East Sussex Fire Authority met on 5 December 2024 and, after a thorough and challenging debate, have accepted Officers’ recommendations on the future of Mayfield On-Call Fire Station.
Members have decided on the closure and sale of Mayfield Fire Station, the transfer of the fire engine to the spare appliance fleet, a reduction to the fleet capital replacement programme from 32 to 31, to carry out a wider spare appliance review in 2025 and to redistribute the revenue staff budget.
The decision follows a twelve-week public consultation on a range of options, which attracted 642 responses.
The debate covered Mayfield's contribution to overall Service risk reduction and resilience, and proposed arrangements for maintaining public safety in the Mayfield station area. The risk profile of the Mayfield Station area has remained consistently low. The small number of incidents that have occurred in the area over the last two years have mostly been attended by neighbouring stations.
This decision means:
- Mayfield Fire Station will be sold and the money reinvested in the Service’s capital programme (e.g. estates improvements and fire engines)
- The fire engine will be used as a spare appliance where required
- The staff budget will be reinvested in operational firefighters.
Chair of the Fire Authority Amanda Evans said:
“We want to personally thank the community for their involvement in the consultation process and for sharing their views. It is never easy to make these decisions, however, it is vital that the Fire Authority considers all the evidence and focuses on how East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service can best serve the public and reduce risk, within its budget.”
Chief Fire Officer Dawn Whittaker said:
“Community safety will always be our priority. We will continue to reduce risk, whether through campaigns, events or home safety visits, by engaging with residents in the Mayfield area. We will continue to send the nearest available resources to any emergency."
The Service will now develop its planning for the closure of the station and other arrangements.