Merger plan considered by Shropshire fire chiefs

Fire chiefs are putting the finishing touches to an extensive document, due to be made public next week, which tackles ways of making savings of £900,000 by 2020.

One of the options on the table is to merge Shropshire Fire & Rescue Service's control service in Shrewsbury with that of another authority in Herefordshire, Worcestershire, or Warwickshire.

Sharing a control centre with police, ambulance or another fire service would save £300,000 - but it could see staffing numbers in the county department cut by half.

Shropshire Fire & Rescue Service spokeswoman Elaine Adams admitted the merger was one of the proposals being put forward in the document, which will go out to consultation after being released.

But she insisted there was "no truth" in rumours that a decision had already been made.

"We need to make £900,000 worth of savings and this document will outline a whole host of ideas and plans that we could use to address that.

"One of those is that fire control may be amalgamated with some other neighbouring fire service.

"There is no truth at all that a decision has already been made. All of these plans are going out to consultation with the public.

"It is a long-running process about the best way to save £900,000. We will be asking the public what they want. We have definitely not made a decision, it will be an ongoing consultation process."

Bosses at the fire service had feared the loss of a fire engine from either Shrewsbury or Telford as it was initially estimated nearly £2 million of cuts would need to be made.

But an underspend of £300,000 in 2013 and an increase in the amount the service receives from council tax has shaved £1 million off the amount needed.

Fire authority members also agreed that four rural fire stations – in Baschurch, Hodnet, Prees and Clun – which were initially under threat of closure would be spared, saving more than 50 jobs.

Shrewsbury currently has two full-time fire engines and one on-call engine.

Telford Central has two full-time engines, Wellington has a full-time fire engine and an on-call engine. Tweedale has one on-call vehicle.

The £900,000 cut is on top of the £3.2 million the service has removed from its annual budget since 2010.

The service has been vastly streamlined since 2005 including a recruitment and staff pay freeze in 2010 and a scheme to outsource services and reduce borrowing.

To respond to the consultation on the possible merger of Shropshire's fire control centre with another organisation and the draft risk management plan visit www.shropshirefire.gov.uk or for a paper questionnaire call fire HQ on 01743 260200.

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