Closure of fire stations in South Staffordshire
The petition of residents of South Staffordshire,
Declares that the petitioners note that there have been proposals by Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service to close fire stations in South Staffordshire; further that the petitioners believe that a reduced fire service across Staffordshire and the closure of the fire stations would impact on the safety of the residents; and further that the petitioners believe that these proposals should be rejected and the fire stations kept open.
The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Government to request that Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service ensures that fire stations in South Staffordshire remain open.
And the Petitioners remain, etc.—[Presented by Gavin Williamson, Official Report, 8 July 2015; Vol. 598, c. 418.]
[P001533]
Observations from the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government:
Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Authority have been consulting on options for providing fire and rescue cover as part of the Integrated Risk Management Plan process, as required by the Fire and Rescue National Framework for England.
The Department considers that decisions of this nature are best taken by democratically accountable fire and rescue authorities, after a period of consultation. Under the Fire and Rescue National Framework for England, fire and rescue authorities are required to be transparent and accountable to their communities for their decisions and actions.
In accordance with this Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Authority held a 12 week public consultation on their service delivery proposals, giving people the opportunity to help plan their local service. The Authority itself considered the result of the consultation on 13 July.