PARISH councillors have added their voice to concerns over plans to make Skelmanthorpe fire station part-time.

The changes have been suggested in a draft modernisation programme for the country's fire service.

Members of Denby Dale Parish Council wrote to West Yorkshire Fire Authority last month expressing concerns about the plans.

On Tuesday they discussed a reply to their letter which stated that Holmfirth and Skelmanthorpe stations would still be staffed by two full-time officers and one engine.

But Clr Graham Turner expressed some concerns about the letter which he said did not clearly state if officers would be based all the time at both stations.

The council decided to seek clarification from the Authority and discus the subject again at a later meeting.

The draft government report states both Skelmanthorpe and Holmfirth stations find it difficult to recruit new staff and ensure their appliances are always available.

It argues the introduction of retained crews - where firefighters lives within minutes of the fire station, but it is not staffed all the time - would ensure appliances were available more of the time and fierfighters could be deployed in more high risk areas identified under the plan.

But there have been fears locally that the switch to part-time operations could lead to both stations being axed.

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