Petition Opposes Emergency Service Cuts

Several people signed the 999SOS petition in Chiswick

Cllr Ruth Cadbury (Labour) led a delegation to deliver a 700-signature petition opposing London's emergency services cuts to Conservative London Assembly member Tony Arbour last week. Over 700 borough residents, including Seema Malhotra MP, had signed the 999SOS petition over 3 short sessions in the borough.

The petition stall on Chiswick High Road

"Hounslow residents are really angry about cuts to the Fire, Police, Ambulance and Hospital Services being pushed through by the Conservatives in City Hall and in Government" said Cllr Cadbury. "People were queuing up to sign our petition in Chiswick, Hounslow and Feltham Town Centres" she added.

The petition said "The cuts are going too far and too fast. The millions of pounds being taken from the budgets of the NHS, the Met police and the London Fire Service will inevitably endanger families and communities across the capital."

Cllr Cadbury giving the petition to Tony Arbour MLA

Examples of cuts to London's Emergency Services include ;

The Metropolitan Police's budget has been cut by 20%, or £540m, by 2015, at a time when some crime such as violent assault is up
Since May 2010 the Metropolitan Police has lost 1,444 police officers and 1,960 PCSOs and Safer neighbourhood teams in Hounslow are being cut to just one PC and 1 PCSO each.
Brentford and Feltham Police Stations will close, and only the Hounslow station will have a 24/7 service
the London Ambulance Service is losing 19% of its funding, whilst at the same time Accident and Emergency departments at Ealing, Charing Cross and Hammersmith are due to close, and waiting times at A&Es are rising
The fire brigade is facing cuts of £64.8m over the next 2 years - a quarter of its budget.
8 firefighters are due to go from Heston Fire Station in Isleworth.

May 24, 2013