Warwickshire fire service needs to change – there’s no choice, says councillor

A SENIOR councillor has hit back at the criticism aimed at Warwickshire County Council cabinet’s decision to approve a consultation for plans to axe on-call fire services at six stations.

Cllr Andy Crump (Con, Southam, Stockton & Napton), the council’s portfolio holder for fire and rescue and community safety, said doing nothing was not an option as the county looks to introduce a surge model – the first of its kind in the country.

Potential changes mean on-call stations at Bidford, Henley, Kenilworth, Shipston, Fenny Compton and Polesworth would be turned into ‘surge’ stations. These teams would be called upon only “in the event of significant incidents or periods of high demand”.