Notts: 12 week consultation begins at Fire and Rescue Service

The Service is seeking feedback from the public, staff, trade unions and partner organisations as part of a review into how it can continue to provide an effective and efficient fire and rescue service while achieving significant cost savings.

At a meeting in February, Members of the Fire Authority committed to finding some of the £2.4 million shortfall it faces by revisiting proposals first published in the Fire Cover Review of 2010/11, and looking at options for further streamlining services.

The current proposals include reducing the number of fire engines at four fire stations, Central, Mansfield, Stockhill and Highfields, from two to one. These would be supported by fire engines in the surrounding areas.

There are also proposals to remove retained fire engines in Warsop and Collingham, with fire engines from nearby locations able to respond to incidents.

Chair of the Fire Authority, Darrell Pulk, said: “The Service has already made some significant savings in recent years, by reducing the number of managers it has and realigning frontline resources to the meet the demands of a changing environment. But there is still work to be done and the £2.4million deficit it now faces leaves the Service with no option but to once again review how it delivers services to the people of Nottinghamshire.”

“The Fire Authority has asked the Service to carry out this consultation on its behalf so it can guage public opinion, and also so it can reassure the public that these aren’t decisions that are being taken lightly.”

“Much thought and analysis has gone into the proposals so that they represent a positive and realistic way forward, and I hope that people will engage in the process and give us their views so that informed decisions can be made by the Fire Authority in September.”

The consultation document and response form can be accessed via the service’s website.

Copies of the document are also available by emailing [email protected] or telephone 0115 967 0880.