‘While a new website would be welcome, this should not be done at the cost of frontline cuts’ says fire resources committee chief

A row has broken out at City Hall about plans to pay £283,000 to upgrade the London Fire Brigade’s website when 13 fire engines are under threat of being axed to save money.

The brigade is considering plans to scrap the engines in a bid to save £11million from next year’s budget.

Under one version of the controversial proposal West Hampstead and Hornsey fire stations would both lose a pump.

But Labour members of the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority (LFEPA) say implementing alternate fire crewing and ditching a website upgrade should be considered instead of losing pumps, in alternative budget plans.

Camden’s London Assembly Member Andrew Dismore, Labour chair of the LFEPA resources committee, said: “While a new website would be welcome, this should not be done at the cost of front line cuts.”

But Cllr Maurice Heaster, Conservative committee member, said at a meeting last Thursday: “You’ve suggested taking out a very important bit of IT.

“All the conversation now is very much about social media and this authority doesn’t really get involved with social media because, frankly, the equipment we’ve got isn’t up to it.

“I think it’s a false economy to think about removing something as important as this.”

London Fire Commissioner Ron Dobson has given his backing to the plan to axe 13 engines.

They were taken out of service in August 2013 for use during strike action and the brigade says fire response targets “can continue to be comfortably met at the London level” without them.

But fire response times in Camden and Haringey would rise and the Fire Brigades Union says “lives may be put at risk”.

London Assembly Member Dr Fiona Twycross, Labour committee member, said: “There are other ways to make cuts other than deciding to cut 13 appliances.

“I think the public would want us to consider this very carefully.”

The committee will now consider Labour’s alternative budget and a decision has been deferred until December 2.

It comes just weeks after a huge fire burned for more than 72 hours in Finchley Road, devastating homes and livelihoods.

As crews from across north London were diverted to the blaze, a man lost his life in another fatal house fire in Camden Town.

A spokeswoman for the London Fire Brigade said: “It’s unfair to suggest that we are making a decision between keeping a fire engine or updating our website.

“Firstly, updating the website would be a one off payment unlike the year-on-year savings of £13.2 million needed to meet our budget for 2016/17.

“A modern website would form an integral part of our work on fire prevention, education and fire safety regulation for London’s businesses.

“A redevelopment of the site and its functions would allow the brigade to do more, better, for less.

“Currently the brigade website is not mobile-ready when 76 per cent of the UK population use smart phones to access their information.”