Nottinghamshire fire chief warns support staff cuts are also on the way

Plans which could see Nottinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service reducing its fire crew cover at three stations – and increase it at Kirkby’s Ashfield Fire Station – were revealed last week.

And job cuts to staff working in support services – those who are not firefighters – are also in the pipeline.

Chief Fire Officer Craig Parkin said the service is looking at a £6 million deficit over the next six years and the first plans, intending to save £2m, will soon go to public consultation.

Mr Parkin, who has only been in the top role at the service since April, said it was ‘hugely disappointing’ to propose cuts.

The first plans would see West Bridgford Fire Station have no crew on duty at all at night, and both London Road and Stockhill stations losing one fire engine each.

Recommendations for a public consultation to start on the plans were narrowly passed at the latest Nottinghamshire Fire Authority meeting.

Mr Parkin said the plans were the ‘least worst’ option.

As crews in West Bridgford would come from other areas overnight, this is expected to increase average response times by 43 seconds at a station already significantly above the service’s eight-minute target.

However, the service plans the return of 24-hour cover at Ashfield Fire Station, reversing controversial cuts made four years ago.

Mr Parkin said: “If we don’t deal with the financial settlement we get either through council precept, government grant or business rates, I will be back in front of the authority proposing more cuts.

“Given the state of the nation and everybody struggling, I don’t have a high level of confidence somebody is going to provide me with an increased budget.

“We are already recommending a reduction in posts in our support services, so jobs are going.

“I can’t take £2m away from my operational fleet and leave support services alone.”

Some councillors raised concerns the plans will mean response times would increase in certain areas.

Mr Parkin said: “Of course, If there’s a fire in West Bridgford, engines would come from all over the county, as they do now, but response times for subsequent appliances will go up, it is inevitable.

“You can never say whether somebody’s life was lost because a fire engine took seconds longer.

“What I would say about fire fatalities in homes is the average is usually we sadly lose six residents per year to house fires and we haven’t seen a massive spike in that because of the reduction in resources.

He said a workforce review of 158 support staff has been carried out, looking at if further savings can be made among non-firefighting staff.

Mr Parkin said: “We’re a highly regarded service which is something I think is going to be eroded in future years in terms of people’s faith and confidence in us.

“That’s something we’ve got to work hard at to ensure we mitigate that as much as we can.”

The changes will be the subject of a 12-week public consultation.

A final decision on the plans is expected in February. If approved after the public consultation, the changes will go ahead from April 2023.