Jobs cut threat to Shropshire firefighters

The options are being considered by Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service, as it looks to find more savings on top of the £3.2m already cut from its annual budget.

It comes as members of the Fire Brigades Union stage a four-hour walkout in a separate national dispute over pensions. Picket lines are expected outside Shrewsbury and Telford fire stations as the strike takes place from noon to 4pm.

Shift changes would result in about 35 firefighters losing their jobs from the current team of 136, saving the authority £1.3 million.

Other money-saving options being looked at include removing one full-time fire engine from either Shrewsbury or Telford, which would save £900,000.

And four retained fire stations – in Baschurch, Clun, Hodnet and Prees – could shut to save £600,000.

The prospect of a whole or partial merger of fire control services with the brigade in Hereford and Worcester is also on the table, a move that could see staffing numbers cut by 50 per cent, saving £300,000.

Details of the stark choices were this afternoon being discussed by the Shropshire and Wrekin Fire and Rescue Authority. The meeting was hearing details of the plans, before refined proposals are drawn up for formal consultation by February.

The report to members of the authority said £4m of potential savings have been identified, with not all needing to be implemented.

Chief fire officer John Redmond said more detailed impact assessments of the options will take place over the next few months.

But he warned: "It is going to have a fire service with a reduced budget in the future. In terms of what the service will look like that will possibly mean we will have to reduce the size of the service we have. But we aim to match the level of risk with the service we provide."

Mr Redmond added work is already going on sharing fire control resources with Hereford and Worcester.

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