Agenda item

Joint report of the Chief Fire Officer and the Treasurer

Richard Jones of the Nottinghamshire Fire Brigades Union (FBU) asked a question on the Budget Guidelines 2017/18 item:

Austerity driven cuts have been identified as having a significantly detrimental effect on the way that Fire Services in England and the rest of the UK serve the public, with 10,000 frontline Firefighter jobs gone since 2010. Nationally the number of fire deaths has increased by 15% in the last year – the single biggest percentage increase in 20 years. By the government’s own admission 999 response times are at a 20 year high.

The Fire Brigades Union opposes these dangerous cuts that put the public’s lives, and the safety of Fire-fighters, at risk. Budget cuts have led to significant losses from frontline resources in Nottinghamshire: the loss of 6 operational fire appliances, including the removal of 2^nd appliances at some stations and the closure of some retained sections has led to a reduction in operational posts. There has also been the deletion of Officer posts, and this year saw the further loss of 20 operational posts through the restructure of the Specialist Rescue Team.

As the Chancellor’s autumn statement indicates, “a deterioration in the status of national public finances since the previous budget” gives “a clear message that public spending would continue to be restrained.”

What reassurances can the Fire Authority give to the members of public who live in Nottinghamshire and the City of Nottingham that it will not allow these cuts, and future cuts from the government budget, to put the public’s and Fire-fighter’s safety at risk by further reducing frontline resources and further increasing attendance times?

The Chair responded as follows:

The Government determines the Grant for the Fire Authority with only limited flexibility to raise additional funding locally. The proposed Grant from Government means that the available resources to the Authority will reduce over the next four years which will be further affected by a general increase in costs due to inflation and other factors. The predicted deficit in real terms, i.e if the Authority were to do nothing, would mean that there would be a cash shortfall in the region of £4.2 million year on year by 2020.

You will be aware that the Authority has a legal duty to set a balanced budget, and although it is recognised that this will be challenging, the Authority, supported by the Chief Fire Officer and his team, has a proven track record of thoroughly and robustly consulting with both the public and the workforce to ensure that any changes implemented are appropriate and consider all risks. This tried and tested methodology will continue.

The Finance and Resources Committee led by the Chair continuously scrutinises the budgets within the Service to ensure that all available efficiencies are identified, and that any changes in the service delivery model are both appropriate and proportionate. 

In February of this year the Fire Authority supported a range of proposals put forward by the Chief Fire Officer, and I would hope that the workforce and their representatives continues to engage fully with those proposals to ensure that any concerns are raised and can be appropriately addressed.

All stakeholders can be reassured that the Fire Authority will continue to make decisions with due regards to the needs of the communities we serve.

Sue Maycock, Head of Finance at NFRS introduced the Budget Guidelines 2017/18, highlighting the following points:

(a)  there is an error under paragraph 2.12 of the report.  It should read:

“In the current financial environment the options in paragraphs 2.12.1 and 2.12.3 are considered to be the most appropriate parameters within which the Finance and Resources Committee should work.”

(b)  a small increase was assumed for the Council Tax base.  There will be a better idea of the figure around the time of the next Finance and Resources Committee.

RESOLVED to task the Finance and Resources Committee with providing guidance to the Fire Authority in February in respect of:

the options for Council Tax limited to either a Council Tax freeze or an increase in Council Tax within the referendum limit;

the options for addressing any budget deficit to enable the Fire Authority to approve a balanced budget, as required by law.