COMPLAINTS made to Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service fell by more than half last year.

Figures revealed by the Cheshire Fire Authority show that the service received 17 complaints in 2017-18, compared to 35 in the previous year.

Three of those were formal complaints regarding the authority’s Integrated Risk Management Plan – which involved plans to downgrade fire stations in Crewe and Ellesmere Port that were eventually rejected.

Cllr Steve Wright, chairman of the authority’s governance and constitution committee, said: “It is good to respond to complaints and it is good to acknowledge when we do a good job as well.”

The 14 informal complaints included five about Safe and Well visits, five about the driving of vehicles, one about alleged damage to property, one on noise from operational training, and one on access to a local fire station.

Cheshire Fire and Rescue also received 41 compliments last year – but this was a sharp drop from 78 in 2016-17.