The partially abortive Fire Control scheme to replace England’s 46 emergency call centres with nine regional super-sites will cost the taxpayer more than half a billion pounds.
According to the Observer, the taxpayer is allegedly still committed to paying rent on the buildings, eight of which will now stand empty due to the partial scrapping of the initiative. Approximately £1.4 million each month may have to be allocated to the rent costs on the purpose-built properties, if they are not found other uses.
The Fire Control contracts range from 20 to 25 years, an investigation by the Observer found, unless the Government manages to “extricate” itself from the deals.
The project was mostly cancelled late last year after a run of failings, although a London centre will still go ahead.
A spokesman for the Department for Communities and Local Government told the paper it would offer the surplus buildings to other tenants if the fire service did not use them. "Our aim is to be fair to fire and rescue services and achieve the best possible value for money for the taxpayer," he said.
