The proposal to launch a 10-week public consultation into the future shape of the On-Call service across Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes has received Fire Authority approval today (Wednesday 12 November 2025).
During a recorded vote, 10 of the 17 Buckinghamshire & Milton Keynes Fire Authority Members gave their support to the proposal, with seven voting against it. The majority vote in favour means work will now start to prepare for the launch of the consultation next week.
The consultation will seek 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 engines, improving training, facilities, and resilience.
- Give the Chief Fire Officer greater operational flexibility for faster, evidence-led decisions on resource deployment.
CFO Louise Harrison said:
“I am really pleased that we have received Member support to progress to the next step which will enable us to hear what our public, partners and staff have to say about our proposals.
“We are committed to providing an excellent, modern and agile fire and rescue service for everyone we serve, wherever they live across Bucks and Milton Keynes, and I believe these proposals demonstrate our dedication to ensuring we deliver on this commitment. We are looking to change how we operate to make sure we have the right people, with the right skills, in the right place, at the right time to keep our community safe.
“I am keen to stress that no final decisions have been made, and to encourage everyone to have their say once our consultation launches, so that we get a really full picture before any changes are considered.”