Anna Gelderd presses MCA chief over Cornwall coastguard changes

The volunteers who climb down cliffs and head out onto the rocks when someone is in trouble around the Cornish coast are facing a shake-up to how they are paid. The MP for South East Cornwall has now taken the matter straight to the top of the agency in charge.

What the meeting was about

This week, Anna Gelderd MP met the Chief Executive of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), Virginia McVea, to raise concerns about the decision to remove call-out payments for Coastguard Rescue Officers and move to a revised volunteer model.

The meeting came after Anna was contacted by local officers in South East Cornwall, who have raised worries about what the changes could mean for their teams. She called for greater transparency from the MCA and used the meeting to make sure the views of local officers reached the agency’s leadership directly.

Why the model is changing

The MCA had previously announced the switch to a revised volunteer model after a Court of Appeal decision upheld a 2024 employment appeal tribunal. That ruling found that Coastguard Rescue Officers were legally classed as workers when carrying out duties for which they were entitled to claim hourly pay.

What Anna Gelderd said

Anna, who has thanked officers for their efforts all year round and especially as the summer season picks up, said she went to the CEO because she wanted answers.

“Coastguard Rescue Officers play a vital role in keeping people safe around our coastline, often responding in challenging conditions at a moment’s notice. I am deeply concerned about the effects of moving to a revised volunteer model and the removal of call-out payments could have on morale and the future resilience of the service.

“That’s why I wrote to the CEO of the MCA to call for a meeting with her to raise these issues. I was pleased to raise the local CROs concerns with her directly and seek greater transparency about the MCA’s plans. The Agency is taking the time to listen to these concerns, but I’ll continue to put pressure where it is needed to support CROs in South East Cornwall, including meeting the Minister responsible.”

What happens next

Anna will meet local Coastguard Rescue Officers at the earliest opportunity to talk through the issues raised and update them on her conversation with Virginia McVea.