The reforms include cutbacks in staff numbers

Concerns have been raised after the plans for Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service were announced on Thursday.

The reforms include a proposal to cut back on staff and provide cover by moving crews around different stations.

Fire officers said the cutbacks will not be made through redundancies, but leaders of the Fire Brigades' Union (FBU) said they are not convinced.

Les Skarrats, chair of Merseyside FBU, who was at a briefing about the reforms with chief fire officer Tony McGuirk, said job cuts will result.

'Not modernisation'

He told BBC Radio Merseyside: "Quite frankly there will be grave concerns. There are substantial job losses, and on first face it looks like its a human resources plan not a risk assessment plan.

"A reduction in the fire service that we provide is not modernisation. We have to provide fire cover for all areas of the community not shift resources just to satisfy one community by taking fire cover away from another."

Mr McGuirk insisted however the staff cutbacks will be made through crew members retiring, or leaving the service.