Residents urged to have their say on fire cuts

FIRE chiefs are giving people more time to have their say on cuts to fire services which could see Rotherham’s main fire station becoming part-time at night.

A consultation on fire service proposals for how it will do things until 2017 has been extended until November 4.

The plans pledge not to remove any more fire stations and fire engines in spite of further Government funding cuts.

The draft documents include changing crewing arrangements and replacing CARP vehicles with rescue pumps and dedicated aerial appliances.

Among the key frontline changes being proposed are for the main fire stations in Barnsley, Rotherham and Doncaster to revert to a part-time staffing arrangement at night.

A spokesman said: “They will continue to be permanently available during the daytime but this move reduces costs and is preferable to the alternative, which is to remove fire stations or rescue pumps.”

The first round of Government cuts will have reduced the Service's budget from £60 million in 2011 to under £51 million in 2015.

But despite the likelihood of a further £3m in cuts by 2017, senior fire officers are recommending that the Authority makes no further removals of stations or pumps, in their draft plan for 2013-17.

SYFR also plans to scrap its 999 response time target of six minutes after clear public feedback that it was irrelevant, but will continue to report its to the fire authority.

People can have their say by visiting www.syfire.gov.uk and submitting their feedback online, or by writing to South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue, 197 Eyre Street, Sheffield S1 3FG.