Cleveland Fire Brigade bosses hit out over government cuts as they agree to 2.9% council tax precept rise

Officers said the fire brigade budget has been cut by £7.3million from 2010/11 to 2019/20, a reduction of 22%, following nine consecutive years of funding being reduced.

Members gave the go-ahead to increase the amount paid to Cleveland Fire Authority in council tax by 2.9%, in line with the maximum 3% government referendum limit.

Finance bosses added while cuts have affected all fire and rescue services, Cleveland feels the impact greater as it receives less income from council tax.

Chair of the authority, Coun Jan Brunton Dobson said it was ‘appalling’ the budget is being cut for the ninth successive year, while other councillors also hit out at the extended cuts.

Coun Mike Young, Hartlepool representative, said: “The real life issue here is that word, it’s life. Every pound that gets taken away could be a massive impact on the life of someone who is experiencing that fire.

“Sitting as a Conservative, it’s painful for even us to watch, and I’d add my signature to any letter or petition saying enough is enough, because this is about lives at the end of the day.”

The annual council tax for properties in band A will increase £1.45 to £51.57, and for properties in band B it will rise £1.70 to £60.17 will rise.

Approximately 65% of households in the area are in the two bands, who will pay 99p and £1.16 a week respectively in council tax to the fire authority.

Alongside the contribution to Cleveland Fire Authority, the majority of the council tax will be paid to the the local council, with a section also going to Cleveland Police.

Increased fire authority council tax since 2013/14 has prevented the authority from having to make an additional £2.4million savings and finance officers said it has effectively enabled them to maintain 58 firefighter posts, 17% of the current number of firefighters.

Coun Neil Bendelow, Redcar and Cleveland representative, said: “The cuts actually are scandalous, the pressure on people now, especially with mental health, it has to have some sort of affect.

“Constantly everyday its cut, cut, cut. Everywhere is facing cuts and it has to come to a stop eventually because there’s nothing left to cut and then reserves will go.”

Coun Teresa Higgins, Middlesbrough representative, said: “You can’t say they’ve cut us to the bone because they haven’t, they’ve cut us to the marrow.

“They can’t go any further, I don’t know where they expect people to find the money, because each service area is getting cut, you can’t just keep on cutting.”

The fire authority initially faced a deficit of £924,00 for 2019/20 which they have managed by achieving £671,000 savings and using other funding allocations to delay £253,000 of savings needed until the following year.