Firefighter posts are to be cut in the Telford area as part of a move to save £320,000 a year.

By the end of July, watch managers, who have charge of firefighters, will be reduced from 12 to eight across Telford’s three fire stations – Wellington,Tweedale and Stafford Park.

A number of firefighter posts will be lost by not replacing staff as they reach retirement.

Under the operational changes due to be introduced on July 1, one fire engine will remain at the Tweedale station but the second will become a more “mobile resource”, moving across the borough according to risk.

The county fire and rescue service needs to make savings of up to £4 million over the next four years as a result of a reduction in Government grant.

“We are determined to face this unprecedented financial challenge but to continue to deliver the best possible service to the people of Telford and Shropshire,” said Paul Raymond, chief fire officer.

He said the same number of fire engines with the minimum number of firefighters on each fire engine in the Telford area would be maintained.

Mr Raymond added: “While the service would have preferred not to have made these changes, we are confident that this more flexible approach to the provision of fire cover will ensure that our reduced resources continue to be used to best effect.”

A final consultation with staff and unions is now under way.

Andy Johnson, the brigade’s head of area command, said: “At appropriate times of the day one of the fire engines in Stafford Park will provide cover out of Tweedale fire station, predominantly overnight when people are in their beds and at greatest risk from fire in their homes.”

Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service is one of the UK’s consistently best performing brigades and praised for its reduction in house fires. But it is also one of the worst funded.

The service has previously revealed that it plans to shed 60 posts over the next four years through “natural wastage”. Home and business fire protection work is also being reduced.

By Dave Morris