Have Your Say
Cleveland Fire Brigade is consulting on two proposals as part of its Service Delivery Review.
We want to hear from employees, local communities, businesses, representative bodies, partner organisations and anyone with an interest in the future of fire and rescue services across Cleveland. Responses received during the consultation will be considered before any recommendations are presented to Cleveland Fire Authority.
Further information and the full Consultation Information Document are available at:
Why Are We Consulting?
The risks facing our communities continue to change. Cleveland has an ageing population, high levels of vulnerability in some communities and one of the most significant industrial risk profiles in the country. The types of incidents we attend are also changing, including increases in road traffic collisions, deliberate fires, wildfires and incidents involving lithium-ion batteries.
Like many public services, Cleveland Fire Brigade is also facing financial pressures. Current forecasts identify a funding gap of at least £1.198 million by 2028/29.
Project Aspect was established to identify opportunities to ensure the Service remains sustainable whilst continuing to provide effective services to local communities. A key aim of the project has been to minimise the impact on employees and avoid more significant measures, such as fire station closures or the removal of fire appliances, wherever possible.
Proposals
What Is Proposed?
We are proposing to change the staffing arrangement for one of the two fire appliances based at Thornaby Fire Station.
Under this proposal, one fire appliance would continue to be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The second fire appliance would operate for 12 hours per day, 7 days a week, during daytime hours. Start and finish time will be agreed in negotiations with staff and the representative bodies.
Outside of these hours, emergency response would continue to be provided by the remaining fire appliance at Thornaby Fire Station and by other available fire appliances from across Cleveland Fire Brigade.
It is proposed that the water rescue capability is twinned between Thornaby and Stockton Fire Stations, with the Water Rescue Vehicle relocated to Stockton Fire Station. Under this model, any incident requiring a water rescue response would trigger the simultaneous mobilisation of resources from both stations. Stockton firefighters, comprising qualified Swift Water Rescue Technicians, would provide the land-based rescue capability, while qualified Thornaby firefighters would deploy and operate the rescue boat. This arrangement maintains the current level of water rescue provision and ensures there is no delay in the deployment of specialist water rescue resources.
Why Is This Being Proposed?
This proposal will contribute towards the long-term financial sustainability of the Service, helping ensure resources remain available to meet future risks and demands.
The proposal has been informed by analysis of community risk, operational demand, response performance, appliance availability, independent modelling of data and financial information.
Our analysis shows that emergency incidents occur more frequently during daytime periods than overnight. The proposal is intended to better align resources with periods of greatest demand whilst maintaining a 24-hour emergency response capability from Thornaby Fire Station.
What Would Not Change?
- Thornaby Fire Station would remain open.
- Emergency response cover would continue to be provided 24 hours a day.
- This proposal maintains the specialist capability (water rescue) within the Service.
- Training, supervisory and National Resilience competencies will continue to be maintained and developed to ensure high operational standards across all operational personnel.
- Emergency calls would continue to be managed through Fire Control, with the nearest available fire appliance mobilised to incidents, as they currently are.
- No compulsory redundancies are proposed as part of this proposal.
What Is Proposed?
We are proposing to introduce a more consistent wholetime fire appliance presence within East Cleveland during daytime hours.
The appliance would be provided from the Service’s existing resources on a rotational basis and planned in advance.
The appliance would support emergency response, community safety activity and business fire safety work across the area. All existing On-Call fire stations, appliances and firefighters would remain in place.
Why is This Being Proposed?
The proposal will contribute towards the long-term financial sustainability of the Service, helping ensure resources remain available to meet future risks and demands.
Whilst dedicated On-Call firefighters continue to provide a vital service to local communities, appliance availability can vary and wholetime resources are regularly required to support emergency response in the area. As this is arranged at short notice and unplanned, it incurs significant costs in the form of overtime, disturbance payments and cancelled training events, which then have to be re-scheduled.
The proposal is intended to provide a more consistent wholetime presence in East Cleveland, improving emergency response performance and increasing the amount of prevention and protection activity delivered within local communities.
The proposal has been informed by an evidence base using analysis of community risk, operational demand, response performance, appliance availability, independent modelling and financial information.
What Would Not Change?
- Guisborough, Loftus, Saltburn and Skelton Fire Stations would remain open and continue to respond to emergencies as they do currently.
- The Service would continue to provide a 24-hour emergency response capability in East Cleveland as they currently do.
- Existing On-Call firefighters and appliances would remain in place and continue to play a vital role in protecting East Cleveland.
- The recruitment of on-call firefighters will continue in the future.
Have Your Say
Complete the Service Delivery consultation survey here.
We want to understand:
- What you support.
- What concerns you.
- Whether there are impacts we may not have identified.
- Whether there are alternative options we should consider.
Ways to Take Part
- Complete the consultation survey
- Attend a consultation event
- Join an online engagement session
- Take part in stakeholder meetings
Consultation opens: Thursday 3 September 2026
Consultation closes: Thursday 26 November 2026
What Happens Next?
After the consultation closes, responses will be reviewed alongside operational, financial and equality information. A consultation findings report will then be prepared to help inform recommendations and support decision-making by Cleveland Fire Authority. The outcome of the consultation will be published once decisions have been made.
Email: communications@clevelandfire.gov.uk
Telephone: 01429 872311
