Wartime planner's post to go

Cutting the post will save the council about £25,000

A local authority is to push ahead with plans to scrap the position of wartime emergency planning officer.

The move will save Dover District Council a total of £25,000.

But the decision has been branded "irresponsible" by the Conservative opposition on the authority.

Labour members have accused the Conservatives of "scaremongering" and maintain their emergency planning facilities will not be affected.

The cut is part of an attempt by the authority to save £2.6m over the next three years.

After a debate in the council on Wednesday, members agreed on budget cuts that will see the post of wartime emergency planning officer go.

Port security

Councillor Andrew Richardson, the leader of the Conservative group, said: "This decision hasn't caught up with world events.

"Dover is a port of strategic interest and the post is one that Dover District Council give more priority to than your average authority.

"I don't want to scaremonger and I'm sure that if there's an incident, everyone will pull together but if he's already in post then why remove him at this time?"

So far, the budget cuts announced by Dover District Council account for about 40% of the total to be cut.

Councillor Peter Wells, the Labour leader of the authority, said the decision had been taken because future emergency planning would involve closer links at county council level.

"There is no link to security at the port, which is an entirely different matter.

"We still have staff in place to handle this and our capability won't change."

Mr Wells said the authority had to take a series of measures to save money and balance its books.

"At this moment there isn't a crisis, but there would be if we don't take serious action," he said.