Cradley Heath fire station site revealed

A new £3 million fire station will be built on the site of former Sandwell council buildings, under plans revealed by fire chiefs.

Fire crews serving both Cradley Heath and Halesowen will be based at the site, near Haden Hill Leisure Centre, in Halesowen Road, Cradley Heath.

Members of West Midlands Fire Authority picked the site from four proposed locations, which had been scrutinised ahead of yesterday's annual meeting.

The former municipal buildings are to be demolished by Sandwell Leisure Trust to extend the car park for people using the leisure centre. The rest of the site will be transformed into the new station.

A planning application will be lodged shortly.

Meanwhile, the fire authority has announced a freeze on the allowances and expenses members receive as it prepares to lose around £22 million – a quarter – from its budget next year.

It means councillors who serve on the authority will continue to receive a basic annual allowance of £3,500 as opposed to benefiting from an annual rise.

The allowance of the vice- chairman, at £12,250 and chairman, at £24,500, will also remain the same. Under the Government's Comprehensive Spending Review announced in 2010, the authority could be looking at a 27 per cent cut in its budget next April – equating to losing around £22m.

Halesowen Fire Station was closed last month and all firefighters redeployed to other fire stations. Crews in Cradley Heath are currently covering both areas.

Cash generated from the sale of both Cradley Heath and Halesowen sites will help fund the new base. West Midlands Fire Authority chairman and Sandwell councillor John Edwards said the new station would be a "first class resource" for the whole community.

By Andrew Turton