Fire chiefs mingled with community leaders in Aberdeen last night on the eve of the national service’s first meeting in the city today.
But representatives of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service board refused to be drawn on controversial plans to close the control rooms in the city and Inverness. Members have met at the interim headquarters in Perth since the merger to a single service in April, but intend to travel round the country for board meetings from now on.
Chief Officer Alasdair Hay said the move was aimed at helping the body to become “very decentralised”.
Board members met councillors, community and business representatives at a community engagement event at Aberdeen City Council’s Town House last night.
Speaking last night, chairman of the board Pat Watters said: “The intention is to bring the board to all parts of Scotland and this is the first meeting to be held outside Perth.
“We have not come out to tell people what to do but to listen to what they think about the national service.
“We are very open, all our board papers are on our website and our meetings are public.
“I am delighted to see so many people here tonight and am happy to hear any concerns about how the service is delivered.”
At today’s meeting, the board will discuss a report which outlines the case for closing six of the eight control rooms including those in Aberdeen and Inverness.
The Ryden report says the service should aim to have three control centres at Johnstone in Renfrewshire, Tollcross in Edinburgh and McAlpine Road, Dundee, with the long-term plan to combine the Edinburgh and Dundee centres.
The proposals have prompted a wave of political criticism, as well as online petitions and letters of opposition.
Mr Watters and Mr Hay said they were unable to comment on what would be discussed at the meeting last night.
Mr Hay said: “Creating the single service has been an enormous challenge but the important thing for me is that the people of Aberdeen do not notice a change in the excellent service they have.
“Most of our services are delivered at a very local level and Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and Moray all have a local senior officer who is in charge of the area.
“Many people will have thought that the single service will be centralised but it will not be, it will be very decentralised.”
The board meeting takes place today in the community rooms at North Anderson Drive fire station at 11am.