A Fire Authority budget report states a ‘best option’ for cost savings include removing night-time emergency crews from West Bridgford station.
The report says that the ‘best option, with least impact on the community utilising Service provided data with ORH, to achieve this has been identified as:
• Removal of the second appliance from London Road;
• Removal of the second appliance from Stockhill;
• Conversion of West Bridgford from one wholetime appliance to one day shift crewing appliance;
• Conversion of Ashfield from one day shift crewing and one On-call appliance to one wholetime and one On-call appliance.
It means that of the two fire engines based at London Road, one will be removed, and at West Bridgford Fire Station, full time fire crews will only man the station during the daytime, with on-call firefighters being called upon during the night.
West Bridgford South Nottinghamshire County Councillor Jonathan Wheeler is the leader of the Conservative Group on the Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Authority and told The Wire:
‘The plans by the Fire Authority will mean West Bridgford Fire Station will only have a daytime crewing model and London Road will lose one of the two fire appliances there.
‘This is a political move made by the Labour-led Fire Authority propped up by Independents which will have a devastating impact on residents in Rushcliffe.
‘As someone who sits on the authority I am aware decisions have to be made on our budget, like every Council, business and residents are having to make them.
‘I have offered to work with the Administration to look at areas of savings and efficiencies and that offer stands.
‘The fact that resources are being proposed to be taken out of Rushcliffe, and at London Road to be put in to Ashfield demonstrates this is a political choice.
‘What these proposals mean is that the average time it will take a Fire Engine to attend a call in Rushcliffe will be 10.30 minutes- the longest in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire and over 2 minutes ahead of the average in Nottingham/ Nottinghamshire.
‘Gedling has fewer call outs than Rushcliffe yet will have an average response time of just 7 minutes and 11 seconds, over 3 minutes quicker than Rushcliffe!
‘The fact the Chair of the Fire Authority represents areas in Gedling, is the Labour Parliamentary Candidate for Gedling; and the two Independents on the Fire Authority who prop up the Labour Administration represent areas in Ashfield, which is one of only two areas to see a decrease in attendance, quite simply paints its own picture.
‘When/if the Consultation is published we need every resident in West Bridgford to send a clear message we will not accept this.’
More on this here: West Bridgford could be left with no firefighters based at the Fire Station overnight under cost-saving plans
