Fire and Rescue portion of council tax to rise by 1.99%

Members of Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Authority today (11 February) agreed to raise its portion of the Council Tax bill by 1.99 per cent, the equivalent to £1.14 a year on a band D property.

The budget proposals were debated by members of the Authority following the latest settlement in the Comprehensive Spending Review which included a reduction of £14.79million in Government funding over the next four years.

GMFRS say the rise will provide about £800,000 – the equivalent of keeping a fire station open for a year – but they will still need to cut 285 firefighter posts by 2020 to balance the books.

Chairman of Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Authority Councillor David Acton said: “I am well aware of the financial challenges that face local people in Greater Manchester and have not raised our part of the Council Tax without real and thorough consideration. The truth remains though that we have a duty to keep people safe and provide an emergency service that is fit for purpose. I believe everyone in Greater Manchester supports this and is willing to pay the extra £1 or so this decision will add to their bill.”

The meeting also considered and approved the Draft Corporate and Integrated Risk Management Plan 2016-2020, which will now be published as part of a 12 week consultation process with local people, business, staff and other partners across Greater Manchester.

The draft plan sets out how the £14.79million reduction in budget will be achieved – detailing changes to the number and location of fire engines as well as ‘back office’ reviews and other money-saving strategies.

Councillor Acton added: “I would encourage people to go online and have a look at these plans that affect their Service. I would welcome their views and we absolutely want to have a conversation about these cuts.”

The latest settlement means that Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service’s budget will have reduced by £28million since 2010 – which is about 25 per cent overall.

Councillor Acton added: “It’s been a substantial and unprecedented change in budget levels. At the same time we have successfully delivered our plans, carried out significant and substantial change within the service and continue to reduce risks, injuries and deaths in Greater Manchester.

“We have taken our share of the cuts in local government and our sector. I’m confident we have managed it as well as we possibly could.”

To take part in the consultation process visit the GMFRS website:

http://manchesterfire.gov.uk/updates/news/11february2016_corporate_plan_consultation/