PAINSWICK Fire Station is under threat of closure.

The Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service (GFRS) is considering closing the station and replacing emergency response to the Painswick area from the service in Stroud, as well as downgrading the service in Cirencester.

The proposals were part of a plan to cut budgets by £2m over three years and were published by Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue in their consultation document Fire and Rescue: Future Service Provision.

The report said the closure would “significantly reduce cost whilst still maintaining the existing standards of service.”

GFRS is holding a public consultation over the next few months to gather resident’s views.

Firefighters in Gloucestershire reacted with anger, calling the announcement ‘dangerous’.

Tam McFarlane, Fire Brigades Union rep for the South West, said: “These proposals would compromise the safety of the public and firefighters in Gloucestershire. They are short sighted, dangerous and put budget cuts in front of public safety.

“If the cuts go ahead they would compromise the safety of people not just in Painswick and Cirencester but also in the surrounding areas where fire engines would be required to answer emergency calls.”

Scott Turner, local FBU rep for Gloucestershire, said: “These plans are disgraceful and show the potential consequences that budget cuts have on public safety.

“Firefighters in Gloucestershire utterly condemn these proposals and we will be demanding that politicians reject them and instead, invest in our service.

Painswick Fire Station currently costs £52,282 a year to run, with future replacement costs for a fully equipped fire engine and protective clothing for the crew in excess of £242,844.

The report said Painswick had been identified and evidenced as a low activity, low risk area with ever decreasing demand in terms of emergency response, and follows a six per cent reduction in incidents over the last five years.

There were a total of 34 incidents for 2014/15, two of which were primary dwellings. On these occasions the emergency service from Stroud arrived one minute before the Painswick team.

GFRS added it was committed to reducing risk and deliver additional prevention and protection activities in Painswick and the surrounding communities.

“We will do this by reinvestment in enhanced prevention and protection measures to further promote and increase the safety of the community of Painswick. Emergency response cover for Painswick can be provided from either Stroud or Gloucester by full time fire fighters,” it said.

“If we close Painswick Fire Station, post implementation we will continually monitor and review performance to ensure that prevention and protection measures are working and that emergency response remains at all times within acceptable levels.

Chief fire officer, Stewart Edgar, said: “The changes we’re suggesting do not mean that areas of the county will be left without emergency response cover by the service, far from it.

“By maintaining our focus on prevention and protection initiatives we will continue to reduce the risks to the public in these areas. “However, we will still be able to offer a first class emergency response when required.”

Members of the public will have their chance to give their views on the proposals during the 12 week consultation period from October 1 to January 4 2016.

A number of drop in events have been organised across the county where the public are invited to give feedback on the proposals.

For more information please visit Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue’s website www.glosfire.gov.uk

You can also have your say by going to www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/consultglosfire