A DAMNING report into the failures of governance within Avon Fire and Rescue Service should not be used as “a smokescreen for cuts”, says the firefighters union.

Representatives from the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) have raised serious concerns about the report released yesterday by the Home Office, which highlights cases of bullying, cover-ups and financial irregularities within the service, and questioned the comments made regarding operational response.

The FBU claim that Dr Craig Baker, the report’s author, who they say specialises in outsourcing and private sector involvement within the public sector, has “overreached himself” in suggesting cuts to frontline fire cover and fire stations being downgraded.

Avon FBU rep Gary Spindler said: “This was meant to be a report into the political governance of the fire authority, instead it champions a now discredited package of cuts to frontline cover and the downgrading of life saving fire stations.

“The report’s author, Dr Craig Baker, is a private consultant who has neither the experience nor the qualifications to comment on the deployment of operational fire cover.

“Firefighters in Avon will be appalled that after recent serious incidents like the Grenfell fire, the government has published a report which talks about saving money by cutting firefighters.”

FBU rep for the South West region, Tam McFarlane added: “The author of this report has overreached himself. He should have stuck to political matters and left operational matters to the professionals.

“In addition, we need clarity about the potential cost of this report and its recommendations.

“Who is going to pay for the two reviews, a ‘de-layering exercise’ and the introduction of a programme board etc. which the report demands?

“At a time when all fire services have seen massive budget cuts we need guarantees that additional resources will be made available to match any recommendations.

“No matter what, we want everyone to be clear, we will not allow this report to be a smokescreen for further cuts to life saving fire cover.”