PLANS to cut fire staff in six North Yorkshire brigades - including Selby, Tadcaster and Malton - are likely to go ahead.

A meeting of the North Yorkshire Fire Authority in Easingwold yesterday was considering the service's five-year policy statement, which contains sweeping proposals to shake up the way it is delivered.

The authority plans to change the shift system in the six "day-crewed" stations so firefighters work for five days in nine, instead of four-day shifts.

The change to the shift pattern will give firefighters the option to work a "dual contract" system, allowing them to choose whether to work at night.

Fire chiefs say this will enable the service to cut two firefighters in each station.

The move sparked fury from Selby Fire Brigade Union representative Barry Martland, who said it was "scandalous".

"Selby has been proved to be one of the most high risk in North Yorkshire - they should be putting more resources here, not cutting them back," he said.

After yesterday's meeting, North Yorkshire chief fire officer Eric Clark said: "This has been approved - subject to negotiation and consultation. We are going to go back and talk again to staff and unions."

Meanwhile, the authority put on hold many of the fire service's more controversial plans, saying more consultation was needed.

Among these were proposals to "dual crew" the service's 100 foot aerial ladder platforms at York, Scarborough and Harrogate. Firefighters say this would mean removing vital crew from the specialist appliances needed for life-and-death situations.

York FBU representative Pete Clark said he was glad the decision had been put on hold in order for further talks to take place.

"We're very keen to talk to the management - there's no reason at all why we can't sit down together," he said.

"We're not against modernisation - but why change things for the sake of change?"

Fire chiefs also planned to introduce "first response vehicles" (FRVs) across the county, with limited fire-fighting tools for low-risk emergency calls.

The plans sparked fury from many firefighters, who said the vehicle could be the first on scene at a major fire, and would be ill-equipped to deal with it.

At yesterday's meeting, the authority put the plans on hold, agreeing only to introduce one FRV on a trial basis.

North Yorkshire council tax payers will pay an extra four per cent for their fire service next year, it was agreed yesterday. The new annual fee will be £52.58 per household. This has to be added to the county council's bill when it sets it precept.

Updated: 11:32 Tuesday, February 15, 2005