Maidenhead & Windsor

The Windsor and Maidenhead Royal Borough is continuing to support the existing 24-hour full-time service at Windsor fire station following the decision of the Berkshire Fire Authority to axe night-time cover from the fire station from next year – by drawing up an urgent action plan to fight the move.

At its meeting on Tuesday, the Windsor and Maidenhead council unanimously passed a resolution to draw up and implement an action plan - to be reported back to cabinet later this month - in a bid to continue the fight for 24-hour full-time staffing at the fire station.

The resolution follows hot on the heels of the borough’s “bitter disappointment” last week at the news that the fire authority plans to provide only for 12-hour daytime staffing at Windsor – with night-time cover between 8pm and 8am provided by Slough firefighters.

The fire authority’s decision to axe night-time cover is part of its five-year Integrated Risk Management Plan formally adopted on July 25 – a meeting attended by both Royal Borough councillors and Windsor residents.

Cllr David Burbage, Windsor and Maidenhead council leader, said: “We are determined to carry on the fight on behalf of the residents of Windsor to maintain full 24-hour cover at Windsor fire station.

“We will now put together an action plan which will explore all possible avenues to ensure Windsor has the level of fire cover it needs – bearing in mind that as well as our residents, Windsor attracts more than seven million visitors a year to its high profile tourist attractions. For all of these people we have to ensure that there is sufficient and regular cover on the doorstep.”

Cllr Christine Bateson, one of the Windsor and Maidenhead borough’s representatives on the Berkshire Fire Authority, was equally committed to the fight. She said: “The residents who attended the fire authority meeting spoke out loud and clear against the decision to axe night-time cover – and it is up to us to continue the fight on their behalf and keep up the pressure on the fire authority to find alternative solutions and maintain full-time round-the-clock cover at Windsor.”

Details of the action plan are likely to be discussed at the cabinet meeting on August 23.

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead