Petition submitted to stop Huntington Fire crew cuts
A petition signed by more than 1800 residents calling for Huntington fire crew cuts to be abandoned has been submitted to North Yorkshire’s Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner.
The petition was set up by Liberal Democrat councillors representing communities in the North of York, following proposals set out by the PFCC at the end of May this year, which include significant changes to the operation of Huntington Station. A consultation on the proposals closed on the 14th August, a decision on the plans is expected to be made in the next few months.
Councillors have repeatedly tried to engage with the PFCC over the proposals and represent the strong views of York residents, questioning the reasoning and impacts of the move and calling for the Commissioner to drop the dangerous plan.
Earlier this month, the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Panel members also formally laid out their strong concerns over the likely delays in response times and the impact of the cuts given Huntington Station’s strategic location. This has formally now been submitted to the Commissioner as part of the consultation.
Councillor Keith Orrell, Lib Dem councillor for Huntington and New Earswick, commented:
“Residents are rightly outraged about these dangerous proposals, which are nothing more than a cut in services for over 30,000 people in the city and many more beyond York.
“The bravery and dedication of firefighters cannot be repaid by cuts that will endanger the communities they serve. It’s inconceivable that the PFCC is proposing to cut services just as demand on fire and rescue services is increasing.
“People all across York have made it clear that they do not want to see these plans progress. I hope that the Commissioner will reconsider her proposals for the sake of our residents’ safety.”
Councillor Tony Fisher, Lib Dem councillor for Strensall, added:
“I’d like to thank all those who have taken the time to sign our petition or contact me and my colleagues over these plans.
“There have been serious and devastating house fires in Strensall over the last couple of years, so there’s real concern in the community over the impacts of the cuts. This is yet another example of Conservatives cutting services, cuts that they never mentioned during their election campaign.
“We will continue to use every opportunity to condemn these cuts and fight for Huntington Fire Station Crew to be saved.”