“Unfortunately there are limited suitable sites available. It is anticipated a decision will be made in the near future,” a FRNSW spokesperson said. 

FRNSW representatives Andrew Peters (Director of Property Services) and Superintendent Garry Barber (Zone Commander) met with six members of the community, Councillors Bill Jayet and Neil Westcott, Kent Boyd (Parkes Shire Council General Manager) and Mayor Ken Keith to discuss the ongoing concerns of the proposed positioning of the new fire station.

The Assistant Commissioner of FRNSW, Rob McNeil was unable to attend.

Mr Peters said after the initial meeting addressing the concerns an issues with the proposed site, FRNSW had committed to going away and looking at other potential sites.

“We’ve done that,” Mr Peters said.

“We’ve looked at the site immediately behind fire station that’s owned by the Church and unfortunately no agreement has been able to be reached there. 

“There are a couple of problematic issues, but more importantly the commercial terms couldn't be agreed on.”

Mr Peters said they had also scoured any other potential sites but there was nothing suitable on the market.

“We had a good look around, my real estate manager came up and had a good look around as well,” he said. 

“So at the end of the day, we are coming back to this site at Victoria Street. We feel that is the best site for the new fire station and we want to get it built as soon as possible.

Mr Peters said the the construction process will take two years and that they had made an offer on, but not purchased the Victoria Street block.

“So now we’re back to say we’ve looked, how can we progress this and get the community on side,” he said. 

Olive and Col Boem, who live next door to the proposed site, said despite the efforts to address their concerns they were still not prepared to agree.

Mr Peters concluded the meeting by saying since he didn’t have the support of the community, his next step was to seek internal advice.

Council’s General Manager Kent Boyd said after the outcome of the meeting Council is hoping FRNSW are actively looking for another suitable site. 

“From Council’s perspective, it’s really now a matter of working with Fire and Rescue to help secure a location that’s accepted by the community,” he said.

Mayor Ken Keith said after the meeting himself, Mr Boyd, Mr Peters and Superintendent Barber visited an alternate site.

“It’s something they indicated they would consider,” he said.

“I have been speaking with the Minister for Emergency Services, Troy Grant, about the matter and he going to bring it up when he met with the Commissioner this week. 

“We don’t know the impact of the delay yet, it’s a waiting game now.”

Speaking about last week’s meeting between residents, Parkes Shire Council and Fire and Rescue, shire councillor Bill Jayet told this week’s council meeting he was concerned Fire and Rescue didn’t appear to have a second site option.

During the council meeting, held at Trundle Services Club this week, Cr Jayet was harsh in his criticism of Fire and Rescue describing its stance on the new station site as “blackmail”.

“You either take that block or Parkes goes to the bottom of the list for a new fire station,” Cr Jayet said of the Fire and Rescue’s attitude.

Mayor Ken Keith agreed with Cr Jayet saying “there was certainly a veiled threat” from the meeting.

“I’ve certainly had discussions with the Minister since that meeting, and he will be talking with the commissioner about the location,” mayor Keith said.

“We had a further meeting with them after the meeting was over and did an inspection of another site to allow them to be able to present an alternative to the minister,” cr Keith said.

He added cost appeared to be an issue with the location.

Cr Jayet said “when the question was posed ‘what if that block wasn’t available, where were they going to take it’ they haven’t got an answer.”