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Paul Couchman, secretary, Save our Services in Surrey

After a prolonged battle with Surrey council, the campaign to protect fire services in Staines has won an important retreat.

After successfully fighting to save the fire station, the attempt to reduce the service from two engines to one has been defeated.

Surrey Fire Brigades Union announced: “For how long we do not know, as Surrey County Council has only guaranteed the costs of the second fire engine for 12 months… But it’s a step in the right direction. Thank you to the hard work of Spelthorne firefighters and their families, our colleagues around the county, Fire Brigades Union representatives and Save Our Services in Surrey.”

This victory should give confidence to all those facing a new round of cuts to council services, that if we stand together we can win.

We have to step up our campaign in the face of a growing financial crisis at Surrey council. We will stand shoulder to shoulder with all those fighting cuts and demand central government fully funds local services.