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THE FIRE BRIGADES UNION
MEDIA RELEASE
Fire Brigades Union hits out over more delays and costs for £1.5 billion 999 IT project after Government admits it has hit major technical problems
The Fire Brigades Union has called for a complete review and overhaul of a 999 IT project after the Government was forced to admit it has hit major technical problems. It will mean further costs and delays for a Project Government said would use “tried and tested” technology, make massive savings and would be fully operational by November 2007.
That date was put back, and this latest admission comes only months before 999 emergency control staff were to start moving to new control rooms next June to start operating in October 2009. The Project, known as FireControl, was originally estimated to cost £100 million when it was first proposed.
The full Projects costs are now over £1.5 billion with more to come. This includes £278 million pounds ear-marked for an army of consultants, directors, PR staff, “change co-ordinators”, “project assurance” staff and agency staff.
The Project is based on closing all 46 emergency fire control rooms in England and moving to only 9 regional centres. Similar plans were rejected in Scotland and Wales.
The union has repeatedly accused the Government of diverting massive amounts of public money away from frontline fire services where it is desperately needed. The FBU says Firecontrol, is unnecessary, over budget and years late.
The union’s research, based on Parliamentary Questions and Departmental circulars shows:
+ £92.2 million has been ear-marked for regions and fire brigades to pay largely for additional staffing and associated projects costs between 2008 and 2011 including for regional directors, press officers, “change co-ordinators”, project assurance staff and for “redundancies, relocation and redeployments”.
+ £55.4 million going to management consultants, well above the last estimate of £36 million. By the end of June of this year, £38,571,512 had already been paid with a further £16.9 million more ear-marked for consultants by the end of the project.
+ £27, 885,926 was paid between 2005 and 2008 to fire brigades and regions to cover the additional staffing and associated costs of setting up the project.
+ £22 million had been paid by the Department until the end of June 2008 on those working on the project at national level including civil servants, contractors and agency staff (in addition to consultants).
In addition there are rental costs for the new 9 regional control centre buildings of at least £400 million. Rents are already being paid on many of the new buildings rented by Government on long leases.
Fire Brigades Union General Secretary Matt Wrack said: “This Project has lost all credibility within the fire service. Everyone else knows this Project is already a disaster but the Government wants to plough on regardless.
“Project turmoil has led to highly skilled staff leaving and serious damage to morale. The project is highly divisive in a fire service which is has built its very high public reputation on strong team working.
“Vast amounts of public money is being wasted on a project which is unnecessary, already three years late, massively over budget and with no guarantee it will work as claimed. The Government’s appalling track record of major IT-led projects is truly appalling and this is underlined by what is happening in the fire service.
“Money is being thrown away on management consultants, regional project directors, change co-ordinators, project assurance directors, PR and human resource directors. No one ever dialled 999 and asked for any of those.
“We’re short of firefighters in many brigades and in desperate need of more safety critical equipment and training at a time when firefighter deaths are at a 30-year high. Even a fraction of the money being wasted would make an enormous difference in every fire brigade.
“There needs to be a thorough public review of this entire project. A public service which provides a rapid response to save lives cannot be dealt with in this way.”
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