By Lauren Monaghan, Junior Local Democracy Reporter
Gedling’s new Labour MP Michael Payne has said he will speak up for Nottinghamshire’s fire services and work cross-party to get extra funding.
Mr Payne was elected on July 4 as one of six new Nottinghamshire Labour MPs to enter the House of Commons.
But before entering Westminster politics, he had been serving as the deputy leader of Gedling Borough Council and chair of the Nottinghamshire Fire Authority.
Continuing with the latter role, he appeared before councillors today (July 26) as the authority met to discuss its latest financial position and ongoing challenges.
Fire services nationally – including Nottinghamshire – have faced issues with investment from central Government over the past decade.
It led to the Notts authority proposing potential cuts to front-line services last year, before getting a higher-than-expected settlement from Westminster and reversing the cuts.
A report by the service today discussed potential extra funding that would come from the new East Midlands Combined Authority.
And in the meeting, Ashfield Councillor Tom Hollis (Ash Ind) expressed his hope that Michael Payne will use his bigger political role to champion issues facing Nottinghamshire fire services in Parliament.
He added: “With your new role, I think there’s no better person to understand the fire service than you.”
The Gedling MP discussed how the new Chancellor Rachel Reeves is likely to announce an autumn budget which could offer some reassurance to struggling local authorities and public services.
He added: “It’s not a hidden secret that public finances are not in the position I think we were told they are in by the previous administration. It looks like there’s a potential hole of £19 to £20 billion.”
He stressed the importance of a joint effort by Nottinghamshire MPs and councillors to lobby their fire service concerns to the Home Secretary to promote change.
He said: “There’s an effort in terms of lobbying around the budget in the autumn and the local government finance settlement.
“There’s a job of work from me, alongside other Nottingham and Notts MPs and city, county and district and borough councillors, to make sure we are pressing the case with the Home Secretary and the new fire minister.”
He added: “While I know the police quite rightly get important attention from the Home Office and the Department for Local Government, Yvette [Cooper, the Home Secretary] has made it clear the fire service is an important part, too.
“I intend to work cross-party… to make sure we continue to press the case, for however long I’m here on the fire authority, and thereafter.”
