Fire Cover Review Update Stage 2: Blaenau Gwent & Torfaen

This is my personal response to the Fire Service Statement

The South Wales Fire and Rescue Service have published the following statement on their website, which by the look of their Alexa Rankings means that very few people will actually read it, and so I guess we will help them out by spreading their message on our site.

Over the last couple of months we have been engaging with our communities affected by fire cover proposals in Blaenau Gwent and Torfaen.  They have been sharing their views with us about these.

It is now our intention to feedback to the Fire Authority on 24th March 2014 detailing the views of those who have taken part.  This will ensure that the opinions of the communities affected will be fully considered before any final decisions are made.

There have been a large number of responses to our proposals via e-mail, social media, letters and our survey.  There have also been meetings with community members, Members of Parliament, Assembly Members and local Councillors.  We have listened to what has been said and now need to consider the many issues raised by these proposals. It has now been agreed that we will not report our final conclusions from this consultation at the Fire Authority meeting in December to allow us time to do this.

It is important to us to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has participated in this consultation.  Whilst we will not be able to provide any detailed information on the final report until after the Fire Authority meeting in March, you can be reassured that your views will be considered.

Now if that is their "official" response to the news that they have suspended their plans for the closure of Blaina Fire Station for the foreseeable future, then I am afraid it is just not good enough, and again I am reluctantly forced to question the ability of the man who the buck stops with (in the public's eyes at least), Chief Fire Officer, Huw Jakeway.

There should be at the very least a letter of apology to Tudor Davies and the rest of the councillors who make up the Fire Authority in South Wales, for wasting their time by submitting a proposal that was riddled with false information and which they were forced to withdraw or look damn silly in December.

Whilst they have their text editor up, instead of Tweeting friends about meals in McDonald's, the Fire Service should also send a letter expressing their regret at bringing back painful memories to the families of the fire officers who died serving Blaina Community.

A Christmas "one off payment" should be made to the fire crew and staff of Blaina Fire Station for the unnecessary trauma they were forced to endure and the personal expenses they were forced to spend in defence of their jobs protecting the people of Blaina and Nantyglo in the run up to Christmas.

A public apology should also be made to Councillor Lisa Winnett and the full Blaenau Gwent council for the snide attacks on her integrity in a document they made public.

No Huw, I am not happy with this response from you.

One last thing. 

Please go and sign the following petition to Save Our Fire Stations.

"We call upon the Welsh Government to ensure fire services throughout the country are protected from severe budget cuts which inevitably impact upon the service and response times."