.
argo2013
says...
11:22am Mon 4 Mar 13
mark.wilkinson
says...
11:54am Mon 4 Mar 13
Fire, Police, NHS, Prisons, Schools. Everything.
IanfromCrook
says...
12:22pm Mon 4 Mar 13
........way too few .......way too costly.
Definition of privatisation: Sell an asset owned by all at a knocked down price for the few who then cash in on it thinking they are movers in the world of capitalisation. Those assets generally move towards the people/corporations with money run by the friends and family of the politicians who started the process who then proceed to squeeze as much cash as possible from said asset all the while trying to make them appear good gaining small back handers in the form of grant initiatives from the aforementioned MPs.
CTRILEY
says...
1:23pm Mon 4 Mar 13
David Lacey wrote:Historically, when organised fire services first began they were privately run, but were merged into a single state run fire service.
There are three unreformed public services run by and for the benefit of the employees. They are the police, fire and prison sevices. In all three, employees enjoy incredibly generous pay and perks. They then top these up with second and third jobs, "Spanish Practices" and in some instances downright fraud. Yes - the job can be onerous and occasionally dangerous. But most of the time it is not. . Privatisation would not work. But some form of restructuring is long overdue.
This was done because private fire services resulted in houses being burnt down and people dying.
argo2013
says...
1:45pm Mon 4 Mar 13
IanfromCrook
says...
1:51pm Mon 4 Mar 13
.org.uk/campaigns
Someone posted this the other day.......seems they are on the right track............NHS as well??? perhaps
Kinninvie
says...
2:24pm Mon 4 Mar 13
Daza
says...
2:39pm Mon 4 Mar 13
Fire Service are paid well cos of the job they do
Demanding job to be successful in your application
Don't be envious cos they are on more money than you!
st-george1
says...
3:26pm Mon 4 Mar 13
The shake-up of Cleveland Fire Authority to allow private firms to bid to run its services and be profitable and put an end to the current two-job members of staff who many would say have been living in a bubble of privilege all their lives.
As for Labour’s MP and mind-reader Tommy Blenkinsop to say this looks like a conspiracy to privatise is his standard anti-government speak … yet he does not divulge how many men-in-the-street he really asked about wanting a fire service FREE from taxpayers monies !
… like it will say on the headstone … IT WAS GOOD WHILE IT LASTED and a reminder Labour’s Regional Assemblies fiasco …
nigel d
says...
4:54pm Mon 4 Mar 13
argo2013
says...
5:00pm Mon 4 Mar 13
the-big-yin
says...
5:41pm Mon 4 Mar 13
The Grim North
says...
6:19pm Mon 4 Mar 13
mark.wilkinson
says...
6:21pm Mon 4 Mar 13
the-big-yin wrote:Very Good point!
At least i won-t have to pay council tax for a service i never use....
bingbong
says...
6:36pm Mon 4 Mar 13
.
And as for the comments about two jobs, I really don't see the relevance?! In a prevous jb I used to work as an engineer and because the facility I worked at was a 24/7 365 days a year operation I had to work 4 days on, 4 days off, rather similar shift patters to firefighters I believe. In my 4 days off I also had a part time job, what is the problem with that?!
.
Oh silly me, of course, I forgot, firefighters work in the public sector so it's OK to have a pop at them for it isn't it?!
argo2013
says...
9:22am Tue 5 Mar 13
st-george1
says...
5:34pm Tue 5 Mar 13
argo2013 wrote:… you can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear and you CAN’T KEEP THROWING MONEY at these institutions … there failure to manage costs means pain for those in need ... its history, Its old news and not shocking any more in my view … with Labour rhetoric and their Union paymasters are shaming this country with their interference in our NHS, our Failing Ambulance services, where compassion is a dirty word it seems and the unions keep blaming management … then there’s our Fire-fighters inflaming public fears with hate-filled anti Coalition government propaganda and their Union’s - They slash, you burn - campaign which is not just offensive, but inaccurate as well and shame too @ the already disgraced Cleveland Police Force where another national headline-scandal is in the news and I suppose now more than ever, these people wonder why mr and mrs public hold them in such contempt … it could be the nature of their behaviour, makes it easy … time to get real these 4 outfits are taking up monies that could help the genuine people in need !
St george, Not everything needs to be governed by profit and loss when it concerns people's lives and a decent comfortable life.Power companies are making vast profits and people are sitting shivering in their homes because they can't afford to put on their heating.
IanfromCrook
says...
8:43pm Tue 5 Mar 13
st-george1 wrote:Private companies run things cheaper......not better.
At last … the taxpayers forced sponsorship of a unprofitable current public sector service looks like its coming to an end !
The shake-up of Cleveland Fire Authority to allow private firms to bid to run its services and be profitable and put an end to the current two-job members of staff who many would say have been living in a bubble of privilege all their lives.
As for Labour’s MP and mind-reader Tommy Blenkinsop to say this looks like a conspiracy to privatise is his standard anti-government speak … yet he does not divulge how many men-in-the-street he really asked about wanting a fire service FREE from taxpayers monies !
… like it will say on the headstone … IT WAS GOOD WHILE IT LASTED and a reminder Labour’s Regional Assemblies fiasco …
Take a look at the news page to see prime examples of privately run companies:
Scandal hit Darlington-based care home provider goes into administration
CASTLEBECK, into administration
Directors of Shildon financial company in court on fraud charges.
Law firm partner among three on trial for alleged £2.5m mortgage fraud
Public companies need firm management but private ones mean of course that their only concern is profit.....of course those politicians that do privatize can turn round and say not our responsibility we cant interfere in a private company.
mark.wilkinson
says...
9:23pm Tue 5 Mar 13
IanfromCrook wrote:Trouble with publicly run businesses is......they are inefficient, extremely wasteful with money, the employees are lazy comparatively speaking and overpaid with overly generous benefits. There's not enough accountability and there's definately way too much red tape and bureacracy, to name but a few things.
st-george1 wrote:Private companies run things cheaper......not better.
At last … the taxpayers forced sponsorship of a unprofitable current public sector service looks like its coming to an end !
The shake-up of Cleveland Fire Authority to allow private firms to bid to run its services and be profitable and put an end to the current two-job members of staff who many would say have been living in a bubble of privilege all their lives.
As for Labour’s MP and mind-reader Tommy Blenkinsop to say this looks like a conspiracy to privatise is his standard anti-government speak … yet he does not divulge how many men-in-the-street he really asked about wanting a fire service FREE from taxpayers monies !
… like it will say on the headstone … IT WAS GOOD WHILE IT LASTED and a reminder Labour’s Regional Assemblies fiasco …
Take a look at the news page to see prime examples of privately run companies:
Scandal hit Darlington-based care home provider goes into administration
CASTLEBECK, into administration
Directors of Shildon financial company in court on fraud charges.
Law firm partner among three on trial for alleged £2.5m mortgage fraud
Public companies need firm management but private ones mean of course that their only concern is profit.....of course those politicians that do privatize can turn round and say not our responsibility we cant interfere in a private company.
I do agree with some of what you said regarding privately run companies. Maybe we should take the best elements of both and combine them for maximum effect.
IanfromCrook
says...
10:59pm Tue 5 Mar 13
mark.wilkinson wrote:Or alternatively keep them public and actually write into managerial contracts penalties for not doing the job right.......a kind of reverse bankers bonus scheme where they get massive bonuses for being rubbish.......the managers of public companies get a pay cut if they do not deliver. I often thought any system that only involves carrots, so to speak, is hard to manage. If you get a builder you withhold a percentage of the build cost until you are satisfied. I see nothing wrong with any company doing the same to managers that are often on inflated salaries. There is even an argument to be had that it would focus the mind of all staff to have a % balance real bad job deduction good one get a bonus. I will have a word with myself later over the last sentence,,,,,not very left wing.
IanfromCrook wrote:Trouble with publicly run businesses is......they are inefficient, extremely wasteful with money, the employees are lazy comparatively speaking and overpaid with overly generous benefits. There's not enough accountability and there's definately way too much red tape and bureacracy, to name but a few things.
st-george1 wrote:Private companies run things cheaper......not better.
At last … the taxpayers forced sponsorship of a unprofitable current public sector service looks like its coming to an end !
The shake-up of Cleveland Fire Authority to allow private firms to bid to run its services and be profitable and put an end to the current two-job members of staff who many would say have been living in a bubble of privilege all their lives.
As for Labour’s MP and mind-reader Tommy Blenkinsop to say this looks like a conspiracy to privatise is his standard anti-government speak … yet he does not divulge how many men-in-the-street he really asked about wanting a fire service FREE from taxpayers monies !
… like it will say on the headstone … IT WAS GOOD WHILE IT LASTED and a reminder Labour’s Regional Assemblies fiasco …
Take a look at the news page to see prime examples of privately run companies:
Scandal hit Darlington-based care home provider goes into administration
CASTLEBECK, into administration
Directors of Shildon financial company in court on fraud charges.
Law firm partner among three on trial for alleged £2.5m mortgage fraud
Public companies need firm management but private ones mean of course that their only concern is profit.....of course those politicians that do privatize can turn round and say not our responsibility we cant interfere in a private company.
I do agree with some of what you said regarding privately run companies. Maybe we should take the best elements of both and combine them for maximum effect.
argo2013
says...
2:29pm Wed 6 Mar 13
argo2013
says...
2:31pm Wed 6 Mar 13
spragger
says...
8:00pm Thu 7 Mar 13
Maybe the new people can do something about the 80% redundant time, sleeping time and the overmanning.
In the public sector nothing would be done to benefit the taxpayer.
Another group, like the Police, that have been taking us for a ride
IanfromCrook
says...
8:46pm Thu 7 Mar 13
spragger wrote:I am sure the 'NEW' people will cut down on the time firemen wait for an emergency. An empty staff room cannot answer your call to help the family in a burning house...............
Good, hopefully we will be out of the hands of the alarmist FBU.
Maybe the new people can do something about the 80% redundant time, sleeping time and the overmanning.
In the public sector nothing would be done to benefit the taxpayer.
Another group, like the Police, that have been taking us for a ride
.alarmist yes............altho
ugh justifiably so.
Glib-ness does not save lives.
tomtopper
says...
9:25am Sun 10 Mar 13
A structure that works is already in place irrespective of the firemen's free time etc.. And having that structure is paramount to everything else..
What the Fire brigade need to get rid of , is all this political correctness dogma and health and safety rubbish (remember the 7/7 enquiry firemen ordered not to go into the tube?)
I have to agree with those I usually disagree with on this occasion as they're presenting a very valid argument against privatising... But the Fire service does need some kind of reform...
loan_star
says...
2:36pm Sun 10 Mar 13
"Or alternatively keep them public and actually write into managerial contracts penalties for not doing the job right.......a kind of reverse bankers bonus scheme where they get massive bonuses for being rubbish.......the managers of public companies get a pay cut if they do not deliver"
I agree totally, however when was the last time you heard of a local government official getting sacked for failing to do his job right?
In Darlington we have had the town centre and link road fiascos, both costing the council tax payers millions more than first thought, and yet all we got from DBC was "we wont make the same mistakes again". No heads rolled whereas in the private sector you could guarantee that any managers overseeing misspends of millions would be papping their pants knowing they could well be sacked for such poor management.
Idontknowaboutyoubut says...
8:46am Mon 4 Mar 13
the prospect of reliance on G4S when the house is going up in flames appalls me.We saw how reliable they were during last summers olympics.Nothing suggests that other private companies would do better.This is deadly serious,literally.Li
ves depend on the fire service ,24/7.What next?The ambulance service?