Council Meeting Explodes as Tory Amendment Delays Action Against Folkestone Fire Cuts

10.19.51am GMT Thu 1st Nov 2007

Last nights meeting of Shepway District Council exploded in controversy with several Councillors from both the Lib Dems and the Conservatives walking out. The meeting was debating a Liberal Democrat motion aimed at fighting proposed cuts to fire fighters and fire engines a Folkestone Fire Station. The cuts will cut the number of the fully manned fire engines from 3 to 1 and the loss of 24 firefighters in Folkestone.

The meeting was discussing a powerfully worded motion calling on the Council as a whole to make sure local people were aware of the proposed savage cuts and for the Council to take action immediately to fight to stop them.

The motion was proposed by the Leader of the Lib Dems on Shepway Cllr Lynne Beaumont. It appeared that the motion had wide support. However, at the last minute Conservative Cllr Rory Love proposed a motion which instead of seeking immediate action, referred the decision to a Scrutiny Committee to be held in several weeks time - delaying and weakening the Councils ability to alert local people to a consultation that closes in Mid January.

Furious exchanges followed and sufficient Conservative Councillors voted to amend the motion refer the issue to the Scrutiny committee.

Cllr Beaumont said:

"This is one of the most serious motions ever to come before the Council. Our firefighters are a vital resource. It is unthinkable to make these cuts. Folkestone Fire Station has the largest fire area in Kent, is a vital resource for the Channel Tunnel and provides cover as far as Romney Marsh."

Cllr Peter Carroll, who led the walk out from the Council Chamber following the vote said:

"We are elected to fight for local services. The amendment put forward at the end of the meeting was simply a 'wrecking device' to push the matter into the 'long grass' of an internal committee. The delay this will cause will make the Council hugely less effective is campaigning for our local services.

"I was not prepared to sit in a Council chamber with people who failed to stand up for our firefighters. Sometimes in life you have to make a stand for things you believe in. This was one such occasion."

Cllr Beaumont added:

"The fight to save our firefighters and their engines goes on. I am ashamed of the Conservative Councillors who allowed the original motion to fall.

"It seems that the Conservatives and Shepway Council are not prepared to get to work making people aware of these cuts today. The Liberal Democrats will. We will work with local firefighters and residents to get the message out about the threat to our local services loud and clear, and make sure Kent fire Authority get to hear the views of local residents.

"We will fight a massive campaign on behalf of the people of Shepway, to stop these cuts. We had hoped Shepway Council would take part. After the shameful delay introduced last night, it seems we were wrong on that."