DECISION makers behind the proposed shake up of firefighting in south Cumbria have been asked to explain themselves before Ulverston Town Council.

Last night (15) councillors aired grave concerns over the proposed downgrade of the town's fire station. A county council-led review of firefighting - the Integrated Risk Management Plan - could see both fire engines in the town lose their 24 hour crew cover.

Cllr Norman Bishop-Rowe, said: "I remember the last time we had a review of fire services in the area. We lost one fire station in Dalton and half of the retained crew. We were promised that we would have a fire station in Ulverston.

"It concerns me that Ulverston is being a guinea pig for the county."

Cllr Barath Rajan said that years of government cuts were the route of the current predicament. He said crews in the county were undermanned and under resourced.

"The government have cut and cut and cut for the past eight years.

"To say that government cuts are not affecting it is being totally dishonest," he said."

Initially the IRMP proposed one of Ulverston's fire engines would be crewed for just eight hours a day, and the second covered solely by on-call staff. However, a small concession may have been granted since the plan was announced, Cllr Mark Wilson explained.

He said: "It seems as a result of the consultation that has already gone on within the area, Steve Healey writes to me that we may move to a 12 hour staff, like in Kendal."

Alarmingly the council were denied a chance to debate the IRMP as they were never formally notified it would be taking place. Last night's meeting came a week after the consultation closed.

The council resolved to invite Cumbria's chief fire officer Steve Healey and county portfolio holder for fire and rescue, Cllr Janet Willis, to speak to them on what the impact of their proposals would have on the town.

Why exactly are changes being proposed?

The consultation over the future of firefighting in Cumbria was set up by the county council to shape its fire coverage for the coming four years.

Key aims were set out by Cumbria Fire and Rescue as it aims to tackle by 2020. Those include reducing the number of people killed or injured in dwelling fires; reducing the number of people killed on our roads; and working with its partners to tackle the root of inequality in our communities.

A consultation was launched to gather opinions on the raft of changes proposed in the south of the county.

Relating specifically to Ulverston the changes proposed were to alter the crewing levels for the town's two fire engines, or pumps.

Currently there is one pump crewed 24 hours a day, and a second crewed by on-call firefighters.

The change would see one engine crewed for eight hours a day, and then by on call crew members overnight, with the second remaining on call.

The reasoning behind such a move was to re-assign firefighters towards Barrow where statistics show fires are more likely to occur.

The consultation ran from late November last year until January 8.

Fire coverage in Ulverston - who will decide its future?

Following the consultation on changes being made to fire staffing in south Cumbria a decision on its future will be made in February.

The council's cabinet will determine whether it agrees on not with the recommendations made in the Integrated Risk Management Plan.

The cabinet consists of the members of the county council who are portfolio holders for various local services. It includes the leader of the council Stewart Young, cabinet member for fire and rescue Janet Willis, as well as eight other councillors from the Lib Dem and Labour parties.

The cabinet meeting during which this matter will be discussed will be held on Thursday February 1, at the county council's offices in Carlisle.