Former soldier Dan Byles, Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for North Warwickshire & Bedworth, has come down firmly on the side of local firefighters today.
His intervention follows the news that a report has recommended the County Council close or merge a number of fire stations across Warwickshire and reduce the number of retained fire fighters. This could see Bedworth Fire Station moved and merged with Nuneaton Fire Station.
Dan Byles served in the Army for nine years, and in 2004 was responsible for emergency medical and fire response planning for NATO’s Multinational Task Force (North West) in Bosnia.
Dan said: “I am deeply concerned at the possibility that Bedworth Fire Station could be moved and merged with Nuneaton, and that numbers of local retained firefighters might be reduced.
“Clearly this is just a consultation document at this stage, but it is one which I will be firmly opposing. Having been responsible for emergency response planning when I was a soldier, I am only too aware of the need for robust emergency response cover.
“And with the Government planning to impose some 14,000 new houses on Nuneaton & Bedworth against the wishes of local people, it is even more important that the emergency services are properly resourced and located to deal with incidents.
“I will be lobbying the County Council to ensure that any decision made is evidence-based, that local people will be fully consulted, and that nothing will be done to compromise the safety of the people of Bedworth and Nuneaton.”
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