By Louise Hill - BBC LDR
A three per cent increase has been approved for how much Isle of Wight residents will pay towards the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service.
The average Band D council taxpayer will now have to pay a precept of £82.84 a year from April — a £2.41 rise.
It was agreed at the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Authority (HIWFRA) meeting yesterday (Tuesday) and will raise an additional £2.1 million for the service.
Speaking at the meeting, HIWFRA’s chief financial officer Catherine Edgecombe said the service was in a strong position but there are significant challenges coming in the later years, including a potential £4 million budget gap in 2025/26.
She said the authority will plan and deliver “cashable efficiencies” across its operational and support service to be made from April 2025.
Ms Edgecombe said they would be made using the outcome of safety reviews to make sure the “resources are appropriately matched to risk.”
A range of financial pressures have been cited for the expected future budget gap, including an end to one-off funding and below-inflation rises in other funding streams.
Reductions to services are not deemed ‘efficiencies’ the service has said, and while “it may be necessary to consider service reductions in the future, these would be subject to a separate plan and appropriate consultation.”
The service’s savings remain high, Ms Edgecombe said, but it is likely the fire authority will have to borrow money in the next financial year and has already factored in the need for repayments.
Islanders will contribute more than £4.5 million to pay for the fire and rescue services.
Officers said it was disappointing no additional government money was awarded to support the fire authority, after Westminster gave the Isle of Wight Council an additional £3 million in recognition of the additional costs of providing services on the Island.
Press Release