Planning for next year’s budget at South Wales Fire & Rescue Service is due to be discussed this week by the Fire Authority (pdf – Item 7).
The fire service had an underspend of £3.8million during 2021-22. During the current 2022-23 financial year, an overspend of between £1million-£3million is expected, depending on the outcome of pay negotiations. The cost of this overspend would be met from reserves.
The report notes the impact of the current inflation and cost of living crisis and the knock-on increasing costs of pay, fuel and supplies. While the next local government settlement in Wales is expected to result in an increase of up to 3.5% in 2023-24, this is unlikely to meet cost pressures.
As a result, the fire service’s draft budget plans will see contributions from the fire service area’s 10 local authorities increase by a total of 8.2% to £85.8million, with some variation between individual councils.
Bridgend Council would see a slightly above average increase in its contribution of 8.45% (just over £637,000), taking the council’s contribution to just under £8.2million.
