Fire Service Documents finally made public after pressure from Lib-Dems

4.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 19th Oct 2009

Liberal Democrats have been campaigning for weeks to get full disclosure of the all the reports considered by the County Council Cabinet in July, when it decided to propose the closure of seven Warwickshire Fire Stations.

Following sustained pressure from the Liberal Democrats success was achieved today, with the posting on the Warwickshire web site of the Cabinet report and two background reports - the DNV consultants' Risk Review report, and an IDeA peer review report.

Alan Beddow, Parliamentary Candidate for Warwick & Leamington said:

"I attended the public meeting in Warwick where the plans were discussed and we were told our response to the consultation must be based on fact rather than emotion and yet the Conservative cabinet were withholding this very information. Too much of the information has had to dragged out by requests from the Lib Dems."

"it is very difficult to see the justification for them having been kept secret for so long. The Risk Review report in particular contains a lot of important information which we are entitled to see so we can make a considered and informed response to the current consultation process.

The Liberal Democrats will now study these reports in detail, so that we can respond properly to the many questions and concerns already raised with us by worried residents.

Related Links:

DNV Risk Review - Full Report.

Operational Assessment Peer Review (I&DeA).

Cabinet Report - Chief Fire Officer.