Cleveland Fire Authority confirms rise in 2020-21 charge for Hartlepool council tax payers

Members unanimously gave the go-ahead to increase the amount paid to Cleveland Fire Authority via council tax bills by 1.9% for 2020/21, in line with the maximum 2% government referendum limit.

Alongside the contribution to Cleveland Fire Authority, the majority of council tax is paid to the the local council, with a section also going to Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner, who both set their own rates, known as precepts.

Officers on the fire authority noted although they had received a government grant increase of 1.5% for the coming year, equating to £188,000, it comes following nine years of cuts.

From 2013/14 to 2020/21 Cleveland Fire Authority’s government grants had been reduced by just under £6.1million, a reduction of 32%.

Chris Little, treasurer at the fire authority, said: “It’s nice to have an increase, but remember what we lost in previous years.”

The 1.9% increase for 2020/21 equates to a 98p total annual increase for Band A properties and £1.47 for Band D properties.

Coun Mary Ovens, Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council representative, noted the increase comes down to the low council tax base in the area and warned of the future financial situation.

In total 46% of properties in Cleveland are in Band A, the lowest band for council tax payment, compared to the national average of 24%.

She said: “There are unknown risks there, we’ve got to maintain our ability to respond and we don’t know what’s ahead in terms of cost increases, so it’s going to be a delicate balancing act over the next few years.

“Where we go to make any further savings that we need to, you just begin to really scratch your head. It’s not doom and gloom but it’s not exactly a bright future in finance terms.”

The number of whole time firefighter posts has reduced 36% from 518 in 2010/11 to 330 in 2019/29, while the number of fire control posts reduced from 26 to 16 over the same period.

Fire authority officers also noted although the government announced an increase in core spending power for all fire authorities, part of the funding came from an expectation council tax would be increased.

Mr Little said: “55% of that increase comes from an assumption that council tax will increase in line with the government referendum limits.

“It’s not extra government funding, its an expectation individual councils, fire authorities and police and crime commissioners, will increase council tax.”

It was previously reported at the Cleveland Fire Executive Committee the fire authority will have the lowest increase in spending power out of all fire authorities across the country.

From 2015/16 to 2020/21 Cleveland will have seen a 0.1% increase in spending power over the period.

By comparison the highest authority increase over the period is 8.1%.

More information on Cleveland Fire Authority spending can be found online at https://www.clevelandfire.gov.uk/about/what-we-spend-how/