A new report warns that plans to privatise London Fire Brigade training and the fire control centre would compromise safety whilst imposing new high financial risks on the capital’s fire service.
The European Services Strategy Unit, jointly commissioned by the FBU, GMB and Unison trade unions, has released its report examining plans to privatise London’s Fire Service Training and Control Centre.
The report highlights the poor performance of previous Public Private Partnerships, finding that one in five (20 per cent) of PPP strategic partnership contracts have either been terminated, reduced in scope, or suffered significant operational and/or financial problems.
This is a higher rate than for PFI projects and imposes many more risks for the London Fire and Emergency Services.
Darren Johnson, Green Party London Fire Authority member, said: ‘I don’t want to see pivotal London Fire Brigade services privatised as we have seen far too many privatisations that have been costly and ineffective.
‘That is why I welcome these proposals that call on the Fire Brigade to work with staff and unions in designing improved in-house provision for training and fire control.’
The cross union stance has also been supported by Ken Livingstone and Former London Fire Authority member Val Shawcross.
They have called on Tory Mayor Boris Johnson to drop plans to rush through the privatisation of the London Fire Brigade control centre.
Ken Livingstone said: ‘Under a Tory Mayor and his Tory fire supremo Conservative ideology is being put before the interests of ordinary Londoners.
‘Londoners not shareholders must come first.
‘London’s mayor should be protecting our emergency services not privatising them.
‘I cannot think of a more unjustifiable, foolish or dangerous policy under this mayor than privatising the control centre of the fire brigade. It is a new low.
‘My commitment to Londoners is that I will campaign flat out against this plan, and from the outset of my administration, if I am elected, there will be a fresh approach at the Fire Brigade – and Boris Johnson’s privatiser in chief, Brian Coleman, will be sacked as the chair of the fire authority.’
Controversial London Fire Authority Chair, Brian Coleman has brought forward the time table for the outsourcing of both training and the control centre to ensure that they are pushed through before next year’s GLA elections.
At a recent Fire Authority meeting when asked ‘are there any functions of LFEPA that you believe are inappropriate for take-over by private operators?’, Coleman replied ‘No, in the right circumstances.’
It is the belief of all three unions that the rushed drive to push through these privatisations will put Londoner safety in jeopardy and increase long term costs.
Amongst the report’s recommendations are to retain in-house provision of training and immediately implement localised training arrangements and immediately amend the Fire Control procurement to withdraw the managed services option.
The project to design, build, provide and maintain control and mobilising ICT services should proceed.
The three stage decision making process starts next week and culminates in next month’s London Fire Authority meeting.
Changes to the rules of how the fire authority is constituted after the last mayoral election mean the Conservative group have an overall majority which would enable them to push these controversial plans through unchecked.
• The Fire Brigades Union Executive on Monday issued an update for members on the union’s pensions campaign.
It said: ‘The FBU has been building up solid arguments and evidence to challenge to government’s attack on our pensions.
‘We have commissioned these independent reports to support our case.’
Matt Wrack, FBU general secretary said: ‘The FBU executive council believes that these reports should be widely read and the arguments in these documents should be discussed by all stakeholders in the fire and rescue service.
‘Once again, I would like to reiterate my hope that these documents, which broadly support the arguments put forward by the union, also help to raise the level of discussion on pensions.’
The FBU statement listed:
• Pension Schemes in the Fire Service and the Independent Public Service Pensions Commission, an independent report by Tony Cutler and Barbara Waine.
• A scoping study: Review of aging and the demands on firefighting by Richard Graveling and Joanne Crawford on behalf of the Institute of Occupational Medicine IOM.
• A report on the impact of the government’s proposal for members of the firefighters’ pension scheme and the new firefighters’ pension scheme; by Rob Hammond of First Actuarial consultants.
The FBU statement concluded: ‘The FBU has formally presented these documents to the minister responsible for fire in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales along with an initial submission “Protecting good quality occupational pensions in the fire and rescue service”.’
Meanwhile, the FBU has decided that there should not be an immediate move to industrial action over pensions.
In a circular to members last Wednesday, FBU general secretary Matt Wrack said: ‘The Executive Council met yesterday (October 18) to assess the current situation around our campaign to defend pensions.
‘This included report backs from discussions at our Committees across the UK as well as reports from the most recent meetings with Government ministers and officials.
‘The most significant development to be considered was the decision of the Westminster Government to comply with the FBU request not to set an immediate cost ceiling for the Firefighters’ Pension Scheme.
‘This clearly does not resolve the issue in any way.
‘It does however offer us an opportunity to try to influence Government before any such cost ceiling is set.
‘Among TUC trade unions, this has put us in a unique position since cost ceilings have now been set for the main public sector schemes.
‘A major concern of our colleagues in other unions has been a refusal by Government to engage in serious dialogue or genuine negotiations in the other pension scheme talks.
‘Frustration at this is a key feature of the current campaigns in a number of unions.
‘In relation to the Firefighters scheme it would be dishonest of us to make such a claim at this time.
‘Ministers have met us on several occasions; have agreed to all meetings requested; have currently provided all information asked for and have allocated actuaries and pension officials to assist in talks.
‘It is important to note that none of this means the core issues will be resolved – there remain very serious disagreements.
‘It simply means that in terms of current talks we cannot say that Government are refusing to engage in a dialogue. Most significantly, ministers have agreed to a very important demand from the FBU i.e. not to set the cost ceiling immediately.
‘As a result of these and other considerations, the Executive Council concluded that there should not be an immediate move to industrial action.
‘Such action may become necessary and the next few weeks will be crucial in assessing the Government position before such a decision is made.’
