Details for return of full-time Ashfield Fire Station to be unveiled by summer

The Kirkby station was controversially cut from whole-time cover to day shifts and on-call cover at night in 2018 in a bid by Nottinghamshire Fire Authority to find £500,000 per year.

However, figures showed the cuts led to an increase in response times at the station – and the change was due to be reversed this year as part of new fire authority plans to save £2m.

However, this would have seen the same 2018 cut enforced at West Bridgford Fire Station, removing the Rushcliffe site’s night cover altogether, and led to the removal of one fire engine at both London Road and Stockhill stations.

The Fire Brigades Union said at the time the plans would “further endanger the lives of the public and the safety of fire crews” – and, following a higher-than-expected financial settlement from Government for the coming year, the plans were scrapped in February.

However, when scrapping the plans, the authority agreed to “work up” proposals to continue reinstating Ashfield’s night cover.

Now Coun Michael Payne, authority chairman, has told a full Nottinghamshire Council meeting that detailed proposals for the reinstatement of night cover in Ashfield will be confirmed in the coming weeks.

It followed a question posed by Coun Jason Zadrozny, Ashfield Council leader, asking for a timeline on the plans.

Coun Payne said: “The chief fire officer and wider management team are now working through possible options for the Ashfield area.

“Work to identify options has already started and the chief fire officer envisages they will be reported over the next few weeks.

“It is likely, given the ongoing severity of Government cuts, any option will require the redistribution of existing service resources, unless Nottinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service sees an end to the ongoing cuts it has received in recent years.

“The authority is keen that the good people and communities of Ashfield get their fair share of fire resources, even if the resources we receive continue to dwindle year-on-year.”