At the full Fire Authority meeting held today (24th February) the decision was made to keep West Bridgford Fire Station open 24 hours a day and to keep the second appliance at London Road Fire Station.
West Bridgford South County Councillor Jonathan Wheeler, who is the leader of the Opposition Conservative Group was delighted by the news.
Cllr Wheeler told The Wire:
‘I am overjoyed that we have saved West Bridgford Fire Station and stopped the cuts happening.
“Thank you to everyone who supported our campaign and who completed the consultation and to our volunteers who spread the word on the importance of completing this.
“Despite smoke and mirrors from some politicians locally to distract from making views known properly, the strength of feeling in Rushcliffe made a real impact on the decision today.
“Together with MP Ruth Edwards we have been working with the Government on securing extra funding and increased flexibility for our precept.
“We will continue to work with officers and the Fire Authority to look at ways to protect our services in the future.’
Ruth Edwards MP who represents Rushcliffe in Parliament told us:
‘I am relieved that West Bridgford Fire Station will remain a 24hr station and that Nottinghamshire Fire Authority has scrapped its plans to remove the nightshift following the funding announcement by the Government last December.
‘This is a great result for Rushcliffe and something that I have been campaigning for with local firefighters and colleagues on the County Council.
‘West Bridgford is the only station in Rushcliffe that is manned overnight and the people who live here deserve that security, a point I have made to Nottingham Fire Authority and to the fire minister in Parliament.
‘I want to thank everyone who has helped us to achieve this and supported the incredible team of firefighters at West Bridgford during what has been an uncertain time for them.’
• FBU members win reversal of frontline fire service cuts in West Bridgford and Nottinghamshire
