Updated
Wednesday, 17th March 2021, 5:02 pm
A meeting heard that Qakbot viruses in dodgy emails can lead to organisations being held to ransom when they seize up computer systems until money is paid over.
The authority’s overview and audit committee heard on Wednesday that it was the first time the National Cyber Security Centre had issued such an alert to the Bucks and MK fire and rescue service.
Graham Britten, the director of legal and governance at Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Fire Authority, said that the service has also had to act fast in response to other recent cyber threats.
Fire service chiefs in Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes are demanding a say on planning applications for high rise buildings in the wake of the Grenfell Tower tragedy. Some 72 people died in the Grenfell Tower block fire in London on June 14, 2017, and fire services such as the one covering Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes are constantly updating how they deal with fire safety in tall buildings. MK Cllr David Hopkins (Cons, Danesborough & Walton) said: “I think it is absolutely imperative that we as a fire authority do lobby strongly both Milton Keynes Council and Buckinghamshire Council to ensure we have a seat at the table when development proposals for high rise buildings in particular are being brought forward.”
Updated
Wednesday, 17th February 2021, 2:54 pm
Councillors at Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Fire Authority believe their budget is “unsustainable” as they feel forced to dip into their reserves to the tune of £1.1 million this year and could run out of money in a few years time.
Cllr Lesley Clarke OBE (Cons, Buckinghamshire), who was chairing this morning’s (Wednesday) meeting of the full fire authority said that the budget isn’t sustainable.
She proposed ring-fencing £600,000 which was the cost of a police budget referendum in Bedfordshire a few years ago.
She said that in the meantime the fire authority would continue to lobby the Government for them to be able to increase their share of the council tax by an average of £5 for the year.