Battle Fire Station meeting - ‘More funding needed for a first class service’

Cllr Phil Scott, who attended public meetings about the cuts in Hastings and Battle this week, says he feels the fire service should be seen as a ‘special case’ and not be subject to funding cuts.

Speaking after the meeting in Battle, the Labour Group Leader on the Combined Fire Authority said: “After attending two very highly-charged public meetings both in Hastings and Battle it is clear that the overwhelming feeling by the public that attended is that there should be no downgrading of frontline firefighter cover in East Sussex.

“Certainly in Battle I think by the end of the discussion it was made much more clear to them that any cuts to service in Hastings would impact heavily on both Hastings and Battle.

“It was a great shame that both MPs for the Hastings and Rye and Bexhill and Battle areas were not present so as to support their communities as we need to ensure that the message goes back to Government and that it asks that they provide the adequate funding now that is needed to provide a first class fire service to our communities and that public safety is one of paramount importance.

“The fire service is a special case and should be recognised as such.”