Changes could take four fire-fighters away from Banbury fire station
13/11/2025
The move has come to light as part of a countywide consultation on service changes
The number of firefighters at Banbury Fire Station on Cope Road will fall from 28 to 24 if proposals by Oxfordshire County Council move forward.
A consultation on a number of changes to the service across the county was launched recently. Whilst the major changes are elsewhere in the county the document does allude to 24-hour stations operating with 24 full-time firefighters. Banbury is one of three fires stations in Oxfordshire which are crewed around the clock.
Oxfordshire County Council’s Fire and Rescue Service has confirmed to Banbury FM that under the proposals Banbury fire station would lose four full-time fire fighters, who would be relocated elsewhere.
They point to a reduction in the levels of on-call fire fighters coming forward to support their full-time colleagues and say that, overall, modelling for their proposal would see fire engines arrive more quickly. In the Cherwell district response times between 8am and 8pm are forecast to be improved by around one minute and 41 seconds.
In a statement to Banbury FM a spokesperson for Oxfordshire County Council’s fire and rescue service, said: “On-call firefighter staffing levels continue to decline across Oxfordshire, with a 36 per cent reduction in the number of fulltime equivalent on-call firefighters over the last 10 years. This is affecting our ability to respond to emergencies when demand is highest, which is during the day.
“There is currently greater availability of resource – fire engines and firefighters – at night when demand is lowest, and lower availability during the day when demand is higher. This impacts response times during the day.
“To address this, our ‘Improving our fire and rescue service’ consultation proposes a reduction in the number of fulltime firefighters at fire stations to enable us to reallocate these roles to day shifts at on-call fire stations in Bicester, Chipping Norton, Faringdon, Wallingford (or Crowmarsh site relocated from Wallingford) and Witney.
“Should the proposals go ahead, they would result in fire stations where both fulltime and on-call firefighters are based – such as at Banbury – having 24 fulltime firefighter posts rather than the 28 that they have at present.
“Our independent modelling has forecasted fire engines to arrive more quickly across Oxfordshire. For the Cherwell district itself, which includes Banbury, Deddington and Hook Norton, response times are forecasted to be quicker overall, with reduction of around one minute and 41 seconds during the day (8am–8pm).”
The move has been criticised by local Councillor Mark Cherry. He said: “As the Banbury Ruscote county councillor on Oxfordshire County Council I stand firmly against any proposal to cut fire services cover at Banbury Fire station.”
The Fire Brigades Union have described the proposal as a safety crisis and Banbury’s MP, Sean Woodcock, has joined opposition to the proposals. He said: “I am deeply concerned by these proposals to cut the number of full time firefighter roles. The safety of local people should be our first priority, and as the FBU have raised, cutting 4 full-time positions could have a detrimental impact on that.
“I urge residents across Banbury constituency to take part in the online consultation and give your thoughts on these potential changes.”
Published: by the Banbury FM News Team
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