Final say on South Yorkshire fire service savings

Residents in South Yorkshire have until the end of Monday to share their views on cuts to the county's fire service.

South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service is consulting over plans to save £10m by 2015, which involve shedding 140 jobs and closing three fire stations.

During the 14-week consultation, there have been seven public meetings to allow people to voice their concerns.

The service said the feedback would be given to the Fire Authority, with a final decision expected on 26 March.

The service said it welcomed alternative proposals to help it make savings.

It plans to shed 68 full-time and 32 retained firefighters, making overall saving of £2.25m a year, with an additional reduction of 40 full-time firefighter posts through internal staffing changes, making an overall saving of £4m a year.

Three Sheffield fire stations, in Darnall, Mansfield Road, and a part-time station at Mosborough, would be closed and replaced with two new stations, near the Sheffield Parkway and Birley.

Originally six public meetings were due to be held, but this was extended to seven after feedback from the consultation.

The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) told the BBC it was disappointed by the turnout to the first public consultation in November when five members of the public showed up.

John Gilliver, from the FBU, said it was "extremely important that the public have their say".