James Cleverly calls for emergency services to share bases to protect services and cut costs

James Cleverly calls for emergency services to share bases to protect services and cut costs
London Assembly member James Cleverly has called for London’s emergency services to share their bases for better co-operation between them and to make them more efficient.

Speaking as he launched his report A United Emergency Service that calls for many of the capital’s police and fire stations to be merged Mr Cleverly said:

“A huge amount of money is being spent on the up-keep of obsolete and underused police and fire stations across London at huge expense to the tax payer. It is a moral and financial imperative in today’s straightened times that we make each pound spent work hard – and not squandered on out dated facilities.

“Some police and fire stations date back to a time before the telephone but virtually no one goes to a police station anymore and it is often the case that officers are based elsewhere.

“So it’s time for straight talking and a dose of common sense. In the report that I am publishing today I am calling for there to be a root and branch reform of the Met Police Service and London’s Fire Brigade estate so that where advantageous to service provision they are all housed under one roof.

“This measure would lead to more co-ordinated, more efficient and therefore far more cost effective emergency services. I believe Londoners would benefit from this joined-up approach and the provision of emergency services will be improved through this.

Mr Cleverly is also calling for this approach to be extended to Safer Neighbourhood Teams too.

“Safer Neighbourhood Teams can be accommodated in hospitals. It makes them visible, approachable and at a time when there is concern for the safety of hospital staff it would provide an added level of reassurance.”

The main points of James Cleverly’s report A United Emergency Service are:

• A shared Command Centre for a more co-ordinated response
• Combining police and fire services under one roof
• SNT bases housed with police or fire services or at hospitals
• Improved co-ordination of operations

ENDS

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