Lives & property at increased risk
There are those who try to defend the deterioration in our fire & rescue service by suggesting we no longer need the same resources. I think the people who suffered in these very recent incidents might disagree.
Only this week, one Reform County Councillor, Stuart Barclay, who defected from the Conservatives, claimed that we don't need the same resources because "incidents are at a record low". Not only a false claim, but fundamentally flawed thinking. The number of incidents has never been a factor in determining fire service resources.
The relevant factors are to ensure that at any time, there can be a quick and effective response to any emergency, anywhere in West Sussex, that when additional or specialist resources are needed they arrive quickly, and that when several incidents occur at the same time they can all be dealt with effectively.
There are more incidents, not less:
1975 - 28 fire stations and 46 frontline fire engines
for an average of under 100 emergencies a week.
2025 - 24 fire stations and 35 frontline fire engines
for an average of over 170 emergencies a week.
To make matters worse, up to two thirds of those 35 remaining frontline fire engines can be without enough firefighters to crew them. This all results in longer response times, which results in greater risk to lives and property.
The Conservatives have seriously neglected our fire & rescue service
Why voting on Thursday matters for the fire & rescue service
These County Council elections will determine who manages our fire & rescue service for the next two years, and who prepares it for the expected amalgamation with East Sussex. If we want an effective fire & rescue service for the future we have to elect the right County Councillors.
There are those who are misleading voters by suggesting a vote for them will help remove the current Government. It won't, the Government has a substantial majority so, like it or not, Labour will be in Government until the next general election in 2029.
Vote in the right people now and there is hope for a better fire & rescue service.
Vote in the wrong people and there will be more cuts, more deterioration, and more risk for us all.
Who are the right people?
It certainly isn't the Conservatives, as the deterioration of our fire & rescue service rests squarely with them. It isn't Reform, they have a lot of Conservative defectors standing, plus many more unknown candidates with no record of public service. The only local comments from Reform suggest that they are content with a less effective fire & rescue service, so they may well make further cuts.
That leaves Green Party, Labour, Liberal Democrat, and Independent candidates. I am satisfied that those political parties understand the problems of an under-resourced fire & rescue service, and it was Labour and Liberal Democrat County Councillors who fought the cuts and have supported the service and firefighters. The Independent candidates vary, with some supportive and others more in tune with Conservative cuts.
Choosing a candidate to oust the Conservatives becomes a little more difficult, as core support for different parties varies in different parts of the County. An indication of who that might be could be if that party has an MP in the area, or if they already run borough or district councils in your local area. Another is if they keep in regular touch with residents via leaflets, social media, and canvassing, or do you only hear from them at election time?
From my research of policies, and discussions with different political parties, I do not believe our fire & rescue service will be safe in the hands of the Conservatives or Reform.
Your vote matters on May 7th
If you value an effective fire and rescue service and support our firefighters, then please choose Green Party, Labour, Liberal Democrat, or Independent candidates who do want to provide an effective fire & rescue service.
