CONCERNS have been raised to the fire service about plans to govern the fire service alongside Cumbria Police.

In 2021, Cumbria’s Police and Crime Commissioner Peter McCall launched a bid to takeover governance of the fire service.

Local government reorganisation is currently taking place in the county, which by 2023 will see the seven existing councils abolished and replaced by two new unitary authorities.

As Cumbria County Council will cease to exist, the reorganisation means that a decision will have to be made on how the Fire and Rescue Service should be governed.

The options are for one or both of the new authorities, Cumberland Council and Westmorland & Furness Council to take over governance, for a new Fire Authority to be established or for the PCC to takeover.

And PCC Mr McCall believes adding the fire service to his portfolio is the most effective option. A Police Fire and Crime Commissioner is in post in North Yorkshire.

But a report prepared for Cumbria County Council's Scrutiny Advisory Board this week reveals that concerns have been raised about the bid.

The report on strategic issues facing the fire service reveals that informal discussions were had with members of the committee last March and concerns were raised to the fire service about the bid.

One councillor said: “CFRS will cost more to run under both options considered in the business case than the current model and this needs to be more transparent for the residents of Cumbria.”

One member of the committee said that recognition was needed “of the additional pressure on officers of working both the LGR and PCC processes simultaneously.”

Another said that a Combined Fire Authority model “provided wider representation.”

The Fire Brigade Union has recently met with Penrith MP Neil Hudson to explain their concerns about the PCC taking over fire.

They believe the fire service should be “democratically governed” through the unitary councils.

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service after launching the bid in 2021, Mr McCall said: "Taking fire away in my view is a fairly easy first step that would make it a bit less complicated for the two unitaries.

"As far as I'm concerned it's not an empire building thing. But it does make sense in my view and I can't see a negative side to it. It just makes sense to bring the blue lights services closer together."

He believes the Government will be supportive of the option as it is in-keeping with the devolution agenda.

“The business case will go to Government and the Home Office for approval.

"As far as Government are concerned we're pushing against an open door."