COUNCILLORS have voted to pull all full-time staff from of Cirencester Fire Station in a bid to save costs.

The cuts, approved at a Gloucestershire County Council cabinet meeting this morning, will mean the Bristol Road station will be manned by part-time – or retained – firefighters who will rush to the station when an alarm is sounded.

The move is the final chapter in a five month saga that has seen fierce words traded between Gloucestershire fire service and the Fire Brigades Union, who have been vehemently opposed to the measure.

Gloucestershire fire chief Stewart Edgar said the changes would not result in a deterioration in services and would help cut hundreds of thousands of pounds from the budget.

He gave his backing to the change after a three-month consultation found 69 per cent of people agreed the station could carry on without full-time staff.

It is part of a plan by Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service (GFRS) to save £2 million from its budgets over three years.

In an unusual twist the station has been without full-time firefighters since October when a health and safety technicality meant and low staffing levels meant the shift patterns were no longer viable.

Since then the station has manned by retained staff.

Councillors also voted to close Painswick Fire Station, with the caveat that a new community fire safety officer would begin working in the area to educate people on fire prevention.

Joe Harris, County Councillor for Cirencester Park and former Cirencester mayor, said: “When I first heard about the decision I was really concerned about what it would mean for Cirencester. But I met with the fire chief Stewart Edgar and the Fire Brigades Union and ultimately found the fire chief’s argument more convincing.

“They are trying to make the service more efficient in the face of Conservative government cuts that are really starting to bite.

“Obviously in a perfect world it would be fully staffed but I sought assurances that lives weren’t going to be put at risk.”

Scott Turner, Gloucestershire secretary of the Fire Brigades Union, said they were “disappointed” with the decision.

He added: “We are of the opinion that not having full-time staff on the station will put lives at risk because of increased response times.”

Barry Kirby, Labour shadow spokesman for fire services, said: “I’m disappointed with the decisions [referring to Cirencester and Painswick stations], the Fire Brigades Union has said it could be quite risky.

“The chief fire officer presented this to us and said it was the best solution, and in these constraints it probably is. He’s had to make some difficult decisions - I think he’s done the best he can with what he’s been given.”