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Sept 2022

Last Updated: 29/09/2022

Politics

Majority support Harrogate fire station changes, consultation reveals

by John Plummer

| 30 Sept, 2022

A total of 46% support the changes, which will see Harrogate fire station reduced to one overnight appliance, while 40% oppose them.

The majority of people support controversial changes to the number of fire engines based in Harrogate, according to consultation documents.

North Yorkshire Police Fire and Crime Commissioner Zoe Metcalfe confirmed yesterday Harrogate fire station will be reduced to one fire engine at night as part of a three-year blueprint for countywide fire services.

However, the station will have two fully operational appliances during the day rather than the current model of just one plus a smaller tactical response vehicle.

Ms Metcalfe's decision followed a three-month consultation in which concerns were expressed that the loss of a second appliance from 10pm to 9am could put lives at risk.

But her 207-page consultation report, published yesterday, said 46% of respondents to an online survey supported the changes to Harrogate fire station whereas 40% oppose them.

PFCC fire consultation results

The report, however, also said 53% of respondents whose closest fire station is Harrogate disagreed with the changes. Additionally, it highlighted opposition within focus groups held as part of the consultation.

It said:

"Those who supported the proposals did so on the grounds that they are evidence-based and represent a better use of resources in offering better capability during the day when needed.

"However, even if they understood the rationale behind it, most focus group participants ultimately opposed the proposals.

"The main worries were around the ability to provide an adequate nighttime response, especially to incidents requiring two or more appliances. Related to this, many questionnaire comments centred on the potential for more severe incidents at night, including house fires."

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Harrogate fire station changes won't increase risk to life, says commissioner

Union claims questioned

Ms Metcalfe also rejected claims by the Fire Brigades Union, which opposed the proposals, that overnight fires are more severe.

"I have questioned this with the service previously, and they have provided me with evidence to show that in North Yorkshire, and in particular in Scarborough and Harrogate, over the last five years the more severe fires have almost all happened during the day, as have those fires which could have had a more severe outcome, ie those where a person required rescue."

Ms Metcalfe also suggested some people over-estimate the number of fires in North Yorkshire. She said:

"There is also some very different views of what and how high is the service’s demand versus the reality.

"The fact is that in North Yorkshire we are lucky that our service’s demand is low by comparison to the rest of the country. Moreover, what they attend has changed significantly, with fires making up a smaller proportion than before."

The consultation, which ran for 12 weeks from May 23, 2022 to August 14, 2022, cost £30,000.

Savings made by the changes will be used to fund fire prevention work and boost on-call fire stations in rural areas.

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Majority support Harrogate fire station changes, consultation reveals

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Union claims questioned