Eight Dorset and Wiltshire fire stations spared closure as funding bid offers hope

Eight rural fire stations across Dorset and Wiltshire have been spared from immediate closure after the Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Authority agreed to pause the plans while seeking additional funding.

The authority voted to withdraw the proposed closures for now, with the future of the stations depending on whether the government allows the fire service to increase the fire element of council tax from next year.

The stations affected include Wilton, Mere, Ramsbury and Bradford-on-Avon, along with four other retained fire stations that had been identified as part of cost-saving proposals.

More than 6,000 people responded to a public consultation on the proposed closures, with firefighters, local residents, councillors and community groups voicing strong opposition. Campaigners gathered outside the Fire Authority meeting in Salisbury, calling for rural fire cover to be protected.

Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service said it has already saved £6.75 million over the past four years but still faces a budget shortfall of around £1.2 million. The service hopes to secure permission to increase the average fire precept from £1.86 to £2.02 per week for households, with a decision expected in February 2027.

If the funding request is approved, the stations will remain open while the service continues its modernisation programme. However, authority members warned that if the request is rejected, the closures could return for consideration.

Alongside the funding proposal, the fire service plans to introduce smaller response vehicles, upgrade firefighting equipment and breathing apparatus, review its estate and improve the efficiency of fire stations across the region.

The Fire Brigades Union welcomed the decision to delay the closures but raised concerns over proposals to reduce the number of firefighters on some fire appliances. The union says maintaining adequate crew numbers is essential for firefighter and public safety.

Chief Fire Officer Andy Cole said the service must secure long-term financial stability to modernise while continuing to meet the changing needs of communities across Dorset and Wiltshire.

For residents served by the affected stations, the decision provides welcome relief, although uncertainty remains until the government's funding decision is announced next year.