The London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority have confirmed the running of their fire call centre will be outsourced to Capita over the next ten years.

Allowing Capita to handle the 2.5 million calls the LFB receive per year will enable the Brigade to focus on "putting out fires and saving lives" according to LFEPA.

The new deal is likely to come into effect from the end of 2012 with Capita set to take on the contracts of existing control room staff, making it "a win-win situation" in the eyes of LFEPA Chairman Brian Coleman.

"Outsourcing the brigade's 999 control centre will mean people in the capital benefit from a new, hi-tech system that will mobilise our firefighters to incidents even more quickly and this will be done at less cost," he said.

"At a time when the public sector is having to look carefully at what it spends, this contract will represent excellent value for money for taxpayers across the capital."

However, GMB spokesman and control officer Vic Bagnelle warned that the service may suffer if experienced staff did not accept privatisation, adding that "they [LFEPA] are playing with people's lives, livelihoods and properties."

Posted 16/03/2012 by richard.hook@pavpub.com