In standing to move a Motion submitted in accordance with Standing Order 12(1), Councillor Brian Kenny indicated acceptance of an amendment submitted in accordance with Standing Orders 12(1) and (9) to be moved by Councillor Chris Carubia and seconded by Councillor Dave Mitchell.  The Council gave its agreement to the variation to the Motion as required by Standing Order 12(1), such agreement being given by general consent.

Accordingly, Councillor Brian Kenny moved and Councillor Janette Williamson seconded the following varied Motion –

“Council recognises the excellent work undertaken by Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service (MFRS) in delivering community safety and prevention initiatives across Liverpool City Region, including Wirral.

Council appreciates that MFRS has to deal with a wide range of incidents, both speedily and effectively, and therefore requires diverse and appropriate resources. MFRS also supports National Resilience and is required to respond to incidents regionally, nationally and internationally, such as terrorist threats, severe weather, flooding and any incident that may have an impact on critical infrastructure.

MFRS delivers interventions that meet the needs of our communities including: ‘Safe and Well’ visits that target our most vulnerable residents. This Service is held in very high regard and gains access to over 50,000 homes annually, to deliver community safety interventions.

Council believes that the Government should recognise the Fire and Rescue Service is a unique public body that plans for ‘risk,’ not ‘demand,’ and therefore should fund it accordingly.

Council calls on the Government to recognise that Wirral has a number of COMAH upper tier sites and that the Borough is also at risk of extensive coastal flooding and that these factors should be taken into account.

Council is concerned that MFRS has experienced the worst budget reductions in the whole of the Country. The number of stations, engines and firefighters have all been cut drastically, thereby increasing the risk to the communities that the service works so hard to protect.

The impact of the cuts to MFRS are as follows:

Council therefore calls on the Government to:

1.Cease any further cuts to the MFRS budget

2. Fund a real increase in firefighters’ pay

3.Undertake a full evaluation of the impact of these cuts to date

Council wishes to place on record its wholehearted thanks and appreciation for the work undertaken by MFRS, firefighters and support staff for their dedication, commitment and continuing professionalism, in keeping our communities safe”.

Following a debate conducted in accordance with Standing Order 12, and prior to the varied Motion being put to the vote, such Members as required by Standing Order 18(5) rose to request a ‘card vote’. 

A ‘card vote’ was then taken on the varied Motion and the Council divided as follows:

For the Motion (50) - Councillors B Berry, C Blakeley, A Brighouse, P Brightmore, D Burgess-Joyce, C Carubia, P Cleary, W Clements, G Davies, P Davies, P Doughty, D Elderton, S Foulkes, P. Gilchrist , P Hackett, P Hayes, T Johnson, C Jones, T Jones, S Kelly B Kenny, A Leech, I Lewis, M McLaughlin, J McManus, C Meaden, D Mitchell, B Mooney, C Muspratt, T Norbury, M Patrick, T Pilgrim, D Realey, l Rennie, l Rowlands, A Smith, J Stapleton, P Stuart, M Sullivan, A Sykes, T Usher, J Walsh, W Ward, G Watt, S Whittingham, I Williams, J Williams, S Williams, J Williamson, G Wood.

Against the Motion (0) – None.

One abstention – Councillor A McLachlan (Civic Mayor).

The varied Motion was declared to be carried.  It was

RESOLVED (50:0) (One abstention) –

That the varied Motion be approved and adopted.