Fire authority recommends £5 annual council tax increase across Nottinghamshire

Alongside councils, the service is also planning its charges and budget ahead of the next financial year, which starts in April.

A £5 increase for every taxpaying household in Notts would raise £1.6 million extra funding and would take the annual fee to £89 per year for a Band D property.

The plan was discussed at the latest meeting of the Nottinghamshire Fire Authority, a body of councillors and other members which oversees the service’s finances and operational planning.

During the meeting, one councillor said it would be “cutting our nose off to spite our face” if they did not recommend the £5 increase after lobbying Government on the issue.

Chief Fire Officer Craig Parkin previously said the service is facing a £6 million deficit over the next six years.

During the authority’s finance and resources committee, councillors voted four in favour of the rise, with three abstentions, but a formal decision is yet to be made – with a “full and frank debate” planned for meeting of the full authority next month.

The options available were a council tax freeze, a 2.95 per cent increase or a £5 overall annual increase, after the Government agreed fire authorities could increase council tax by up £5 for the next financial year.

A £5 overall increase would raise an extra £833,000, compared with an increase of 2.95 per cent.

A consultation on plans to save £2m to reduce a budget deficit ended in December. If approved the changes would see West Bridgford Fire Station have no crew on duty at all at night, and both London Road and Stockhill stations losing one fire engine each, but Kirkby’s Ashfield Fire Station would see whole-time cover restored.

Coun Steve Battlemuch said: “I don’t think anybody around the table from whatever political party takes lightly the idea of putting council tax up.

“We are acutely aware of the cost-of-living issues for residents but there is no other best case scenario.

“It was clear over the last few months there is fairly widespread opposition to cuts. I would be gobsmacked if people were saying ‘let’s get rid of fire engines’.

“The government has given this flexibility around council tax and we would be cutting our nose off to spite our face if we didn’t take it.”

Becky Smeathers, authority head of finance, said the consultation on cuts asked a question about the £5 council tax increase.

She said 13 per cent of people opposed the rise, 54 per cent strongly agreed and 80 per cent would support the rise.

The fire service has about £9.8m in reserves and has set aside £1.1m to help with budget pressures.

Coun Michael Payne, authority chairman, said: “We have lobbied very hard for a greater flexibility in terms of council tax and I think it would be a mistake not to accept that flexibility, given we have argued strongly for it.

“My suggestion given the scenario we have set out is we are left with little option.”