Southwark Council launches petition against fire service cuts

The online petition has been launched by council leader Peter John and community safety cabinet member Richard Livingstone as the consultation period on changes to the fire service across London draws to a close.

"Southwark Council opposes the planned cuts to the local fire service as set out in the Draft Fifth London Fire Safety Plan," says the preamble to the petition.

The message, signed by councillors John and Livingstone, continues: "We believe these cuts will seriously affect the fire brigade's ability to prevent and fight fires in Southwark. Please sign our petition today and help us prevent these brutal plans from going ahead."

At the end of March all parties on Southwark Council unanimously passed a motion calling on the Mayor of London to "have regard" to the huge fire at the former town hall in Walworth Road before finalising the planned fire station closures "given how much worse the situation could have been without the quick response from our local fire stations".

The official consultation period closes on 17 June.

Fire chiefs including commissioner Ron Dobson insist that the brigade will continue to meet response targets in inner London even if stations like Southwark are closed.

Firefighters from across the capital will stage a protest outside City Hall on the morning of Wednesday 19 June in advance of the monthly Mayor's Question Time.