Plans for Blue Light Hubs in Cumbria if police commissioner takes-on fire governance

Cumbria's Police and Crime Commissioner Peter McCall has put together a case to take over governance of the fire service.

New arrangements will be needed for the fire service in any case as Cumbria County Council, who are the current custodians, will cease to exist after a local government shake-up.

In his business case to take over the fire service, Mr McCall has said that a number of options are available for Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service.

The governance of the service could be split between the two new councils taking over in 2023; it could be governed by a new fire authority or the PCC could add it to his portfolio.

And if the PCC is successful in taking on the fire service he would bring in more Blue Light Hubs like the one currently seen in Ulverston.

Mr McCall said: "Assuming the fire governance issue goes our way, I would like to see us using our fire stations more productively right across the county."

He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that this could mean police officers, the fire brigade and North West Ambulance Service sharing the stations.

"If we were able to have cops using it as a base, it's a contact point for residents and it's also about the blue lights services working more closely together.

"They do have a shared mission which is public safety, I think it just makes sense."

Mr McCall said that the Furness Peninsula Blue Light Hub set up by Cumbria County Council is an asset to its community but it took a long time to set up.

"The advantage of having governance of both policing and fire is we wouldn't need to go through quite the same bureaucratic processes the they've had to."

The PCC said: "All of that costs money, admin costs money, we can make it a bit quicker. I'm sure the public would welcome it."

Should Cumbria introduce a Police Fire and Crime Commissioner? Have your say in the consultation: https://cumbria-pcc.gov.uk/firegovernance/