Nine out of 14 part-time fire stations could close in cost-cutting plan

Aug 16 2010 Huddersfield Daily Examiner

FIRE stations across Huddersfield could close in a four-year plan to slash costs by up to 30%.

West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) chiefs have briefed part-time firefighters about “considerable changes”.

It could include cost-cutting plans which could lead to the closure of nine retained fire stations.

Retained stations employ part-time firefighters who are on call to assist full-time firemen and women.

The county has 14 retained stations, nine of which could be at risk including stations at Marsden, Meltham, Mirfield, Skelmanthorpe and Slaithwaite.

Holmfirth and Featherstone stations, it is believed, will remain open.

An outline of the four-year plan, handed down by the Government as part of its June austerity budget, will be announced on September 17.

WYFRS chiefs were keen to assure firefighters that a reduction in frontline services was a last resort.

The service added that no station would be closing in the next 12 months.

But WYFRS refused to rule out potential closures of retained stations, saying ‘considerable changes’ were on the way.

Stephen Hardy, WYFS communications director, said: “Every year we review our fire cover.

“The challenges this year are going to be much bigger financially so we will be looking to consider fire cover not just next year but over the next four years with less and less money.

“It would be back office cuts first. We will try to avoid frontline cuts.