Fire crew may quit new £1.7 million fire station

Fire crews would not be stationed at Loggerheads fire station, near Market Drayton, under radical cost-cutting proposals put forward by Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service. Crews moved into the new station on Market Drayton Road last week.

The brigade is considering removing crews from 18 of its current 33 stations and staffing just 15 of them. The proposals have been drawn up after it emerged Government funding to the brigade could be reduced by a further £5.7 million over the next four years.

The nearest fire crews to Loggerheads would be based in Newcastle-under-Lyme about 10 miles away. It is understood the station in the village, which also includes community rooms, would then remain open as a public building if the plans went ahead.

The force would lose all of its 499 retained firefighters but increase the number of full-time firefighters from 300 to 390.

A spokeswoman for the service said: "The new delivery model would mean the number of fire stations having a response capability will be reduced from the current 33 stations and 42 fire appliance to 15 stations with 15 fire appliances.

"The current mix of whole-time and retained appliances would be replaced by all appliances being crewed 24/7 by whole-time staff on annualised hours.

"This option would potentially achieve savings of around £4 million per year in salaries alone. Further savings would be achieved through lower vehicle maintenance and replacement costs, reduced uniform provision and training costs."