Plans to cut fire engine numbers at Hightown Fire Station have been scrapped

Fire chiefs were considering “risky” plans to cut the number of fire engines covering the east of the city – leaving just one tender available overnight for the whole of the east of the city.

The proposals for the future of Hightown fire station sparked outrage among hundreds of people who made their voices heard through a three-month public consultation, which included an emotionally charged public meeting.

But in a move dubbed “a victory” for campaigners, councillors and firefighters themselves who united to stop the cutbacks, the idea will be shelved this month.

As reported by the Daily Echo, the controversial plans were part of multi-million pound cutbacks as Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service looked to plug a £16m black hole after a reduction in the money it receives from the government.

The service also looked to cull the number of firefigher posts in the county – currently around 1,500 – by 225 positions which would go through natural wastage. All 51 fire stations in the county would however remain open for business.

A public meeting last November in St Deny’s also heard how plans were being considered to replace operational fire engines throughout the county with smaller first response vehicles, loaded with new equipment such as a lance water jet.

Further cash would be clawed back by raising the amount residents paid towards the fire service element of their council tax by 1.99 per cent – bringing in an additional £740,000 in funding.

Deputy chief of Hampshire’s fire service Neil Odin, who drew up the plans, said they would allow “a more relevant and efficient fire and rescue service”.

Talking about the consultation he said: “I can’t keep it the same. The situation has changed, risk is changing.”

But the plans surrounding Hightown station – which would have seen cover significantly reduced across the east of Southampton from the River Itchen and including West End, hedge End and a large stretch of the M27 – fuelled anger among council leaders who slammed it as simply “too risky” and would leave lives and property at risk.

Their thoughts were echoed by members of the public and firefighters who packed a public meeting in St Denys Church in Dundee Road to have their say.

PICTURE: Southampton City Council leader Simon Letts

The matter was further discussed by Southampton City Council and city boss Simon Letts called on fire chiefs to reconsider the plans.

He said at the time: “If we can get the number of overnight firefighters at Hightown moved back up to whatever’s required for two engines then we will be happy. Otherwise it’s too risky for Southampton."

But the future of round the clock cover at Hightown has now been secured after bosses shelved the idea in favour of alternative proposals put forward by the firefighters.

The finite detail about where cuts will be made will be revealed next week at Hampshire Fire Authority’s next meeting on February 24.

But Southampton council bosses have confirmed that services at Hightown will not be slashed thanks to people-power – and in particular the alternative ideas from those at the heart of the fire service front line.

Labour councillor Sharon Mintoff, who is a member of Hampshire Fire Authority, said: “I’m really pleased that the proposal from the firefighters has been accepted and I’m really pleased that so many people got involved in the consultation.

“There was an awful lot of people who thought we had already made up our minds and we hadn’t. The result of the consultation shows that.

“The teams at Hightown and Rushmoor came back with alternative proposals that actually save Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service more money. It means that there will be equal cover day and night at Hightown.”

Simon Letts, leader of the city council, added: “We have had a victory on Hightown. We are really pleased that the campaigning and the resolution that was agreed by the council has had an impact.

“We were concerned because it would have meant there would be effectively one crew serving half of Southampton and significant areas of Eastleigh borough. If there was a significant incident that would have left us with no cover at all.

“We thought we were being treated unfairly compared to a similar station in Cosham, which covers a similar area in size but would have kept its crews.”

Declan Clune of the Trades Union and Social Coalition (TUSC), which helped fight the cuts, said: “It’s fantastic news. It’s the Fire Brigades Union and the firemen and women themselves who know best how to run the service.

“This is what we were fighting for.”

“The fire service is something people value highly so it’s been a recognition of that.“It’s fantastic that people responded because it now shows that their voices can be heard.”

However, the Fire Brigades Union said despite this good news the outlook was not good for the county’s fire service due to major cutbacks.

Dave Green of the Fire Brigade Union said: “If they have reversed the decision regarding cutting cover in Southampton then clearly that is to be welcomed.

"It’s good that the fire authority has seen sense and listened to the work force - they’re the ones who work at the sharp end and deliver the services to the community and therefore know what’s best for the people of Southampton.

“Every authority is having to make cuts that have been centrally driven by the government.

"Despite this good news the outlook is not good for any community throughout the UK regarding fire and rescue cover.”

Meanwhile all three of the city’s stations are set to get special new fire engines that can which will allow firefighters to more quickly cool a burning property, making it safer for crews to enter and improving the chances of survival for anyone trapped inside.

In the initial plans only Hightown and St Marys stations would have been given ‘cold cut lance vehicles’, which shoot a high-pressured stream of water mixed with iron filings that boar tiny holes into the building and quickly fill the rooms with a cooling mist.

Now Redbridge station will also get a one of these pioneering first-response trucks.

Chris Carter, chairman of Hampshire Fire Authority, would not confirm the proposed cutbacks at Hightown had been scrapped - saying all would be revealed at a meeting later this month.