Staffordshire fire service bosses spend £4k on 'pointless' survey

Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service has written to thousands of residents in Codsall and Bilbrook to ask if the rebuilt fire station in Duck Lane should be named after both villages.

It was previously called Codsall Fire Station although it was located in Bilbrook.

Fire bosses say Bilbrook Parish Council and Codsall Parish Council suggested naming the station after both villages and decided to send out a survey to residents.

It is one of 10 stations to have been re-built under a £50 million private finance initiative (PFI) redevelopment project.

A total of 5,500 residents in Codsall and Bilbrook received a consultation letter, costing £4129.58. The three-week consultation exercise finished on Friday.

Conservative Gavin Williamson, who is campaigning to be re-elected as South Staffordshire's MP, said: "This is a completely pointless use of taxpayers' money.

"They have sent this out to almost every home and provided a free return envelope, all of which has to be paid for."

The fire service's PFI programme director Steve Knight said: "We have worked very closely with the residents of Codsall and Bilbrook throughout the design, planning and building process of their new community fire station and their local knowledge and input has been invaluable.

"We launched the consultation on the request of the parish councils in each of the two villages who told us that they were keen for both of the communities to be included in the new station's name.

"A total of 5,500 households have been sent a letter and asked for their opinion on the name to ensure that it is a true reflection of what local people want.

"Our new community fire stations are much more than bases where we can provide an emergency response from. They have been designed with the community in mind and have designated rooms which can be used free of charge by local groups.

"They also enable residents to interact much more closely with our firefighters, allowing us to give them information and advice on fire safety, with the aim of reducing the number of incidents. We will be encouraging people to utilise the facility and to feel a sense of ownership. We strongly believe that including the residents of Codsall and Bilbrook in deciding what their new community fire station will be called is key to achieving this."