COUNCILLORS are urging a rethink of plans to axe more than 150 firefighters.
East Riding councillors say they "vehemently oppose" plans to cut the number of firefighters from Humberside Fire and Rescue Service (HFRS).
In a letter to senior fire officers, members of the authority's community safety scrutiny committee wrote: "The committee felt the cuts should not, where possible, reduce frontline services bur rather that savings should be made through further partnership working, cutting back office support, curbing excessive spending and eradicating economic wastage."
The details of the letter were revealed as the service published the responses to its three-month consultation on plans to save �7 million.
Fire authority members will decide next week whether to implement eight proposals to reduce the number of firefighters employed by the service.
They will also decide whether to consider seven proposals which could reduce the number of non-operational staff or lead to mergers with other fire brigades.
Firefighters have warned the cuts could put the lives of the public at risk.
One said: "All the proposed changes for implementation involve operational firefighters. Yet the areas for consideration involve senior management. Is it like turkeys voting for Christmas?"
Writing to senior fire officers, Humberside Fire Brigades Union secretary Richard Walker said: "We ask that HFRS look again at these proposals and consider what it is we are actually there to provide – that is a frontline emergency response service.
"When the public ring 999 they quite rightly expect to get a fire engine and a crew that is large enough to deal with the incident quickly and safely."
A letter from Hull City Council's scrutiny committee said it "unanimously endorses" the concerns of the FBU.
Senior fire officers have stressed the proposals will not impact on frontline services and are necessary to make the service more efficient.
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