Went along to the Newport consultation meeting last evening on a possible merger of our Fire & Rescue Service with Hampshire's. Not brilliantly attended and I was disappointed that only one other of the eight Newport area councillors bothered to turn up.
Despite a very biased style of running a consultation meeting by the Council's consultants, the meeting was 100% AGAINST merger or closer collaboration - though the consultant seemed reluctant to record that fact. Two previous public meetings have had similar outcomes.
What is very disconcerting is that it is clear that the Cabinet Member responsible does not want this merger, and neither does the relevant Policy Commissioner. There are claims that the Government is pushing it, but Labour councillors know that is rubbish - as I told the meeting. The Government wants an improved Fire Service here and is unlikely to go against local opinion if convinced the service is on a significantly improving trajectory. All the current indicators are showing that it is.
So the question needs to be asked - exactly why is the Council spending £35,000 of Council Taxpayers money on consultation - by Consultants - that no one appears to want ? My guess is that it lies at the door of someone higher than the Cabinet Member.........
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