Shropshire fire chiefs have announced a recruitment freeze because of mounting pressure to make budget cuts. They say it help to protect jobs in future.

Paul Raymond, chief fire officer for Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service, said the freeze would only affect “non essential” positions.

In a newsletter to staff Mr Raymond says that cuts affecting services across the country meant that Shropshire also needed to find ways to save money.

He said the recruitment freeze was one of the “immediate” changes brought in.

Mr Raymond says: “To protect valued colleagues’ futures we are now reviewing all vacancies as they arise with a view to implementing a recruitment freeze on non-essential vacancies.

“This means that each post which becomes vacant is analysed to see if freezing recruitment to that role or doing things differently can free up resources to protect our future.

“The recruitment freeze does not mean that we will not be recruiting staff into essential and front line roles, but that every vacant post must be considered in this way so that we can maximise savings available in the short term and protect our service in the long term.”

Mr Raymond added they were continuing to recruit retained firefighters.

Shropshire and Wrekin Fire Authority recently set its budget for the coming financial year with an increase of 2.9 per cent on last year’s precept.

However, bosses said a 3.9 per cent rise was really needed.

Mr Raymond said: “This means that we need to find a £118,000 reduction in our budget for 2010/11 to meet the pressures for coming years.”