CONTROVERSIAL proposals to cut six retained fire stations across Cumbria sparked a protest by firefighters and angry residents.

Firefighters including those from Barrow's retained station on Walney descended upon County Hall in Kendal to show the strength of feeling on the issue ahead of a meeting of Cumbria County Council's full authority.

The message from the crowd of protesters to county bosses was unflinching. They claim the loss of six retained fire crews will increase response times to parts of Cumbria compromising the safety of residents.


Mike Wilkinson Mike Wilkinson, Walney station crew manager and Fire Brigades Union secretary for the station, said he was in no doubt that people's lives would be in danger if the cuts were pushed through by county chiefs from April.

"It's been proven over the last few weeks during the floods that the stations we have are needed more than ever," he told the Evening Mail.

"We shouldn't be closing any stations in Cumbria, and Walney in particular needs to stay open.

"We are the busiest retained crew in the county and we are also on an island. Those facts should speak for themselves."
Richard Shipton

Fellow Walney firefighter, Richard Shipton, said the closure of Walney would enable CCC to save only the building's running costs - a figure he claimed was £12,600 a year - with the crew and appliance being transferred to the full time station in Barrow.

Mr Shipton added: "We have had huge support from the public over this and I think the number of people here today shows how strongly people feel about this issue."

Proposed cuts to Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service were first mooted in November as part of CCC's desperate bid to strip an unprecedented £37 million from its spending next year.

It includes the closure of six stations - with Staveley, near Windermere, Arnside and Lazonby, in the Eden valley - all facing the axe.

It is estimated their closure would produce annual savings of £438,000 with a further one-off cash boost of £365,000 generated from the sale of the buildings.

A public consultation period on the proposed savings ends on January 22 - with key decisions set to be taken before the authority presents its budget for 2016/17 next month.


Councillor Barry Doughty But the response from fire boss Cllr Barry Doughty to the protest, as well as a presentation to the chamber of a 5077 signature petition against any cuts to fire cover in the county, was that the fire service could continue to offer safe and efficient cover for residents and businesses despite the proposed closures.

He told the chamber: "Our financial position has changed significantly in the last few years and calls to the fire service have also reduced.

"The fire and rescue service leadership team have been asked to find a way to contribute to the financial pressures without causing any risk to life.

"We will still have 33 stations, 39 engines and well-trained, well-equipped personnel dealing with emergencies."