Formby Coastguard Rescuers Could Lose Emergency Callout Payments Following Court Ruling
- 17 hours ago
- 2 min read
Residents across Formby may be concerned to learn that Coastguard Rescue Officers who regularly respond to emergencies along our coastline could soon lose the payments they currently receive for attending callouts and training exercises.
The proposed changes follow a Court of Appeal ruling earlier this year which found that Coastguard Rescue Officers were legally classed as workers when carrying out duties for which they were entitled to claim remuneration.
In response to the ruling, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency has announced plans to move to a revised volunteer model later this year. Under the proposals, payments currently available for attending emergency incidents and training exercises will be removed, although some compensation will still be available for certain activities.
The issue is particularly relevant to Formby because Coastguard Rescue Teams are regularly called to incidents on our beaches, sand dunes and coastline. Teams covering the Sefton coast frequently respond to emergencies involving people cut off by the tide, mud rescues, missing person searches and casualties requiring assistance in difficult terrain.
Across the UK there are more than 3,500 Coastguard Rescue Officers who provide a vital search and rescue capability. Many are required to leave work, family commitments and everyday activities at a moment’s notice to respond when the alarm sounds.
Under the current arrangements, officers can claim a modest payment for attending incidents and training sessions. Many Coastguard Rescue Officers have stressed that they do not undertake the role for financial reward, but say the payments help make it possible to commit the significant time required for training and emergency response duties.
Some have expressed concerns that removing the payments could affect morale, recruitment and the retention of experienced personnel who possess valuable local knowledge of the coastline.
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency says the changes are necessary following the legal judgement and insists that Coastguard Rescue Teams will continue to provide a robust and effective search and rescue service.
For communities such as Formby, where Coastguard Rescue Officers regularly put themselves on the front line of coastal emergencies, the debate raises important questions about how these essential services should be supported in the future.
What are your thoughts? Should Coastguard Rescue Officers continue to receive payments for attending emergency callouts and training, or should the service move to a fully voluntary model?
This is the public FB group of the campaign.
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