Fire Board Convener's comments over Balmossie backed

Former Dundee City Councillor Allan Petrie, who is now Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate for Dundee City East, today backed comments made by Tayside Fire & Rescue Board Convener Ken Lyall that a centralised Scotland-wide Fire Service could result in re-opening the debate over the future of the Balmossie Fire Station.

Mr Petrie said, "I share Mr Lyall's view that Balmossie's future would be at greatest risk of closure or downgrading if plans to centralise services go ahead. I think it is important to campaign against the plans by the SNP Government that would see Scotland's emergency services being centralised into Scotland-wide forces.

"A centralised service would not be in the interests of people in Broughty Ferry and the other areas served by Balmossie and would see vital emergency services centralised - with the focus on Strathclyde and the central belt."

Mr Petrie said it was very clear that the people in Barnhill and across Broughty Ferry who are served by Balmossie do not want to see the fire station downgraded and he was concerned that, in a single Scotland-wide fire service, local voices would be drowned out. He said that the Liberal Democrats had been collecting petition signatures in Broughty Ferry against the merger of police and fire services and it was clear there was huge support to retain local services.

Mr Petrie (left) is pictured at Balmossie Fire Station with Broughty Ferry Liberal Democrat campaigner Craig Duncan and Alison McInnes, who has represented North East Scotland in the Scottish Parliament during the last parliament.