Noble intentions descended into squabbling as politicians debated how to write a letter intended to save Warwick fire station.
The closure of the station was proposed in a report produced for Warwickshire County Council in August. Labour councillors were quick to deride the move as a cost-saving move by the Conservative administration, but senior Tories insisted commissionin
g the report had been a cross-party decision.
Warwick district councillors of every allegiance seemed anxious to voice their opposition to any closure at the authority’s meeting last week, but had difficulty agreeing how it should be done.
Before the meeting began, Coun Michael Kinson (Con, Warwick West) reported on Warwick town council’s “grave” concerns. He said: "As we all know this is a county council decision as it is their money that supports our fire service.
"But the safety and security of citizens should be a priority for this council. Traffic in Leamington at peak times would make it difficult for crews to get from Leamington and Warwick fire station's location near major roads is an asset. At a time when the threat of a terrorist attack is high, closing an emergency service should not be an option."
Coun Misan McFarland (Lab, Warwick North) proposed that the district council - also under Conservative control since the May elections - should write stating its opposition to the closure.
She said: "There has not been not been the same reduction in problems in this area as elsewhere. This is clearly not the time to be cutting Warwick fire station.”
Coun Chris White (Con, Warwick South) said he “fully supported” the proposal. But the parliamentary candidate wanted a copy of the letter sent to Warwick and Leamington MP James Plaskitt to put pressure on central government to relieve the financial burden, which he said had caused the county council to consider closing the station.
Labour councillors seemed reluctant to include the MP, even though he has announced his opposition to the closure.
This led to a 40-minute debate in which Labour councillors argued that the Tory-led county council should be able to stick to its own budget, while Conservatives claimed Labour councillors were playing party politics.
Eventually Liberal Democrat group leader Coun Alan Boad (Leamington Crown) suggested an amendment asking the county council to include a risk assessment, but not including Mr Plaskitt in the list of recipients. The council voted in favour of this.
