I NOTE the debate on Fire Service proposed cuts and would offer a comment. It is a fact of the local government system that each year the various budgeting committees have to review budgets and invariably reduce their first proposed spending submissions.

What we see here is just such a submission. The Chief Fire Officer is surely the best judge of the requirements for fire cover in the area and almost ALL other comment is biased by vested interest.

Sometimes this is politically motivated, parochially motivated or just simply driven by the threat of pecuniary loss.

I note that the proposed cuts target the "part time" element of the service.

It could be said that for the reviewers this is probably the line of least resistance. It is very very difficult to "cull" the "whole time" elements of the fire service due to the high efficiency of its trade union. This is only contemplated as a last resort.

In the last 50 years the fire service, because of the strength of its union and the weaknesses of its managers, has secured rewards and conditions for members which are wasteful and in some cases outrageously so.

The service can and should expect continuous review to bring it back down to earth and pitch the rewards to a more acceptable level of remuneration.

Can I conclude by saying to the people of East Lancashire, trust your Chief Fire Officer, he just can't afford to leave you exposed to unacceptable risk.

JIM HOGAN (Former OIC Accrington Fire Station and former Divisional Commander of the brigade in East Lancs), Painley Close, Lytham St Annes.