Leak reveals fire stations marked for closure

Kent Fire and Rescue Service is proposing to close five on-call fire stations, the BBC has learned.

Senior officials shared information with staff by mistake that identified the stations suggested for closure as Grain, Wye, Chilham, Westerham and Cliffe.

On-call sections at the 24-hour stations in Herne Bay, Deal, Tunbridge Wells and Faversham learned they too could face the axe.

Chief executive Ann Millington said she had apologised for how the information was released but that the proposals were "based on risk intelligence and data analysis".

"This is about spending money in the right ways to tackle our biggest risks, while competing with financial pressures," she said.

Full time provisions at the affected 24-hour stations are not expected to be affected.

Millington said on-call sections at these stations were "an over-provision" and money could "be more effectively invested elsewhere".

The five on-call stations facing closure have "lower demand and lower risk than other areas", according to bosses, and nearby stations would be "able to cover the area safely".

Millington said: "We don't close fire stations lightly, and we haven't done so in 14 years.

"We carefully consider whether the investment in these stations and fire engines can be better spent in other areas.

"We will have targeted prevention activity in areas affected by station closures."

The service is also proposing Thames-Side Fire Station in Northfleet and Dartford Fire Station continue having two fire engines available in the day but reducing this to one over night.

This change would facilitate a second fire engine becoming available during the day at Strood, Ashford and Folkestone stations.

Millington said this was "about deploying our resources more strategically" and that there "won't be any wholetime fire stations without sufficient resources".

The chief executive added that bosses had "developed options to avoid compulsory redundancies" for fire crews.

A public consultation on the proposed cuts is due to open on 25 June.

The fire service first confirmed stations could be closed in April.

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