A LEADING councillor has insisted the future of Leigh fire station is safe, despite suggestions from union leaders it could be closed.

The Fire Brigades’ Union says a proposal to remove a specialist rescue vehicle from Leigh fire station has prompted fears closure plans shelved ten years ago could be resurrected.

However, Southend councillor Ann Holland, vice-chairman of Essex Fire Authority, moved to reassure people the station was not in jeopardy, insisting: “There is absolutely no talk of closing Leigh fire station.”

The union made the claim after the fire service backtracked on plans to move an aerial ladder platform from Southend fire station to the new £4.5million fire station at Rayleigh Weir.

Instead, the platform will be kept at Southend and the vehicle with specialist rescue equipment will be transferred from Leigh to Southend fire station.

Union leaders say the loss of the rescue vehicle “give rise to concerns that old plans to close Leigh fire station are being dusted off once again.”

The fire and rescue service countered the claims by announcing a £1million county investment plan including new equipment at Leigh fire station to deal with flooding.

Mick Rogers, from Essex FBU said: “The recent muddle on where to cut frontline services is frustrating enough for our fire crews, but it must be even more alarming for the local communities most immediately affected.”

However, David Johnson, Essex chief fire officer, said: “The union has conducted this campaign in a completely dishonest way from the outset by talking about frontline cuts where there are to be none and creating fear and uncertainty within local communities about how fire cover will be reduced by our plans.

“This is simply not the case. We have announced a £1million package that will be spent on firefighter recruitment, training and improvements to front-line service delivery.

That’s on top of a multi-million pound investment in new appliances, both to replace old ones and to introduce new specialist capabilities to the county.

Set against the context of what’s happening in the rest of the country, reducing establishment on paper is not going to have any impact whatsoever on our firefighters or the safety of families living in the county.”