The Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Fire Authority convened an extraordinary meeting to discuss the future of the On-Call service and operational independence for the Chief Fire Officer. Councillor Llew Monger, Authority Chair, was scheduled to chair the meeting. The main item for consideration was a public consultation on these topics.

Public Consultation: Shaping the Future of the On-Call Service

The meeting was scheduled to consider a proposal to launch a 10-week public consultation regarding the future of the On-Call service provided by the Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service (BFRS). The consultation would also seek feedback on granting greater operational independence to the Chief Fire Officer.

The report pack stated that the current model for the On-Call service is underperforming, with low availability of fire engines despite the dedication of On-Call firefighters. Of the 18 standard On-Call fire engines, on average only one is available during the day, and two at night.

The report pack included a proposal to remove seven Type B On-Call appliances from West Ashland, Buckingham, Great Missenden, Stokenchurch, Amersham, High Wycombe and Beaconsfield. The report pack stated that in some cases, these would be replaced with specialist vehicles primarily crewed by On-Call staff. It was proposed that Great Missenden Fire Station and Stokenchurch Fire Station be permanently closed as operational fire stations.

The report pack stated that the proposals included:

• Replacing two standard On-Call fire engines in Buckingham and Amersham with two rural firefighting vehicles, designed for the increasing risks from extreme heat.
• Replacing one standard On-Call fire engine in Beaconsfield with a crew welfare vehicle.
• Removing the third standard fire engine (On-Call) at High Wycombe.
• Removing the second On-Call fire engine at West Ashland in Milton Keynes, and moving the rural firefighting vehicle in West Ashland to Broughton permanently.

The report pack stated that the proposals would not reduce On-Call staff numbers, and that there were ambitions to increase staffing levels over the lifetime of the Community Risk Management Plan (CRMP) 2025-2030¹.

The report pack stated that the consultation material is designed to be concise and encourage maximum public engagement.

Operational Independence for the Chief Fire Officer

The report pack stated that His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) has recommended giving Chief Fire Officers greater operational independence, allowing them to make strategic decisions about resources more quickly, while the Fire Authority retains oversight and accountability.

The report pack stated that granting the Chief Fire Officer (CFO) greater operational independence would enable strategic decisions to be made more swiftly on matters such as fleet deployment, staffing, and equipment. The report pack stressed that operational independence would not extend to opening or closing fire stations, which would remain a decision for the Fire Authority.

The report pack stated that the public, staff and partners would be consulted on giving the CFO greater operational independence.