Audit Scotland Report on Tayside Fire & Rescue

I was very pleased to see in Saturday's Courier Audit Scotland 'clarify' their position over the recent Best Value Audit of Tayside Fire and Rescue. I was particularly concerned that the report suggested that the 'vast majority' of submissions to the consultation on the future of, among other things, Balmossie Fire Station were from the FBU. I am pleased that Audit Scotland are now saying that 'It is now clear that the vast majority of the responses to the consultation were from members of the public in Tayside rather than members of the Fire Brigades Union.'

It is important that elected representatives effectively consult with local people and in terms of the Towards a Safer Tayside Consultation these have been a major success for the fire and rescue board in engaging thousands of Taysiders in the work of the fire service.

It is clearly a very difficult balance to take on board the views of members of the public and also take on board the views of officers. Councillors need to consider these situations very carefully.