Crew out clearing snow?

Just picked up tonight's Shropshire Star to find headline news that the county fire brigade has established they have a need for a 3.9 per cent increase, of which, as a taxpayer, I am going to have to meet through higher council taxes.

Now at the weekend, Shrewsbury Town Football Club appealed for supporters to help clear the pitch. As we all saw from the Star photos very few turned up, but hang on, what was the fire brigade doing there - using fire equipment and kit to help clear snow for what in reality is another business in the town. They did not avail themselves to clear routes to the hospital car parks for people with real jobs when the snow fell.

Through your columns, can the fire brigade assure us that STFC will be getting an invoice, of which we will all be able to check through the freedom of information act. Will this snow clearing service be available to all businesses within the county next snow fall?

Also, do we have too many fireman that allows this surplus labour to be hired out. If that is the case, should we not be looking at more retained firemen and less full-time staff to ease the burden on us taxpayers?

Or is it just a case of two many chiefs in the brigade and not matching resources with demand?

Answers please through the columns of the Star.

M Humphries, Shrewsbury