Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service Cuts

A petition protesting plans to cut the fire and rescue service in Buckinghamshire has gained over 500 signatures.

Launched by the Fire Brigades Union (FBU), the petition calls for Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Fire Authority to stop plans to remove 7 fire engines and close 2 fire stations in the county.

The FBU says that these proposals will lead to slower response times with fewer crews available and longer distances to travel to emergencies, reduced fire cover, and increased danger for residents and firefighters.

The petition also calls for the fire authority to scrap plans to expand the chief fire officer’s operational independence, stating that this will reduce democratic oversight, transparency, and accountability at the top of the fire and rescue service.

Mitchell Wallace, Fire Brigades Union brigade secretary for Buckinghamshire said: 

“Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Fire Authority must start listening to firefighters and the communities they serve. Five hundred people have now signed the public petition in opposition to proposals to further cut the service.

“Plans to remove seven fire engines and close two fire stations will put firefighters and residents at greater risk, pushing our overstretched fire service far beyond safe limits.

“After fifteen years of austerity, Buckinghamshire fire and rescue service is in desperate need of investment. The fire authority must put public safety first and put a stop to these catastrophic plans.”

View the petition here (external)

Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Fire Authority have stated:
Across the county, the way people live and work has changed. Recruiting and keeping On-Call firefighters has become more difficult, and the availability of our On-Call fire engines has fallen, from more than 50 per cent a decade ago to less than 15 per cent today.

At the same time, 99.7 per cent of emergencies can be dealt with using 12 wholetime fire engines, which are always crewed and ready to respond (wholetime fire engines are not affected by the proposals).

These proposals aim to make sure every firefighter, fire engine, and specialist vehicle is used where it can make the greatest difference to community safety.

What’s being proposed

The consultation asks for views on proposals to:

• Remove seven On‑Call fire engines from stations with persistently low availability.
• Replace some of the removed fire engines with On-Call crewed specialist vehicles (Rural Firefighting Units, Crew Welfare Unit, Water Carrier) to better match modern risks.
• Close two dormant stations: Great Missenden and Stokenchurch.
• Retain and reinvest in 11 On‑Call fire engines, improving training, facilities, and resilience.
• Seek views on giving the Chief Fire Officer greater operational independence for faster, evidence-led decisions on resource deployment (not station closures).

The proposals do not involve any reductions to whole time fire engine numbers or firefighters.

Chief Fire Officer Louise Harrison said: 

“Our focus will always be the safety of our communities. These proposals are about ensuring we have the right people, in the right place, with the right equipment to meet the risks of today and tomorrow.

We know that some of our On-Call fire engines have become increasingly difficult to crew, and we want to work with our communities to find solutions that keep our cover strong and reliable.”

Chair of the Fire Authority, Councillor Llew Monger added:

“The Fire Authority’s role is to ensure proposals like these follow proper democratic governance and are in the best interests of our communities.

“We act as both guardians of the public purse and critical friends to the Service, providing challenge where needed, while trusting the professional expertise of our officers.

The consultation is open until 11.59pm on 28 January, 2026.

View the Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Fire Authority Consultation  (external)