Peaceful Protest Over Planned Fire Service Cuts Targets Grand Opening Of £15m Station

A team of campaigners took to the streets yesterday to protest against plans to reduce the number of fire engines and firefighters in Wrexham.

The event, which was organised by Plaid Cymru campaigner Marc Jones, comes off the back of North Wales Fire and Rescue Authority’s plans to cut one full time fire engine and 24 firefighter jobs from Wrexham by 2019/20.

In May Wrexham.com reported that plans had been put forward to cut one fire appliance and 24 firefighters jobs in Wrexham by 2019/20 as the North Wales Fire Authority look to cut £1 million from its budget.

Starting at 2pm on yesterday afternoon, the peaceful protest saw the campaigners march down Croesnewydd Road and across the site of  Wrexham’s new £15m joint Ambulance and Fire Services station or ‘Resource Centre’.

The protest coincided with the formal opening of the new combined Ambulance and Fire Services Station took, despite the station being in use for several months. Although the grand opening event was not open to the media several tweets emerged from elected representatives inside showing the proceedings.

Pleased to open Wrexham’s new Ambulance and Fire Services Resource Centre earlier with @wgcs_health @NorthWalesFire @WelshAmbulance pic.twitter.com/vJHZrcdTOU

— Carl Sargeant (@wgcs_community) September 22, 2016

Speaking about the protest outside the centre’s opening event, Mr Jones said: “The protest was successful in that it reminded those attending the official opening of the new fire and ambulance station in Wrexham – councillors, Government ministers and senior members of the Fire and Rescue Authority – of what’s at stake.

“They would have seen gleaming fire engines outside a shiny new building but our fear is that, if the Fire Authority votes to axe the second whole-time pump,there won’t be sufficient cover in a wide area of Wrexham, Flintshire, Denbighshire and as far as Cerrigydrudion in Conwy.”

Documents placed online by North Wales Fire and Rescue Authority gives a breakdown of the options considered, where the budget is spent, how it is raised and other data. We noted coverage costs each person in North Wales about £47 or £3.90 a month – depending where you drink, a beer or two.

We asked Mr Jones what other options should be considered, and if we should all shoulder the extra costs.

He said: “This is the consequence of years of cuts, but I’m perplexed that the six councils are contributing less per head of population now than they were in 2011-12. Had the Fire Authority insisted on councils paying £47 per head annually towards the service (the 2011-12 sum), rather than the £46 they currently pay, then we would not now be facing such a shortfall.

“The extra sum needed annually per head of population to keep this engine crewed is just 3p per head per week.”

Impressive ! 2 Cabinet ministers at official opening of #wrexham Ambulance and Fire Station @wgcs_health @wgcs_community @UNISONAmbulance pic.twitter.com/2sZyMyqVaz

— UNISON Welsh Amb (@unisonwastamb) September 22, 2016

900 signatories are shown on the web based petition, so we asked about the progress of wider campaign.

Marc told us: “We have more than 1500 names on online and written petitions and are out knocking doors as well as holding street stalls. The library cafe has also collected hundreds of names.

“This is a campaign that will not go away – we have 13 weeks until December 12 to make the case for maintaining this essential emergency service in Wrexham.”

There are now four community councils that we are aware of that have passed a motion against cutting the service, with Caia, Acton, Gwersyllt and now Rossett holding votes on the issue.

The proposed reduction of appliances in Wrexham came following a meeting between members of the North Wales Fire Authority who had concluded that it was ‘no longer possible to freeze the authority’s budget’.

Several further options were also considered, including the closure of the control room and closing nine rural stations.

However the loss of one appliance in Wrexham was described at the time as the ‘least damaging option’.

Marching against proposals to cut a full-time fire engine and 24 fire fighters in Wrexham @wrexham @dailypostwales pic.twitter.com/ocIIIorTna

— (((Mabon ap G))) (@mabonapgwynfor) September 22, 2016

If you wish you can show your support to the cause by signing the petition here. Regular updates can also be found on the ‘Save Wrexham’s Fire Engine’ Facebook page here.