Tonights Evening Telegraph reports that the Balmossie station will not be downgraded.

This would be cause for celebration if not for the comments of Councillor Lyall in the Courier this morning.

If the plans aren’t approved tomorrow, they’ll simply come up next year and the year after that until they are.

Utterly contemptible.

So for those who have missed this the process of consultation is as follows:

1. Consultation on downgrading
2. People say NO!
3. Fire station not downgraded
4. wait a year
5. go to start of list

I think you get the idea.

Dundee SSP members were among the hundreds who took part in a march and rally today in Broughty Ferry to defend the Balmossie Fire Station from downgrading.

The Fire Board have for the second year in a row marked it for cuts. It needs to be defended for the second year in a row.

Read about the campaign at the website http://www.savebalmossiefireengine.co.uk/

If one of your councillors is on the Fire Board please contact them to ensure they vote against downgrading.

A list of members can be found at the campaign site

They include

• Elizabeth Fordyce (Maryfield)
• Helen Wright (Coldside)
• Rod Wallace (The Ferry)
• David Bowes (Coldside)
• Andy Dawson (North East)
• Richard McCready (West End)
• Christina Roberts (East End)

So basically 6 of the 8 wards in Dundee.

There are also other councillors from Angus and Perthshire.

Stop The Cuts

Professional Firefighters in Tayside are on the Threshold of taking Industrial Action to Protect Your Community from cuts to Your Front Line Emergency Fire Cover.

Join us on Saturday 20th March 2010
Protest Once Again Against the Chief Fire Officer’s Proposals

Speakers include
Matt Wrack, FBU General Secretary
Jim Malone, FBU Regional Organiser
Local Tayside Politicians

Assemble 12.30 Castle Green, Broughty Ferry
March Begins at 13.00.
Rally at St Aidens Hall.

CUTS COSTS LIVES – YOURS

March will be led by the Mains of Fintry Pipe Band

For more information see the campaign site

Campaigners for the retention of full-time cover at Balmossie fire station will march through the streets of Broughty Ferry this Saturday.

Assemble at Balmossie at 11.00 a.m.

Public Rally at St. Aidan’s Hall.

Speakers: Matt Wrack, Fire Brigade Union general secretary and Ken Ross, Scottish secretary.

The fire service wants to remove a night-time shift at the station and replace it with a retained crew as part of a structural overhaul that would see new appliances stationed in Perth and Forfar.