THE idea that a region's Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) should run the fire service has been rejected following a public consultation. 

Cumbria's Fire and Rescue Service will need new governance come April 2023, as the council is disbanded into it's new standing of two unitary authorities.

The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) have said that PCC Peter McCall should withdraw his 'disastrous plan', which could place a potential risk to fire stations and jobs within the county.

READ MORE: Cumbria County Council members' concerns about PCC's fire governance bid

The consultation process, which was published on May 6, indicated that of the 363 responses received, 46 per cent of respondents preferred the idea of Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner (PFCC) with 54 per cent preferring the option of a Combined Fire and Rescue Authority (CFRA) to take over Cumbria's Fire and Rescue Service.

Ed Burrows, Fire Brigades Union North West regional secretary, said: "Peter McCall has asked the public and workers what they think of his desire to become PFCC and unsurprisingly they have thrown the idea back in his face – in his own consultation. 

"McCall now needs to listen to workers, including members of his own police force, and withdraw this disastrous plan, which he hasn’t even produced a financial assessment for. We cannot go forward with a plan which would risk three fire station closures, which this plan would.”

The Fire Brigades Union had previously criticised the plans on various grounds including the fact it may lead to three fire station closures which places 18 jobs at risk, as well as concerns about democratic accountability of the service. 

READ MORE: Peter McCall defends fire governance bid after MP's concerns

In response, PCC Peter McCall said: "I'm not prepared to comment on the misleading comments being made by the Fire Brigade Union in this instance. 

"The current decision lies with the Home Office, and it will be taken from there," he said. 

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