FIFE Council has called on the Scottish Fire and Rescue service to re-think proposals to cut services in the Kingdom.

Calling the plans "outrageous", Council Leader David Ross tabled an emergency motion at Thursday's Cabinet Committee where serious concerns were outlined by councillors.

"The proposals to withdraw appliances from Methil, Glenrothes, Dunfermline and Kirkcaldy are seriously concerning and we are asking the Scottish Fire and Rescue service to withdraw these plans immediately in the interests of public safety," said Councillor Ross.

READ MORE: 'Unacceptable cuts' could compromise fire cover in Dunfermline

"Budget cuts cannot be made at the expense of the safety of people and buildings.

"We are all too aware of the devastating impacts that fires can have on the lives and businesses of Fifers, having recently suffered the consequences of a number of serious fires across the Kingdom.

"We all rely heavily on the vital services the fire service provides – not just fighting fires – but responding to all the emergencies that they deal with every day.

"We are seeking an urgent meeting with the Scottish Fire and Rescue service, urging them to listen to the concerns we're raising today and take immediate action to withdraw these proposals."

Cllr Ross said they had referred the matter to the council's People and Communities Scrutiny Committee for their urgent consideration on Wednesday (June 7). It is expected that the committee will invite the Chief Officer of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service to attend the meeting and allow councillors to examine the proposals.

As reported by the Press last week, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service confirmed a shake up of services – which will result in three fewer firefighters on every shift in Dunfermline – due to budget cuts.

Ten fire stations across Scotland will be affected, including Dunfermline, and the changes will see one out of three fire appliances taken away from the base in Pitreavie.

Chris Murphy, from the Fire Brigade Union, described the cuts as "significant".

He said: "Ultimately it makes the community less safe. It doesn’t matter how the fire service butters it up. It makes firefighters and the community less safe.

“We will strongly oppose these cuts and are hoping for a significant community and political lobbying of our local councillors and MSPS to take that fight back to the government.”

SFRS assistant chief officer, David Farries, said the proposals followed a "robust review" of data.

He added: "We have identified 10 fire stations where we can temporarily remove an appliance with the least impact on response times.

“As we strive to modernise our service, it’s right and proper to identify efficiencies to deliver value for money while maintaining operational resilience. We will continue to review our position moving forward.”