MP and MSP’s Concern Over Balmossie Fire Cover
Stewart Hosie MP and Shona Robison MSP continue to voice their concerns over the Tayside Fire Board’s proposals to downgrade nighttime fire cover at Balmossie Fire Station. While responding to a press feature on the subject, both Stewart and Shona gave their reasons:
Stewart Hosie said:“Many of my constituents in particular from Broughty Ferry, Monifieth and the Sidlaw villages, were, and are, concerned at the proposals to downgrade night-time firecover at Balmossie.
“I received more correspondence about this issue when it raised it’s head last year than on any other single local issue since I was elected. The concerns raised with me formed the basis of my response to the Firemaster as part of the initial consultation. I attended and spoke at the FBU Rally and had various meetings with the Firemaster and FBU officials.
“My position has not changed. I believe that the Firemaster has failed to allay the very real concerns of local people that his plans for the service offer the best possible fire protection – and I am dismayed that a near identical proposal should be brought back to the Fire Board so soon after it was last rejected.
“Local people gave me a long list of specific concerns which remain unanswered. These include concerns that most fire deaths occur during the night, precisely the time period when fire-cover is to be downgraded; there are a large number of nursing homes in the area, Ashludie Hospital and many elderly people living in the area; that there will be longer response times in the areas presently served by Balmossie, with constituents in Monifieth believing that there would be an additional four minutes for an appliance from Kingsway East to get to them. Some are concerned that downgrading night-time firecover at Balmossie would be a first step to closing the station altogether. Others constituents point out that the area’s population is expanding, with new housing estates to the north and east and that it makes little sense to downgrade a station covering an expanding residential population.
“Therefore, as the local MP, I cannot support proposals which so many of my constituents remain deeply anxious about.
“Of course, no service can remain static for ever. And I am open to any imaginative proposals which would improve the fire protection of my constituents . But in the absence of any firm alternatives, I remain unconvinced about the benefits of downgrading the service in from Balmossie.”
In her comments on the situation, Shona Robison said: “It would be very foolish for any political party to try and make the Balmossie Fire station issue into a party political football.
“The fact is that members of all parties have voted in differing ways over this controversial proposal since its inception. Indeed it would be wrong for Fire Board members to vote along party political or indeed geographical lines. The safety of the public is too important for political point scoring. Rather the judgement is whether the Fire Master has made the case for change along the lines proposed.
“My own position is already in the public domain in both media comment and my submission to the first consultation back in March last year. The Fire master has not persuaded me that the proposals for Balmossie address two key concerns. Firstly that there is no diminution of safety for the public and secondly that any changes must be focussed on reducing the deaths and injury from fire which occur disproportionately in the poorest communities in Dundee.
“The statistics speak for themselves and yet the Balmossie proposals do little to address this fact. Therefore, I cannot support the proposals (to downgrade full-time night cover) as they stand and I would urge both the Fire Master, the Fire Board and the FBU to seriously investigate alternative options which can command broad support and deliver enhanced safety for the people of this city.”
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