Alan Beddow Slams Fire Plan Ploy.

1.45.59pm GMT Thu 24th Dec 2009

Alan Beddow at recent fire cuts demonstration with Margaret Begg and Lucy Gill

Delays to the review of the Fire and Rescue Service have been slammed as a cynical ploy to delay the decision until after the General Election.

Local Lib-Dem Parliamentary Candidate, Alan Beddow said, "The Conservatives have created enormous concern across Warwick & Leamington with their plans to close Fire Stations.

Local people deserve better than an open ended plan to bring proposals back 'some time in the future'. With a General Election only months away my fear is this is only delaying the decision until after the election.

I would like to see these ill thought through plans scrapped altogether. The closures have proved deeply unpopular. Even our own fire fighters and neighbouring fire services have criticised the plan."

Plans put forward by the Conservative cabinet at the county council, would mean the closure of both Warwick and Kenilworth fire stations leaving just the station in Leamington to cover all three towns and surrounding areas.

With consultation on the proposals having closed on 8th December it was intended that the Cabinet would consider the proposals in January and then a final decision on changes would be made at a County Council meeting in February.

That timetable has now been abandoned, but despite pressure from Liberal Democrat Councillors at the meeting to scrap the plans altogether no indication was given by the ruling Conservatives as to when plans would be brought back to the Council.