Councillors to discuss newly shaped plans including withdrawal of fire station closure proposals

Following a public consultation that asked communities to help shape how Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service operates, no fire station closures are now being recommended.  

As a result of feedback received by Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service between late October 2025 and January 2026, a proposal is being made to continue focusing on recruitment and community engagement at Eynsham, Henley and Woodstock fire stations.

The three fire stations had been considered for closure due to persistent low availability of on-call crews.

However, residents’ feedback made it clear how important local fire stations are with communities showing strong support for retaining them. Newly shaped proposals will be considered by Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet on 21 April 2026.

The main proposal in the public consultation was to address ongoing challenges with fire engine availability during the daytime, when demand and risk are highest.

As part of this, the consultation explored proposals to improve daytime fire and emergency response cover across Oxfordshire.

Work will continue to identify how Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service can deliver its key objectives of improved first response times, increased daytime cover, stronger service resilience, and an increased amount of fire prevention work.

Further engagement with employees and the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) will take place to help shape how proposals could work in practice.

Rob MacDougall, Oxfordshire County Council Fire and Rescue Service’s Chief Fire Officer, said: “I’d like to thank everyone who shared their views on our proposals during the public consultation. We received over a thousand responses, and it was important that we listened carefully to what people told us.

“It’s important that we regularly review our resources and work closely with our local communities and colleagues to gain consensus on how best to shape the service to meet current and future needs.

“It’s apparent, having read and listened to those who gave us their feedback, that local people are keen to support existing fire stations in their towns and villages.

“Building on that community support, we’ll be taking revised proposals to Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet on 21 April, which will include reviewing and adapting our recruitment campaigns at Eynsham, Henley and Woodstock, with the aim of increasing on-call firefighter numbers and improving fire engine availability.”

On-call firefighters are everyday people who do extraordinary things. They balance their other jobs and commitments with being ready to respond to emergencies at a moment’s notice. Because of this, they need to live or work close to the fire station they respond from.

Cabinet will also be asked to agree to withdrawing the proposal presented in the public consultation to remove the second fire engine at Thame fire station. This was put forward based on low availability of crews and because the vehicle had been attending less than 20 incidents a year.

This will allow time to consider consultation feedback alongside similar proposals recently consulted on by Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service, particularly given the proximity of Thame and Haddenham fire stations.

Proposals relating to the building of a new fire station north of Oxford will require further work before any decisions are made. While the long‑term potential remains, the proposal is being paused for now due to uncertainty around developer negotiations and the need for further engagement.

This means the city’s existing Rewley Road fire station and its allocation of fire engines will remain for the time being. No timeframe has been finalised for a future decision.

The specialist fire and rescue vehicle based at Kidlington fire station will remain in place. Further detailed work on specialist rescue provision will continue separately, recognising the complexity and importance of this area, and will be shaped through engagement with employees and representative bodies.

Councillor Neil Fawcett, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Resources, said: “I’d like to thank everyone who contributed to the consultation, from employees to residents, businesses and politicians. Those views have been reflected in new proposals, which cabinet will discuss on 21 April.

“The strength of feeling for retaining community fire stations is crystal clear, and if cabinet approves what is proposed we hope that we’ll receive support from local people as we rollout our recruitment campaign for more on-call firefighters.

“Maintaining prompt emergency response times and community safety are at the heart of our thinking and planning. The response to the consultation has highlighted how important our fire service is to local communities and the value residents place on the dedication and commitment of crews.

"Our commitment is to work with firefighters and the local communities that support them as we work out how to deliver a stronger, more resilient and more effective fire and rescue service across Oxfordshire."

Further details, including how to apply to become an on-call firefighter, are available on Oxfordshire County Council’s website.

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