PLANS to put a third of Taunton and Wellington's fire engines out of action have been slammed by the Liberal Democrats local parliamentary candidate.

Gideon Amos' calls followed criticism last week by Bridgwater and West Somerset MP Ian Liddell-Grainger.

The proposed cuts could also see widespread fire station closures across the Devon and Somerset area.

A range of options - including the closures and changes to the way crews operate - will go before members of the Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Authority next week.

Should they agree on one of the options, a 12-week public consultation will run from July 1 to September 20.

Mr Amos slammed last week's announcement as the result of “a longstanding top down cuts ideology from the Conservative government”.

Pledging to fight the plans 'tooth and nail', Mr Amos added: “The cuts go completely against what people value in our local public services.

"Recommendations that focus on the ‘benefits’ of the proposals only tell part of the story.

"They result from the fire service experiencing massive 24 per cent cuts by the Conservative government driving home its ‘public bad, private good’ ideas.

"Again, it is local public services that get chopped away.”

Taunton's Liberal Democrats were among those who campaigned to save the specialist rescue tender at Taunton in 2017 because the service does a lot more than tackle fires, like the massive Exeter Hotel blaze in 2016 where not enough appliances were available.

"No one can forget the role of the service helping people in the floods and the M5 tragedy. But with fewer stationed appliances it simply won’t be possible to guarantee the same level of service.

"And how long until the Government says they now need fewer firemen and women because there are fewer fire engines?”

Last week, Devon and Somerset's branch of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) also reacted with anger over the plans.

A spokesman said that firefighters 'are furious with these proposals' and demanded 'that the fire authority rejects these proposals'.

Mr Amos added: "These are cuts plain and simple, demonstrated by just six roving engines being suggested against the loss of a huge number of 17 appliances from across the area.

"The authority’s report actually admits ‘continuing financial pressures means that the current service delivery model is not sustainable’, confirming this is about taking public money out of our frontline emergency services when they have already been cut to the bone.

"If these cuts and station closures go ahead the Conservative minister responsible will be remembered as the Dr Beeching of the fire service” Gideon added, referring to the man who closed rural railways across the country.

“I urge everyone to write to their Conservative MP to tell them how much they oppose cuts to fire and rescue services” he added.

Last Friday (June 21), MP Liddell-Grainger called the service a 'shambles', and said: " We cannot allow any further reductions in cover, particularly when they come dressed up in terms such as ‘changing the way we operate’."

Stations which could close include Porlock and Woolacombe, as well as seeing crews stationed at Bridgwater, Taunton and Yeovil reduced, from three to two.

Simon Coles is the Taunton Liberal Democrat councillor representative on Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Authority.

He added: “Our local Fire Authority continues to have a shrinking budget including reductions of £7-9Million over the next three years.

"Central government continues to cut the budget and refuses to allow an increase in the precept of more than three per cent.

“While we do need to maintain fast response times, retained firefighters are leaving at an unprecedented rate. My view that the offer to retained firefighters is simply not good enough is now beginning to be shared by others.

"I will continue to press for a better deal which will enable us to recruit more retained firefighters. These cuts are the last thing we need”.

The six options which will be presented to the Fire Authority are as follows:

Option 1 – Station closures: Station closures at Appledore, Ashburton, Budleigh Salterton, Colyton, Kingston, Porlock, Topsham* and Woolacombe. * Note: One appliance from Topsham will be relocated to Middlemoor.

Option 2 – Station closures and removal of third appliances: Option 1, plus: Bridgwater, Taunton, Torquay and Yeovil Fire Stations all have three fire engines (two of which are crewed by ‘on call staff’). It is proposed that one of these ‘on call’ fire engines is removed from each of the four stations outlined.

Option 3 – Station closures, removal of third and second appliances: Option 2, plus: Crediton, Lynton, Martock and Totnes all have two fire engines. It is proposed that one of these fire engines is removed from each of the four stations outlined.

Option 4 – Station closures, removal of third and second appliances and change of status to day crewing: Option 3, plus: Barnstaple, Exmouth and Paignton currently have whole time crew on these fire stations 24/7. It is proposed that the station still operates on a 24/7 basis but at night, the fire engines are crewed by ‘on call’ staff.

Option 5 – Station closures, removal of third and second appliances, change of status to day crewing and to on-call at night only: Option 4, plus: Brixham, Chard, Dartmouth, Frome, Honiton, Ilfracombe, Okehampton, Sidmouth, Tavistock, Teignmouth, Tiverton, Wellington, Wells and Williton Fire Stations all have two fire engines. Rather than take away the second fire engine from these stations, it is proposed that the first fire engine is still crewed 24/7 with ‘on call’ staff but the second fire engine is crewed at night.

Option 6 - Station closures, removal of third and second appliances, change of status to day crewing, on-call at night only and introduction of day crewed roving appliances: Option 5, plus: It is proposed that six day-crewed fire engines (with trained Firefighters on the fire engine) are introduced which will be deployed in areas of forecasted high risk and/or where gaps in ‘on call’ cover is presented. These firefighters will undertake additional fire prevention visits and building fire protection inspections to help make people and buildings safer. They will be available to immediately respond to incidents and improve response times in the area located. Note: these 6 fire wholetime crewed (Full Time Equivalent) fire engines are in addition to the current wholetime fire stations that will be unaffected during the day. These existing wholetime fire stations are: Bridgwater, Taunton, Yeovil, Exeter (Danes Castle), Exeter (Middlemoor), Barnstaple, Torquay, Paignton, Plymouth (Crownhill), Plymouth (Greenbank), Plymouth (Camels Head).