Fire Safety Shake-Up Halted on Isle of Wight After Council Rejection
The Isle of Wight Council has slammed the brakes on controversial fire service changes amid fears they would put the public at risk.
Scrutiny Committee Sounds Alarm
On 12th April, the Isle of Wight Council scrutiny committee voted against a fire safety review, warning that the proposed plans could endanger residents. Their concerns centred on reduced fire crew numbers and coverage hours.
Cabinet Votes No – Safety First
Today, the council cabinet met to decide the fate of the proposals. The result? A decisive no. Seven members voted to reject the report, one abstained, and one refused to vote, citing safety worries. Even Council Leader Dave Stewart declined to back the paper, insisting it’s incomplete and needs more work.
Stewart commented, “They were right to reject the paper. We are not rejecting the review. Public safety is our number one priority. More work is going to be needed to move this forward.”
What Were the Plans?
- Deploy three fire engines in Ryde, Sandown, and Newport ready to mobilise within 90 seconds, but only for 12 hours each day.
- For the other 12 hours, just one engine in Newport would respond, supported by retained firefighters.
- Reduce crew sizes on each fire engine from five firefighters to just four.
- All ten fire stations across the Island would stay open.
These cuts raised red flags among councillors and safety advocates alike.
For Now – Status Quo Stands
The proposed ‘alignment of resources’ won’t kick in until at least January 2019, but with today’s rejection, it’s clear the council isn’t rushing into any changes that could compromise safety.
The public can breathe easier – for now.
