East Dunbartonshire (Milngavie)

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) is carrying out a Service Delivery Review to look at ways of reshaping and modernising the organisation. The primary aim is to ensure that resources – staff, stations and appliances – are matched to operational risk and demand across Scotland.

During summer 2025, SFRS consulted on a series of changes involving more than 30 fire stations across Scotland. In East Dunbartonshire, this included one option for change involving one fire station in Milngavie.

In June 2025, a suite of recommendations was presented to the SFRS Board for decision, informed by feedback from communities, staff and stakeholders alongside operational, financial and equality evidence.

The following change was approved for implementation in East Dunbartonshire:

• Proceed to introduce Day Shift Duty System* (DSDS) crewing for the appliance at Milngavie, which is currently crewed by wholetime firefighters. This would see that appliance crewed by wholetime firefighters during the day from Monday to Friday and crewed by on call firefighters out with these hours.

*SFRS is committed to explore a range of DSDS and on call support options in response to consultation feedback

The proposed changes were put forward as part of a 12-week public consultation between June and September 2025. Engagement activity included public meetings and drop-in sessions across affected communities, attended by more than 800 people across Scotland, alongside a public survey which generated more than 3,600 responses.

In East Dunbartonshire, this included:

• One public meeting was held in Milngavie on 25 August 2025. In total there were 22 attendees.

Milngavie has the lowest operational demand of all stations in Scotland that have one wholetime appliance based there. Changing the crewing model will match resources to local risk and demand.

Milngavie’s roof structure is affected by RAAC and we are unable to begin repair work until a decision is made on the station configuration and duty system. The station will be upgraded with decontamination facilities and dignified welfare facilities like single occupancy showers and toilets.

A change in duty system will ensure operational response during the time of highest demand and maintain the delivery of prevention activities.

Pros

• Resources would be aligned with operational demand.
• Wholetime crew would be available during time of highest demand during the day and maintain the delivery of prevention activities.
• Around 17 staff would be transferred to other key roles across training, prevention and operational resilience.
• Repairs to the roof structure caused by RAAC will be repaired and the station will be upgraded.
• Additional on call employment opportunities within local area.

Cons

• Increase in first appliance response times outside of core day shift hours in the area.