A DELEGATION from Hereford and Worcester Combined Fire Authority will make a last-ditch appeal against a proposed £2m budget cut.

Councillor Richard Udall, chairman of the authority, vice chairman Godfrey Davis and chief fire officer David O'Dwyer, will meet with Local Government Minister Nick Raynsford, who previously described the brigade's 29.4 per cent rise as "unacceptable and unnecessary", in London this week.

Coun Udall said he was hopeful of being able to convince the Government that a cap would only harm the service and could lead to 195 staff cuts.

He said the authority was happy to accept nomination for capping next year.

"That will give us more time to plan for setting a budget in line with Government thinking," said Coun Udall.

"It comes down to the fact that capping will undermine public confidence and we will be unable to meet the statutory requirements as a fire service."

Coun Udall added that historically the authority had been under-funded and if it received what the average authority is paid it would be around £3m better off.

The Evening News reported yesterday that Hereford MP Paul Keetch appealed for MPs to pull together and fight to stop the cuts.