FIRE chiefs have launched a campaign to overturn proposed cuts in Government funding - and urged the people of North Yorkshire to lend their support.

The rallying cry was issued yesterday by North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Authority as it revealed that the Government still hasn't explained why it is set to get below-inflation rises in its grant for the next three years.

Authority members said they were "baffled" by the increase of just one per cent in the coming financial year, followed by only 0.5 per cent per annum in the following two years, when other authorities were getting increases as high as 8.5 per cent.

They said the authority would do its utmost to ensure front-line services were not cut, but stressed that after years of savings, this could be difficult if the full three years of cuts were not reversed.

Coun Ken King, who as a City of York Council representative is vice-chair of the authority, said: "The campaign is starting today. We want the public to support it by writing to their MPs, and maybe starting petitions."

* For more details see The Press today.