SURREY County Council’s cabinet member for fire services has refused to dismiss rumours that fire stations across the county could be axed to help plug the council’s growing budget shortfall.

Council leader David Hodge outlined the need to make £93 million additional savings in the next financial year on Tuesday, after climbing down from a proposed 15 per cent council tax hike in favour of a more modest five per cent rise.

However, with roughly two thirds of Surrey’s budget ring-fenced for adult social care, this has led to fears that other services funded by the council such as Surrey Fire and Rescue could be targeted for cuts.

Robert Evans, Labour councillor for Stanwell, asked at Tuesday’s meeting of the county council if Surrey’s current number of 26 fire stations and 30 fire engines would be retained at the end of its current five-year financial plan in 2021.

But in response, Surrey’s cabinet member for localities and community wellbeing Richard Welsh did little to reassure the former MEP, commenting that the council’s medium-term financial plan and budget situation is “unconfirmed at present”, adding “it is not possible to say what the comparative figures may be by 2021”.

Mr Evans subsequently accused his Tory counterpart of “hiding behind the council’s five year plan”, and fired back: “Would it not be of interest to people voting in May’s county council elections to know which of their fire stations have the axe hanging over them?”

The Labour councillor also criticised the county council leader David Hodge on Tuesday, for refusing to publish all correspondence between the council and the Government regarding Surrey’s current financial situation.

Defending his stance, Mr Hodge said it was “a bit rich” taking a lesson on transparency from a former Labour MEP and advised Mr Evans to submit a Freedom of Information request.