Perth City North councillor Brian Leishman has filed a motion calling for a u-turn on plans decommission a fire engine at Perth Fire Station.
The Labour representative has presented his motion to the housing and social wellbeing committee, who will meet to discuss it on June 21.
He has also launched a petition to ‘Stop fire service cuts in Perth’ which has gained 147 signatures so far.
It comes after the Scottish Fire Rescue Service (SFRS) last month announced that Perth station will lose the use of one fire engine for at least a year as part of nationwide cash saving plans.
The headquarters, just off Long Causeway, currently operates three fire appliances – two fire engines (pumping appliances) and one aerial rescue pump (height vehicle).
However, effective from September, the sole height vehicle, which can also be operated as a pumping appliance with minimum four crew, will be solely used as a height vehicle and crewed by just two.
Cllr Leishman called the planned cuts “destructive” and fears it may put more lives at risk in light of two tragic fires at the New County Hotel and Shore Recycling centre in Perth this year.
His motion notes the “grave concern” over the operational decision to decommission an appliance.
It also requests a meeting with SFRS “decision makers” and representatives of local services, with elected members and council officers, to “seek more detailed information” and consider a u-turn on the decision.
Cllr Leishman is also seeking to reassure the fire service of the council’s commitment to continue working together to “safeguard” local communities.
The SFRS is having to make savings of £36 million, including £11m in 2023/24, because of the lack of adequate funding and a flat cash SFRS budget settlement for the next four years from the Scottish Government.
While this reduction in appliances is said to be a temporary arrangement for one year, local politicians are concerned these services will not be restored.
Concerns have been expressed by firefighters and local politicians about the loss of this capability, which will result in a greater reliance on retained crews from nearby communities to cover the shortfall.
Gus Sproul, Fire Brigades Union Scotland regional chair, said fewer fire appliances and fewer firefighters mean that communities are “at greater risk”.
He added: “Our members who have recently attended major incidents in Fife and Tayside tell us that if they have to attend similar incidents in the future with one less appliance then lives and property will be put at significantly increased danger.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said “it is right” that SFRS continues to review its operations to ensure it is “effective and delivering value for money”.
The petition is at www.change.org
