United Kingdom - Lives could be at risk if proposed cuts to the fire service in Polesworth and surrounding villages are approved. A proposed budget cut of pounds 89,000 in Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Services' budget could see nightime and weekend cover in the town drop by up to 35 per cent, the Fire Brigades Union has claimed.

"The truth is that simply looking for ever more ways to produce an ever cheaper fire service will not improve things," said a spokesperson for the FBU.

"It will compromise the safety of the public and of firefighters.

"The FBU recently had a successful lobby of MPs at Westminster which incorporated firefighter and public safety.

"The lobby was to bring to the attention of the Government and Fire Authorities the importance of investing in frontline services to improve firefighter and public safety.

"And yet Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service are proposing to cut posts," he added.

Proposed changes to the shift systems operating in Atherstone and Coleshill could lead to the loss of 15 full-time firefighter posts - to be replaced with part-time firefighters under the Retained Duty System.

The two stations provide fire cover for villages throughout the North Warwickshire area, including Polesworth, Dordon and Kingsbury.

While fire cover in the threatened areas is currently 100 per cent, the FBU claim that these cuts would see such cover reduced to between 65 and 70 per cent between the hours of 5pm and 9am and also at weekends.

Budget cuts for the fire service are to be discussed by Warwickshire county Council at their next full council meeting on February 3.

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Written by The Sentinel