Lewes MP Challenged To Find Extra Funds For East Sussex Firefighters

The MP for Lewes has been challenged to provide additional government funding, as councillors agreed to countywide changes to East Sussex fire services .

At a meeting on Thursday (September 3), East Sussex Fire Authority agreed to adopt a new Integrated Risk Management Plan (IRMP) – a document laying out how fire and rescue services operate within the county, and in Brighton and Hove which the services also cover.

The final version of the IRMP – which included job cuts and staffing changes – followed a public consultation earlier this year, which led to several of the more controversial aspects of the original proposals being significantly altered. 

The consultation, which ran from April, had seen vigorous campaigning – and a fair helping of disagreements – from many local residents and organisations. 

One of these disagreements took centre stage during the fire authority’s debate.

Speaking at the meeting, Liberal Democrat county councillor Carolyn Lambert said:

“Risk is a day job for our firefighters and I’m confident that the proposals they’ve put forward present the best and safest solution to the conundrum of how we balance identified risk with our available resources.

“Unfortunately, the consultation has been used by one MP in particular as an opportunity to try to distract the public from cuts to public services that have been made across the board by the Conservative government.

“In the case of East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service, some £12m of central government grant has been removed from our budget over the last decade. 

“Lewes MP and government whip Maria Caulfield has made repeated public promises that she can deliver additional funding.

“I want to make it absolutely clear that based on the public promises made by Maria Caulfield, the Liberal Democrat group will hold the government accountable for any further cuts to its services. 

“We will also hold that MP to account to deliver on her repeated public promises to provide further funding.”

Clllr Lambert went on to propose an amendment be added to the IRMP, calling for the proposals to be revisited “as and when Maria Caulfield finds the additional funding she has repeatedly and publicly promised”.

Following advice from the authority’s monitoring officer, this amendment was altered to remove a personal reference to Ms Caulfield, but was agreed by members under an alternative wording.

Cllr Lambert also criticised Ms Caulfield for a tweet posted earlier the same day.

She had written:

"Great news for Lewes, Newhaven and Seaford. After campaigning to save local fire services, the fire authority will vote today to keep our fire engines and fire services. Thanks to everyone who completed my survey and took part in the consultation."

Cllr Lambert argued the tweet may have ‘predetermined’ the fire authority’s decision and requested the fire authority seek an apology from the Lewes MP. 

Ms Caulfield hit back at Cllr Lambert’s criticisms, however.

She said:

“When myself and other East Sussex MPs met with the fire authority earlier in the year asking them not to reduce the number of fire engines, they made clear their rationale for the cuts were not because of funding but because they wanted to move to a more preventative role for the fire service. 

“If the fire service needs extra funding I will be the first to knock on the Chancellor’s door but they have never asked me to lobby for extra funding.

“I have a track record of securing extra money for local services with local councils in East Sussex, this year getting £32m extra and schools in my constituency getting between six to 10 per cent increase this year.

“The Lib Dems need to stop making excuses for poor decision making.”