Wilton Mayor demands details ahead of proposed fire station merger
Wilton Fire Station could merge with nearby Salisbury to keep it open
The Mayor of Wilton says greater clarity is needed ahead of a proposed merger of Wilton and Salisbury Fire Stations.
The on-call station in Wilton is among four in Wiltshire that had been slated for closure by Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service's Chief Fire Officer (CFO), Andy Cole, to plug a gap in funding.
A public consultation on the closure of stations in Wilton, Bradford-on-Avon, Mere and Ramsbury was held earlier this year, with the Fire and Rescue Authority (FRA) reviewing the results ahead of their final verdict this month.
The closure has been opposed by many, including Wilton man, John Hagger, who says he owes his life to crews from the station.
But new recommendations have come from the CFO, which include Bradford-on-Avon staying open and Wilton merging with Salisbury on a year-long trial basis.
Ahead of the FRA's decision, which is due on 30th June, Mayor Chris Harrison has called for more information on the impact of the merger.
He said: "We remain very unclear on the full practical and operational impacts of this proposed merger. It is vital that we understand exactly how a merger will work in reality, particularly how it will affect our local on-call crews and their ability to effectively serve our community."
He and Wilton Town Council has reaffirmed its support for keeping Wilton Fire Station open and operational, without the combination with Salisbury.
"We will continue to scrutinise these proposals and advocate strongly on behalf of our town to ensure that our emergency response times remain low and that the safety of our residents is never compromised," Mayor Harrison said.