WILTON Town Council has voiced concerns over plans for a fire station merger, warning questions remain over how the proposal would work and the effect on emergency response times.

The comments came during a town council meeting following last week’s announcement from Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service’s chief fire officer Andy Cole that their preferred option had changed from closing Wilton Fire Station to merging it with Salisbury’s on an initial 12-month trial basis.

The proposed merger is part of wider plans aimed at “modernising the service” and addressing financial pressures.

While six other stations previously under threat are now expected to remain open, Wilton and Hamworthy would still face major changes under the latest recommendations.

Final decisions are due to be made by the Fire Authority on June 30.

Speaking at the council meeting, mayor of Wilton Cllr Chris Harrison said the town still had “serious concerns” about the proposal and wanted clarity over how it would operate day to day.

“While we note this development, we remain very unclear on the full practical and operational impacts of this proposed merger,” he said.

“It is vital that we understand exactly how a merger will work in reality, particularly how it will affect our local on-call crews and their ability to effectively serve our community.”

Cllr Harrison also restated the council’s backing for keeping Wilton Fire Station fully operational.

He added: “We will continue to scrutinise these proposals and advocate strongly on behalf of our town to ensure that our emergency response times remain low and that the safety of our residents is never compromised.”

The merger proposal has triggered alarm among residents in both Wilton and Salisbury, with fears that combining stations could place additional strain on crews and increase pressure on resources serving the wider Salisbury area.

The Fire Authority’s final recommendations and supporting papers are expected to be published later this month ahead of the crucial vote.