Banbury Councillor calls for consultation on fire service changes to be pulled
09/12/2025
The number of firefighters at Banbury Station would be reduced by four
Firefighters from across Oxfordshire have been protesting outside County Hall in Oxford this morning over proposals to reorganise the service.
A consultation is currently underway with the potential to close some stations. Here in Banbury the number of firefighters at Cope Road would be reduced by four, with those staff relocated to other stations in Oxfordshire.
The Fire Brigades Union has criticised the plans and is calling for the consultation to be scrapped.
But the County Council say the change would still leave 6 personnel on each of the four watches, with the requirement to provide a minimum crew of 4 in order for an appliance to be mobilised.
Inside County Hall, at a full meeting of the council, Banbury Councillor Mark Cherry pushed for the current consultation to be withdrawn. He said: “Given the lack of liaison with the [Fire Brigades Union] on the fire service reorganisation, not even going to locality committees, would the cabinet member commit to immediately ceasing the consultation, going back to the drawing board with the FBU in the new year?”
Councillor Jenny Hannaby, Cabinet Member for Community Wellbeing and Safety, refused, feeling the current course of action was the correct approach. She said: “No, I won’t withdraw. It is January 20th when the consultation completes.
“I have had a good conversation with a lot of firefighters today and I’ve taken a lot on board. I have asked them to fill in the consultation, as I ask everybody in this room to fill in the consultation.
“When that comes through, then we will take it forward. I’m sure that there’s more conversations to be had at a later date.”
Published: by the Banbury FM News Team
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