Labour’s deputy leader expressed astonishment at fire service restructuring proposals in Oxfordshire that have since been abandoned.

Manchester’s representative in Parliament, Lucy Powell, urged the county council to reconsider the scheme involving closure of three fire stations and merger of two others.

In correspondence dated Tuesday 14 April to Oxfordshire County Council leader Liz Leffman, she requested they pause these cuts and engage in discussions with the Fire Brigades Union and central government regarding alternative approaches that protect jobs and maintain the fire service’s operational capacity in Oxfordshire.

This development comes as the proposals were withdrawn following public protests and opposition.

Council officials issued a statement on Monday 13 April confirming that stations at Eynsham, Henley and Woodstock will continue functioning.

The proposal to consolidate Kidlington and Rewley Road (Oxford) stations into a single new facility in North Oxford has been put on hold.

The council indicated that proposals for establishing a new fire station north of Oxford will require further analysis before any decisions are made.

In her communication to the Liberal Democrat leader of Oxfordshire, Ms Powell contended that fourteen years of Conservative cuts to local government and fire service financing has resulted in numerous areas operating with severely limited resources.

However, she acknowledged that the UK Labour administration is tackling this issue through immediate financial assistance to council budgets, a comprehensive review of fire service funding arrangements, and modernisation of management structures and service delivery across the country.