Changes at town fire station set to go ahead
Monday, 13th June 2011.
Efforts to stop changes to Haverhill Fire Station's crewing arrangements look doomed this week as Suffolk County Council unveiled recommendations for changes to the fire service.
The proposals were launched towards the end of last year and a long consultation process took place, which included a public meeting at Haverhill Fire Station, which was only attended by a handful of people.
The proposals were to change crewing at Haverhill from seven-day full-time from8-6pm, to five-day, with the weekend being covered by on-call crews as the nights are.
This is now part of the recommendations which will go to the county council's cabinet on June 21.
Most of the proposals are unchanged, but the county has pulled back from turning Felixstowe Fire Station over to entirely on-call crewing, after a public meeting there was attended by 150 people.
Andy Fry, Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service's chief fire officer, said: “I would like to thank sincerely residents, business people, councillors, firefighters and trade union officials for contributing in such large numbers to this important consultation on proposed changes to their fire and rescue service.
“The consultation responses have proven very useful as a means of challenging the thinking behind our original proposals and, in the case of Felixstowe fire station, changing what we are proposing to do.
"People are, quite rightly, very interested in changes to fire and rescue service arrangements. It is therefore important that in developing details of changes, a proper balance is struck between achieving savings in a very difficult financial environment and continuing to deliver services that meet the needs of people in Suffolk.
"I believe that what we are recommending to Cabinet members sensibly achieves that balance."
If agreed, the changes will be implemented in stages over the next few years.
The proposals were launched towards the end of last year and a long consultation process took place, which included a public meeting at Haverhill Fire Station, which was only attended by a handful of people.
The proposals were to change crewing at Haverhill from seven-day full-time from8-6pm, to five-day, with the weekend being covered by on-call crews as the nights are.
This is now part of the recommendations which will go to the county council's cabinet on June 21.
Most of the proposals are unchanged, but the county has pulled back from turning Felixstowe Fire Station over to entirely on-call crewing, after a public meeting there was attended by 150 people.
Andy Fry, Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service's chief fire officer, said: “I would like to thank sincerely residents, business people, councillors, firefighters and trade union officials for contributing in such large numbers to this important consultation on proposed changes to their fire and rescue service.
“The consultation responses have proven very useful as a means of challenging the thinking behind our original proposals and, in the case of Felixstowe fire station, changing what we are proposing to do.
"People are, quite rightly, very interested in changes to fire and rescue service arrangements. It is therefore important that in developing details of changes, a proper balance is struck between achieving savings in a very difficult financial environment and continuing to deliver services that meet the needs of people in Suffolk.
"I believe that what we are recommending to Cabinet members sensibly achieves that balance."
If agreed, the changes will be implemented in stages over the next few years.
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