Consultation launched on plans to reduce staffing levels at Cumbernauld fire station

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service is running a public consultation, which could lead to reduced staffing levels at Cumbernauld Fire Station.

Currently the station has two fire engines which are continually crewed, but the consultation on SFRS website, which is open until September, contains two options for Lanarkshire both of which propose the same outcome for Cumbernauld.

This would involve the second appliance instead being crewed by firefighters during the day shift hours of 8am-6pm Monday to Friday, but switching to an on-call basis outside of those times. Operation of the first appliance would remain unaltered.

This is just a small part of the overall review, which carries 23 options for almost half of the council areas in Scotland, including proposals to close eight rural stations which have been dormant for a long time with five others earmarked for potential closure.

Information provided by SFRS states that although the latest Scottish Government budget increased capital funding to £47 million, it would cost more than £800m to bring all 356 fire stations up to standard.

Some stations have sub-par accommodation and facilities while others, like many public buildings, are deteriorating due to the use of Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) in their construction.

A public meeting has been organised in Cumbernauld, to be held in Greenfaulds Community Facility from 6-8pm on Wednesday, August 6, where a senior officer will outline the proposals and the reasons for change. To book a place email SFRS.publicinvolvement@firescotland.gov.uk.

The consultation can also be contributed to via the SFRS website.