South Ayrshire councillor fears 'everything is going to Kilmarnock' after emergency services report

dailyrecord.co.uk:

A former South Ayrshire Council leader has raised concerns that 'everything is going to Kilmarnock' after hearing about emergency service plans for Ayr.Both Police Scotland and Scottish Fire and Rescue representatives joined a meeting of the council's Partnerships Panel to discuss performance and future plans on Wednesday.And both were quizzed about 'disappointing' moves that will see Ayr lose a high reach fire appliance and police custody cells.Councillor Hugh Hunter was the first to raise concerns over the fire service's decision to locate just one high reach vehicle in Ayrshire, at Kilmarnock.He said that 'in some respects' he understood the situation, but that 'subjectively it is really disappointing.Cllr Hunter asked Area Commander Ian Area Commander, Ian McMeekin, for assurances about the future of Ayr Fire Station, adding: "I've seen it in other services, where everything is going to Kilmarnock."The Area Commander said that stations like Ayr were built in a different era and that the changing population and increase in technology meant that the service had to review its approach to give the best service.Part of this, he explained, was the reduction in high reach appliances, including non--dedicated vehicles with added equipment, across Scotland from 25 to 14.Cllr Hunter asked what the immediate impact of the change would be on Ayr.Mr McMeeken said that there would be no reduction as the move had been based on the demand that was being placed on the service.He added that high reach appliances were only one part of a potential response and that new technology, such as an 'ultra high pressure lance' that has been introduced in Troon, was part of the changes they were making.He later told us: “There will be no