Households in South Yorkshire to pay more for fire services
It means yearly bills rising to more than £82 a year for some from April
Households in South Yorkshire are facing increased costs for fire services, as the authority votes to increase its portion of council tax by the maximum amount.
It means the cost will go up by almost 3% from April - with South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue facing a £3 million deficit in the coming year.
Householders in a band D property currently pay £77.58 per year for the service, which will rise to £82.58 per year from April.
South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service is blaming increased costs of goods, services, fuel, energy and wages for the rise.
Of the £64m needed to run the service, £33m will be funded by the government, and the remainder by council tax.
The increase will raise £1.8million for the service’s annual budget – but rising costs mean at least £4m extra will be required.
The budget also proposes loans to fund capital projects such as station refurbishments and replacement vehicles.
Linda Haigh, finance and procurement director for SYFRS, told the meeting: “Our total funding has increased less than inflation.
“We have removed from the budget… £2.6m worth of efficiencies.”
Dr Alan Billing, South Yorkshire’s police and crime commissioner, agreed with the increase and told the meeting: “We just have to prudentially assume…that we’re not going to get the grants in real terms that will enable us to keep pace with inflation.
“Public finances are in a bad place, the government want to fund tax cuts. You can’t fund tax cuts and protect public services.
“There’s going to be a squeeze on certain departments.
"The unprotected departments that we lie in, the police and fire – we’ve got to expect a financial situation that is either worsening or at least no better.”