Coastguard pay cut fears spark warning over safety
Bigbury Coastguard Rescue TeamCuts to payments for volunteer coastguards have sparked alarm across Devon and Cornwall, with politicians and locals warning the move could put lives at risk.
About 400 coastguard rescue officers working across 36 teams in the two counties currently receive £11 per hour when called out to emergencies.
Those payments are set to end in September after a court ruled volunteers should be classed as workers entitled to benefits such as sick pay and holiday pay.
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has said it will move to a new volunteer model instead, said the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
Kingsbridge Coastguard Rescue TeamNorth Devon MP Ian Roome said the volunteers were "a lifeline".
He said: "They go out in all weather, at all hours, often in dangerous conditions, to keep others safe.
"I understand there are legal issues driving the decision, and while I'm sure volunteer Coastguard Rescue Officers seek no financial gain, going from £11 an hour to nothing risks damaging morale and weakening the service."
He said if the MCA could not continue remuneration, "it must set out what support it will put in place instead".
North Devon councillor Pru Maskell said the coastguard service was "an integral part of the blue light emergency services around the north Devon coastline, particularly for the tourism and fishing sectors".
She said: "The modest payments are vital as recognition of the dangerous and important work that they do.
"It is also a way to make such volunteering, which entails a significant commitment of time and energy, financially viable for individuals in our community."
North Cornwall MP Ben Maguire said any move to remove pay was deeply concerning and warned it could lead to resignations and make it harder to recruit volunteers.
The MCA said the decision followed a legal judgment which meant it needed to change how the service operated.
"This new model protects choice, flexibility and the ability for people to volunteer alongside their primary employment," it said.
"We deeply value and recognise the significant service Coastguard Rescue Officers provide along our coastline and we will be supporting them during this transition."
