Recruitment drive to go ahead despite threat to fire station (From Tewkesbury Admag)

Recruitment drive to go ahead despite threat to fire station

10:58am Thursday 14th January 2010

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(0)

DOZENS of retained firefighters could be recruited to stations earmarked for closure under controversial plans from Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service (WFRS).

In an email to staff on Wednesday, January 6, assistant chief fire officer, Simon Frost, said this year’s recruitment campaign would continue as normal despite plans to cut 100 posts and close seven retained stations, including Bidford’s, in favour of further investment in Alcester and Stratford-upon-Avon.

In a statement through the county council, Mr Frost said: “The WFRS has held back on the recruitment of its retained firefighter vacancies pending the outcome of the recent public consultation exercise on an improvement plan proposed for the service.

“However, due to the need for further time to analyse the broad scope of responses from the consultation and the impact that this will have on the timescales originally proposed for final decisions on the proposed improvement plan by the full council, the fire and rescue service are taking steps to fill some existing vacancies in the retained duty system to ensure availability of all current operational resources.” A decision on the improvement plan was set to be taken in February, but last month, Warwickshire County Council said it would shelve the proposals indefinitely while it considered feedback from the public consultation.

Campaigners in Bidford fighting the closure of the village’s station cautiously welcomed the news but said their battle was far from over. The plan has also received criticism from neighbouring fire services and the Retained Firefighters Union, which has called on the county council to reconsider the proposals.

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(0)