A FINAL decision on the future of Blaina fire station and an appliance in Cwmbran will not be decided next month due to the “large number” of responses to the public consultation.

South Wales Fire and Rescue Service (SWFRS) will now report its final conclusions from stage two of the Fiver Cover Review in March next year, after receiving more than 6,000 responses.

The chief of SWFRS, Huw Jakeway, has previously said there would be no extra risk to life by shutting Blaina fire station, but that cutting Cwmbran’s fire engine to save £180,000 could lead to one extra death in 100 years, according to computer risk analysis.

The proposals have been met with stern opposition from local residents and politicians both in Blaina and Cwmbran.

The service, which has 50 fire stations and 1,650 fire fighters, must slash £2.8million from its budget before April.

But Blaina councillor Lisa Winnett, who has been strongly opposed to the proposals from the start, said there was a “strong possibility” that the Blaina fire station would now remain open for at least another year.

She said: “It shows the level of information we have put forward has been significant because they need extra time. It also goes to show that SWFRS have taken this consultation process seriously and it comes across as they’re listening. But it also shows they didn’t realise the response they were going to get.

“The good thing from speaking to Huw Jakeway is that it seems highly possible for funding to be found to keep the Blaina fire station open for the next year – so for 2014/15. This has given us at least an extra year and hopefully all the valid points we have raised will be considered.

“Even the logic of closing the fire station we just cannot comprehend. Hopefully now the fire service will sit up and take note and throw these proposals away.”

Blaenau Gwent AM Alun Davies said: "I'm pleased that the Fire Service have decided to take more time to study and to listen to the views hundreds of people who took part in the consultation and are willing to look again at its proposals.

"This is a significant step towards our aim of maintaining a crew and applianceat Blaina and I will be contacting Chief Fire Officer Huw Jakeway as a matter of urgency to discuss any additional proposals.

"It has always been my view that co-location of blue light services could be a way of maintaining a presence throughout Blaenau Gwent and I will be pushing for this to become an option.

"Blaina fire station has been granted a stay of execution, but now is the time to work together to ensure this move is a permanent one. I will be working hard throughout the next few months to make sure that we maintain the service in Blaina and do not lose an appliance from Blaenau Gwent."

In a statement, SWFRS said: “Over the last couple of months we have been engaging with our communities affected by fire cover proposals in Blaenau Gwent and Torfaen.

“It is now our intention to feedback to the Fire Authority on March 24, 2014, detailing the views of those who have taken part. This will ensure that the opinions of the communities affected will be fully considered before any final decisions are made.

“There have been a large number of responses to our proposals via e-mail, social media, letters and our survey. There have also been meetings with community members, Members of Parliament, Assembly Members and local Councillors. We have listened to what has been said and now need to consider the many issues raised by these proposals.

“It has now been agreed that we will not report our final conclusions from this consultation at the Fire Authority meeting in December to allow us time to do this.

“It is important to us to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has participated in this consultation. Whilst we will not be able to provide any detailed information on the final report until after the Fire Authority meeting in March, you can be reassured that your views will be considered.”