Shropshire Fire Budget – A Public Appeal

Shropshire Fire and Rescue ServiceLocal residents will remember that earlier this year, after several months of uncertainty, it was announced that Hodnet Fires Station, along with several other rural stations would not be closed in the next round of cost saving budget cuts. Today Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service publicised a series of public meetings being held across the county in July, at which Shropshire residents will be able to express their views on major cost cutting plans. The meetings have been announced here on the SFRS website.
Meetings starting at 6.30pm which are intended to last about 90 minutes, will be held at fire stations across the county. Locally the one at Market Drayton will take place on Monday July 14. Anyone interested in attending, but cannot make the one in Market Drayton could try attending the one at Shrewsbury fire HQ on July 23. People who wish to attend any of the meetings are asked to register at Shrewsbury fire HQ on 01743 260200 before the event.
Fire chiefs and members of Shropshire and Wrekin Fire Authority will be present to answer questions about plans to move Shrewsbury’s fire control and merge it with a larger 999 control centre outside the county saving £300,000 a year.
Assistant Chief Fire Officer Andy Johnson stated, “We want the people of Shropshire to give us feedback about what they think of the proposals. It is an opportunity for members of the public, local councillors and representatives to ask questions about the proposals to fire authority members and senior officers. We want to provide the excellent service that the Shropshire public expects but for less money.”
Full details of all the meetings along with an outline of other items included in the budget reductions are available on the SFRS website. That page also states, “An online questionnaire at www.shropshirefire.gov.uk is available for people to post their views on the possible merger of Shrewsbury’s fire control and on other plans for the service.” However this editor had trouble finding the questionnaire, but now thinks he has located it here on Shropshire Council’s website.