Extra Funding Possible for North Yorkshire's Fire Service

Wednesday, 1 February 2023 06:00

By Matthew Pells

North Yorkshire's Fire service could receive an extra £2.7m in funding next year.

The Government is providing a seven percent increase in overall funding for the service, and in addition the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner is being allowed to increase the fire element of council tax by up to £5 per band D property.

The Commissioner's Chief Finance Officer - Michael Porter - says the increases are something they have been pursuing for a while.

However despite the potential increase in funding, much of it could be eaten up by expected increase in pay and fuel bills.

The Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner is being allowed to increase the fire element of council tax by five pounds per property.

And as Chief Finance Officer - Michael Porter - explains, there is more government cash on the way too.

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service has a budget of £37 million – the majority of that, over 60 per cent, comes from the precept on council tax.

A £5 increase on band D council tax would be an increase of 6.6% and raise around £1.5m. The commissioners office say such a raise would be

"broadly in line with the organisations inflationary pressures and would lead to no reductions in planned levels of service delivery"

If a 6.6% increase was bought in it would mean:

Property Band	2022/23	2023/24	Annual Increase	Weekly Increase
А	£50.41	£53.74	£3.33	£0.06
в	£58.81	£62.69	£3.88	£0.07
с	£67.21	£71.65	£4.44	£0.09
D	£75.61	£80.60	£4.99	£0.10
Е	£92.41	£98.51	£6.10	£0.12
F	£109.21	£116.42	£7.21	£0.14
G	£126.02	£134.34	£8.32	£0.16
н	£151.22	£161.20	£9.98	£0.19