Our budget
Funding and spending explained
Background
Significant changes have been made top the amount of money (grants) allocated to the fire and rescue services from the Government. Central Government is looking to cut local government grants by an average of 25 to 30 percent.
The Fire Authority has had its grant reduced by 12.6 per cent over the next two years (2011/12 and 2012/13). The reduction in its grant is 9.5 per cent (1.4m) in 2011/12 and 3.1 per cent (£0.4m) in 2012/13. The Fire Authority has therefore had to assume that the remainder of the reductions in Government grants will be spread evenly over the remaining two financial years (2012/14 and 2014/15)
As part of the settlement, the Government has set aside a specific grant for 2011/12 that can be used by fire authorities, to offset council tax increases of up to 2.5 per cent. The Fire Authority believes this grant will be available until 2014/15. However it will not be available in 2015/16, presenting the Fire Authority with the challenge of finding an additional £400,000 from either within its reduced budget or by raising council tax by a higher amount.
Budget
The Fire Authority has approved a budget requirement of £29.077 million for 2011/12. This means the Band D council tax has not been increased and will remain at at £57.87 a year. This equates to £1.11 a week
More detail on the Fire Authority's budget can be found in the council tax leaflets.
Consultation
Every year in January the Authority consults with its taxpayers on proposals for future year budgets. For more information on this, please see the Fire Authority: Consultations section of this website.
How we are financed
Below is a chart showing where the monies we receive come from, with a key below it (amounts shown are in millions of pounds):
Council Tax: £16.006 or 54%.
Business Rates: £9.989 or 33%.
Revenue Support Grant: £3.082 or 10%
Other Income: £0.865 or 3%.
How we spend
Below is a chart showing how we use the monies we receive, with a key below it (amounts shown are in millions of pounds):
Employees: £21.954 or 73%.
Premises: £1.074 or 4%.
Supplies and Services: £4.884 or 16%.
Transport: £0.481 or 2%.
Capital Financing: £1.549 or 5%.
Capital Spending
The Fire Authority's Capital Programme includes:
- The purchase of fire appliances and other operational vehicles
- Property maintenance and improvements
- Operational equipment
- Information technology and communications equipment.
Related documents
Budget Books
The Budget Book provides a detailed break-down of the budget for the current financial year and shows how it will be funded.
- Budget Book 2011-2012 - PDF document
- Budget Book 2010-2011 - PDF document
- Budget Book 2009-2010 - PDF document
- Budget Book 2008-2009 - Microsoft Word document
- Budget Book 2007-2008 - Microsoft Word document
- Budget Book 2006-2007 - Microsoft Word document
Financial Strategy
The Financial Strategy provides a summary of what The Authority expects to spend over the next five years, based upon current funding estimates.
- Medium-term financial strategy 2010-2015 - PDF document, 39 KB
- Medium-term financial strategy 2007-2012 - Microsoft Word document, 54 KB
The Capital Strategy
The Capital Strategy provides an insight into the process of defining and agreeing capital expenditure. It dovetails with the Procurement Strategy and Asset Management Plan.
- Capital Strategy 2010 - PDF document, 520 KB
- Asset Management Plan 2010 - PDF document, 520 KB
- Capital Strategy 2006-2011 - Microsoft Word document, 42 KB
- Procurement Strategy 2006-2009 - PDF document, 51 KB
- Asset Management Plan 2007-2012 - Microsoft Word document, 925 KB
Contacting us
If you need more information about the Fire Authority budget, please contact the Fire Authority Treasurer at:
Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service
Fire Headquarters
Hinchingbrooke Cottage
Brampton Road
Huntingdon
PE29 2NA
Telephone: 01480 444619.
Email: budget@cambsfire.gov.uk
