Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet is due to consider recommendations for the future of Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service on 17 November 2026, following scrutiny committee consideration on 21 October.
The proposals follow employee engagement and a 13-week public consultation held between October 2025 and January 2026. The council says the recommendations are intended to ensure that firefighting resources are positioned to meet the county’s current and future needs.
A central element of the plans is the redistribution of full-time firefighters to provide daytime staffing at fire stations in Bicester, Chipping Norton, Faringdon, Witney and Henley.
The changes would see full-time firefighters based at these stations during the day, when the service is typically at its busiest. The council says this would provide a more consistent and reliable emergency response, while giving crews greater opportunities to undertake fire prevention, protection and community safety work.
These activities could include safe and well visits, which help identify potential safety risks in people’s homes and provide advice to residents.
The recommendations would also retain two fire engines at Oxford’s Rewley Road fire station.
Climate risks among considerations
Rob MacDougall, chief fire officer at Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, said the aim was to create a more sustainable service, improve emergency response times and strengthen community safety.
He said feedback from residents and employees had helped refine the recommendations, thanking those who took part in the consultation.
Councillor Neil Fawcett, deputy leader of Oxfordshire County Council, said the proposals were intended to prepare the service for future demands, including environmental risks associated with climate change, such as wildfires.
He added that feedback from residents, partner organisations and firefighters had helped shape the plans.
The cabinet’s consideration on 17 November will be the next stage in determining the future arrangements for the county’s fire and rescue service. Until the recommendations are approved, the proposed changes remain subject to a decision.
