KENT Fire and Rescue Service has denied claims it is pre-empting the outcome of a consultation into the axing of eight stations across the county.

A source close to St Margaret's fire station, which is earmarked for closure, says nine firemen have been told to clear their lockers by April 3 and that a skip has been ordered for the same date following an inventory at the Reach Road property.

But a KFRS spokesman said: "Suggestions we are pre-empting the decision about the future of the station are entirely wrong. There is no skip ordered and firefighters have not been told to clear their lockers.

"We conduct inventories of all of our stations on a rolling programme – for example Folkestone and Dover stations have also recently completed an inventory. As far as we are concerned, it is business as usual at St Margaret's in terms of appliance mobilisation, and as always this varies according to the number of incidents and the need.

"We will not make any compulsory redundancies and we have been very keen to work with firefighters at St Margaret's to look at alternative options should the station close."

The station is one of the eight under review as part of an overhaul of the service. A decision about its future is due to be made on February 15.

The source told the Express: "While KFRS may call this pre-planning for all eventualities, I call this a foregone conclusion. This makes a complete mockery of the pretence of a consultation period."

They also questioned how many firemen would get alternative employment because Dover is already "well manned" and Whitfield will be used only for night-time cover.

The review was carried out by the fire authority because of a 25 per cent drop in fires since 2005. KFRS says it needs to reduce the number of stations and engines and, although the authority claims the restructure is not aimed at saving cash, admits an expected £12 million cut in Government funding over the next three years has "been taken into account".

The report says St Margaret's, a retained service, is mobilised about half the average number of times as other Kent stations.

A three-month public consultation ended last month.

Kent Fire Brigades Union secretary Mark Simmons said: "It's incredible that unions, staff, members of the public, councillors, and MPs have all stood in opposition to these proposals – yet Kent Fire and Rescue Service is still headlong intent to steamroller these plans through, in spite of revealing this is not about making notable financial savings."