Public urged to have their say on plans as opposition grows to fire station closure near Lancaster

There is currently a public consultation on the plans, that anyone can take part in, which closes on Monday March 21 at 10am.

The union says the 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 Arnside, Frizington and Staveley stations would be at risk, closures which would mean the loss of 18 firefighter roles – three at Arnside.

Arnside Fire Station is staffed by retained firefighters and has one fire engine. Firefighters there have specific expertise in rescuing people from mud in and around the Kent estuary.

They also have to be prepared for potential accidents on the Cumbria coast rail line which as well as carrying passengers and freight, also transports nuclear flasks en-route to west Cumbria and Sellafield.

Arnside Fire Station serves an area with a 4,000 population and can be called upon to serve incidents across the county. If it closed, the nearest station is in Milnthorpe, four miles away.

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 for the 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.”

However, Mr McCall has dismissed the claims as “politically motivated nonsense.”

He said he was disappointed that the FBU continued to circulate information “without any evidence which I have discussed with them and which they know to be false.”

Responsibility for Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service currently rests with Cumbria County Council, which no longer exists from April 2023, so Mr McCall is developing a business case to review which option of governance transfer provides the best outcome for Cumbrian residents and fire services.

"I would like to assure the public that I have no plans to close fire stations or cut jobs,” he added.

The three stations at risk have previously been threatened with closure, with this only being fought off in 2016 with a concerted community campaign.

You can take part in the public consultation online at https://cumbria-pcc.gov.uk/firegovernance/