Powys Welsh Lib. Dem. Councillors Back Roger And Kirsty On Fire Service Campaign

11.57.00am GMT Tue 3rd Mar 2009

Powys County Council's Welsh Liberal Democrat Group has unanimously backed Brecon & Radnorshire's MP, Roger Williams, and AM Kirsty Williams in their campaign to raise awareness of the potential threat to the future of Powys's retained Fire Service posed by the European Parliament's recent vote to abolish national 'opt-outs' from the EU Working Time Directive, which currently prevents employers requiring staff to work more than 48 hours per week. The UK and 14 other member states in the EU currently use opt outs and its removal in the UK could make the retention of the retained firefighters system impossible in the future.

The Welsh Lib. Dem. Group includes a former full-time firefighter, Cllr. Jeff Holmes, and a former retained firefighter, Cllr. Clair Powell in its ranks, both of whom fully support the campaign.

Commenting on the issue, Cllr. Holmes said:

" It is a fact of life that we depend on a retained service in rural areas like Powys to cover areas that cannot be fully covered by the full-time units. Any move that poses a threat to the future of the retained service poses a threat to public safety and it is absolutely right of Kirsty and Roger to raise this issue now, before it is too late."

Cllr. Clair Powell added:

" Losing the retained service would leave big gaps across Powys and other rural areas. Retained firefighters do a huge variety of other jobs, but are available almost constantly to be called out at any time. It is difficult enough recruiting people to train to be retained firefighters now, but if the opt-out is abolished and the time they spend 'on-call' is included in firefighters' 48 hour working week, it will become impossible. I am delighted my colleagues are backing this campaign wholeheartedly."

End

Contact: Cllr. Clair Powell on 01874 625739 or 07900904509