By Anna Whittaker, Local Democracy Reporter
Controversial plans to reduce fire cover at three Nottingham fire stations have been scrapped and Ashfield could get its 24-hour fire cover reinstated.
Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service will no longer go ahead with plans to implement controversial cuts.
The major changes, which would have saved £2m to reduce a budget deficit, would have seen West Bridgford Fire Station have no crew on duty at night, and both London Road and Stockhill stations losing one fire engine each.
And at the Kirkby-in-Ashfield station, the fire authority has agreed to “swiftly work up and implement proposals to address the identified gap”.
In 2018 the fire authority decided to take away full time crew cover from Ashfield in favour of on call-only cover at night – a move which has since been criticised by local politicians and residents.
The fire service says it has faced huge financial challenges due to the cost of living crisis, inflation and the conflict in Ukraine.
The decision to not progress with the cuts was passed unanimously at the fire authority meeting on February 24.
But there was a warning that front line service cuts could be back on the agenda in a year’s time if the fire service does not get increased funding from the Government.
Councillors also agreed to raise council tax by £5 a year during the meeting to raise £1.6m extra funding.
The Fire Brigades Union questioned why the fire authority did not postpone the decision on cuts until financial budgets had been announced by the Government.
Michael Payne (Lab) chair of the fire authority, said: “There hasn’t been a single day that’s gone by where I haven’t thought about these decisions.
“I didn’t come into public services to make cuts.
“Was it right to delay the consultation until this meeting? No, it would’ve been remiss of me as Chair to do that.
“Had we not landed additional flexibility in council tax, this budget would’ve still been very close to £2m or £3m deficit.
“I think the public consultation, however much anxiety it created, did draw attention nationally to the pressure on the fire sector nationally and in Nottinghamshire.
“I know it was very difficult, I didn’t want to consult on this but it would’ve been the wrong thing to do to wait until today.”
Councillor Jason Zadrozny (Ind) said he and fellow councillors have been fighting the decision against Ashfield fire station losing its whole time cover since 2018.
He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service after the meeting: “It was 2018 when the fire authority made this decision to stop wholetime fire services at Ashfield, I was the only councillor to vote against this at the time.
“Since then I have been fighting for it to be returned. I am absolutely delighted.
“There have already been fire deaths in Ashfield and a lot of delayed responses to fires.
“The fire chief has heard very loudly that we want this implemented, so I am very hopeful.
“Of course, it’s not a done deal yet but I am as confident as I can be that within six to eight months we will see a whole time crew back at Ashfield.”
Councillor Nick Raine (Lab) said he was “delighted”, particularly with the news for Stockill fire station, which is in Basford, the area he represents.
He said: “I was lobbied by people who worked at Stockhill, trade unions and local residents.
“I am also delighted about London Road and my colleagues and residents in West Bridgford.
“I do feel precarious when the Chair is saying these cuts could come back next year.
“It’s marvellous we have had a reprieve. I know how unpopular these cuts would’ve been but are they going to come back next year? That’s the worry.”
Councillor Jonathan Wheeler (Con), representing West Bridgford South, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service after the meeting: “I know how important it is to have full time fire cover at West Bridgford and the second appliance at London Road.
“I fully appreciate we have budget constraints, but my concern all along was that we cannot take these resources out of our community.
“I am absolutely delighted that we have not had to make the cuts.”
Chief Fire Officer Craig Parkin told the Local Democracy Reporting Service after the meeting: “For me, it’s a good result today, we’ve got the £5 precept which was a huge issue.
“But we are still facing a budget deficit, we are very clear about that.
“For me to say we won’t be coming back to look at this [cuts] would be completely misleading in my view.”
When asked about the Ashfield fire cover, he added: “Now we know where we are for the next 12 months, we are going to have to take some time to look at that.
“I hope I can bring something back swiftly. I think it’s doable at the moment but as I’ve said to councillors in Ashfield, I can’t give guarantees to it.”
