MORE than 150 people were unable to get into a public meeting on the proposed merger of Wirral fire stations tonight as there was not enough room at the venue.
Taking place at St Mary's Centre on Saughall Massie Road, Upton, it was the first of three to be held as part of a 12-week consultation on the plans.
The 120 who made it in, before health and safety regulations prohibited allowing any more, heard Merseyside's chief fire officer Dan Stephens outline proposals which include merging West Kirby and Upton fire stations at a site in Saughall Massie Road.
Another option is the outright closure of West Kirby station and relocating crews to Upton.
As the meeting went on, there were shouts of "this venue is unsuitable."
Conservative councillor for Moreton West and Saughall Chris Blakeley urged Mr Stephens to organise a second meeting for people unable to get in.
Cllr Blakeley said "Clearly, more than 150 people lost out on the opportunity to make their views known, which was a disappointment.
"The fact that the chief fire officer won't make a commitment to hold another meeting in Saughall Massie, as he did in Greasby, and he won't make that commitment.
"It says it all about the fire authority. They're not interested in the views of local people. They just want to build a new fire station, ride roughshod over everybody and get over it.
"We will fight the authority. We will fight the planning department and we will fight the Labour Council to ensure our greenbelt is not desecrated."
Mr Stephens told the Globe: "We have to make structural changes to emergency response cover across Merseyside in order to deliver the savings required following grant cuts.
"I will take a view based on whether I think there would be a different outcome from that which we've see tonight, because there are difficulties in us securing a venue that's big enough to accommodate all the interest.
"We recognise that we get criticised what ever we do.
"But that said, I will discuss it with the chair of the Fire & Rescue Authority and we'll take a view based on that."
Merseyside's chief fire officer Dan Stephens
Among concerns raised by residents were the proposed fire station's impact on house prices.
One resident said the fire station plan was "an accident waiting to happen".
Mr Stephens continued: "I think the people of Saughall Massie, as we fully expected they would, have made their position clear.
The other public meetings being held as part of this consultation will be held on the following dates:
• Tuesday, April 28, at Holy Cross Church community rooms, by Holy Cross Church, Woodchurch, CH49 7LS, starting at 6.30pm.
• Tuesday, May 5, at Hoylake Community Centre, The Parade, Hoyle Road, Hoylake, CH47 3AG, starting at 6.30pm.
The outcomes of the consultation will be reported back to the Authority for a definitive decision in June.
For more information and to contribute to the consultation, visit merseyfire.gov.uk
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