The Fire Brigades Union is urging firefighters and members of the public to have their say on a controversial plan put forward by the Cumbria Police and Crime Commissioner to take on management of the fire and rescue service and to become the Police Fire and Crime Commissioner (PFCC) for Cumbria.
There is currently a public consultation on the plans that anyone can take part in, which closes on Monday 21 March at 12am. These plans will detrimentally affect the communities in Cumbria, and the public consultation is an opportunity for the public to have their say.
The union opposes the plans as it believes that three fire stations are at risk of closure if the plans go ahead. It is thought that Frizington, Arnside and Staveley stations would be at risk, closures which would mean the loss of eighteen firefighter roles. The union also believes that the PFCC model allows for less democratic accountability, with a weak scrutiny panel essentially taking the place of elected councillors, and that police and fire and rescue service management must remain distinct due to their differing natures and the need to maintain the high levels of public trust in the fire service.
Ed Burrows, North West regional secretary, Fire Brigades Union said:
“We, the public, Neil Hudson MP and local councillors have all voiced our concerns over these plans. The plans could lead to three fire station closures, and are only favoured by Peter McCall in order to gain more political profile. We urge anybody who wants to see the fire and rescue service remain distinctly separate from the police and properly funded to have their say and submit a consultation response.”
Members of the public have previously shared their concerns around the plan. For example, Eleanor Jean Tyler said in comments shared by local media "This is worrying, local fire stations have more than proved their worth” and Stan Rooke said “This is the most stupid idea I have heard in a long time”. There have also been critical comments on online new stories, such as “This is all about Peter McCall raising his political profile”.
More broadly, the plans have received almost unanimous opposition in the region. It was reported in the News & Star last week that concerns had been raised about the bid in informal discussions involving members of Cumbria County Council’s Scrutiny Advisory Board as far back as last March. One councillor said that the fire and rescue service “would cost more to run” under the plans and another said an alternative option would provide “wider representation”.
Similarly, Conservative MP for Penrith and The Border Dr Neil Hudson MP has said:
“I am against local government restructuring in Cumbria, especially at this time coming out of the pandemic… I share in some of the concerns of the Fire Brigades Union, and we must find a way to ensure that the fire service is protected and sensibly run as we move through these challenging times.”
The three stations at risk have previously been threatened with closure, with this only being fought off in 2016 with a concerted community campaign.
