Motion to stop fire service cuts in Buckinghamshire blocked
Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Fire Authority is considering two options which include losing eight engines and closing two stations.
A bid to prevent proposals for cuts to Bucks’ fire service has failed.
Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Fire Authority is considering two options which include losing eight engines and closing two stations.
Cllr Simon Rouse, who served as the Conservative chair of the authority until June 2025, had tabled a motion calling for the proposed cuts to be examined by the authority’s full executive committee, arguing that proper procedures had not been followed.
Cllr Rouse claimed that Conservative members were excluded from a workshop where the options were drawn up.
He said the consequences of the proposed cuts would be devastating for rural Buckinghamshire, adding that he was concerned and disappointed.
“The critical thing is that we literally have got a matter of weeks to try and stop these cuts,” he said. “Because in my view and experience once it goes to public consultation what they are actually trying to do is get rubber stamp approval.
“The cost of the public consultation is equivalent to the annual cost of one full time firefighter, we should have never got to this stage.”
However, after members voted against the motion at Thursday’s meeting, officers will continue developing options to address on-call availability.
A formal proposal is expected to be presented to the Fire Authority for discussion in November.
Members will then decide whether to launch a ten-week public consultation.
The authority said no final decisions have been made and none would be taken until after that consultation concludes, adding that it would not pursue any proposals that put community safety at risk.
A recorded vote saw seven members support Cllr Rouse’s motion and ten vote against. Those voting in favour were Cllrs Shade Adoh, David Carroll, Phil Gomm, Gary Hall, Mahboob Hussain, Keith McLean and Simon Rouse, all of whom are Conservatives.
The ten members opposed were Tracey Bailey (Labour), Duncan Banks (Lib Dem), Robert Exon (Lib Dem), Niknam Hussain (Lib Dem), James Lancaster (Labour), Llew Monger (Lib Dem), Moriah Priestley (Labour), Alan Sherwell (Lib Dem), Robin Stuchbury (Ind), and Stuart Wilson (Ind).
Campaigners pointed out that in the summer of 2023, all 30 fire engines were needed at once during wildfires, with support drafted in from neighbouring services.
They warned that any reduction could put lives and property at risk during major incidents.
Firefighters in the county have also warned that cuts to the service could put lives at risk and are calling instead for urgent investment.