Conservatives push ahead with Haslemere Fire Station cuts

5.45.23pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 30th Mar 2004

Simon Cordon listened to firefighters at Haslemere.In contrast, the Conservatives ignored their views.

The decision to cut fulltime night crews at Haslemere Fire Station is another example of Surrey County Council spending more on services in the north of the County than in the south.

The claim was made by Simon Cordon, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokesman for SW Surrey, after Surrey's ruling Conservative Executive Committee confirmed the decision to press ahead with the cuts this afternoon at County Hall (30th March).

Simon has already tabled a formal question at Surrey's next local committee in Waverley asking how much is spent on a number of key services in each Borough or District in the County. "If you draw a line from County Hall in Kingston down to the south of the County I am certain that the amount spent falls as you get lower down that line", said Simon. "The decision to cut fire crews in Haslemere is another example of this".

Simon, who attended the meeting, said that he was shocked and horrified that the Conservative Executive did not rule out further cuts in the future.

Councillor James Smith, the Conservative Portfolio Holder for the Fire Service, told the Executive Committee that it was wrong to think that the decision was a "one shot deal" that would be stuck with. "It's not", he said, "We have to keep reviewing things".

Chief Fire Officer, Steve Myers, said that there were no proposals in the "foreseeable future" to lose the second pump at Haslemere, but he added: "In the distant future there may be a consideration of that".

Simon commented: "I've been around in politics long enough to know that these answers are coded language. 'Review' means further cuts, and 'distant future' means after two or three years time".

Simon has also criticised local Conservatives in Haslemere for promising to stop the cuts. "The Conservatives have let people down. They said they were against these cuts but when it came down to it, it is their party who went ahead. It's total hypocrisy for the Tories to say one thing in Haslemere and do another at County Hall where they hold power".

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