Future of Surrey fire stations in doubt

26 Feb 2014 13:29

Fixed fire stations under threat as cabinet member admits they are not part of Surrey County Council's future ambitions

Fire engines operating "not from fixed fire stations" but dispatched while out doing community work is the ambition of Surrey County Council, it has emerged.

The vision came out as the council's cabinet member for community services, Helyn Clack, answered questions at a meeting on Tuesday (February 25) over the future fire coverage in east Surrey, but her answer applied to the rest of the county at a time when the authority is looking to cut fire stations.

Surrey currently has plans to shut depots in Staines, Sunbury, Walton and Esher, and replace them with two new stations, as well as moving fire engines from stations in Reigate and Epsom to new bases.

Mike Sawyer, vice chairman of the Banstead Village Residents Association, asked questions on studies that went into locating new sites and criticised Surrey's consultation into the matter.

Responding to the questions, Cllr Clack, outlined the work that had gone into Surrey Fire and Rescues forward plan, before adding: "Our ambition for the future is to operate not from fixed fire stations but use fire engines for community work and dispatch them when theyre out and about, so they can be mobilised from anywhere."

A spokesman for Surrey County Council later said that this was what the authority would like in an "ideal world" but that it did not necessarily mean it would come to pass.

Richard Jones, secretary of the Surrey Fire Brigade Union, said: "I can't think of what an alternative to fixed fire stations would be.

"You've got to have a base. You can't be on the road all day.

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Future of Surrey fire stations in doubt