Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service faces challenges despite a 6.3% budget rise, raising concerns about on-call firefighter availability.
Swansea: So, the budget for the Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service is set to rise by 6.3% next year. That brings it to about £72.8 million, up from £68.5 million this year. Sounds good, right? But there’s a catch.
The main reason for this increase is to boost payments for on-call firefighters. These folks are crucial, especially in rural areas. Plus, there’s a hike in national insurance contributions. If you take those out, the budget would only go up by 2.4%.
Now, here’s the thing: fire services get their funding from local councils, not directly from the government. So, councils in Swansea, Neath Port Talbot, and others will need to dig deeper into their own budgets to cover this rise.
Last week, councils found out they’ll get about 4.3% more from the Welsh Government next year. They still need to set their council tax, which helps bring in more cash. The UK Government is also supposed to help with those national insurance hikes, but there’s still some uncertainty about when that money will actually arrive.
Sarah Mansbridge, the fire service treasurer, mentioned that the real headache is for local authorities. At a recent meeting, most questions were about operational matters rather than the budget itself.
It’s worth noting that most of the region’s fire stations are crewed by on-call firefighters. Out of 56 stations, 43 rely on these on-call folks. So, if their numbers keep dropping, it’s a big deal for the service.
During the fire authority meeting, they discussed new fees for on-call firefighters. Right now, they earn a retainer fee based on their availability. Starting January 1, 2025, those fees will increase significantly. But there’s a worry that if on-call staff decide to cut their hours, it could affect how many are available when needed.
Assistant chief fire officer Craig Flannery pointed out that while there’s been a slight increase in availability recently, the long-term trend has been a decline. They’re keeping an eye on how changes in pay might impact crew availability.
Along with the day-to-day budget, they also approved a five-year plan for capital investments, like upgrading fire stations and vehicles. They expect to spend around £7.6 million on these projects next year.
Meanwhile, it looks like North Wales Fire and Rescue Service is eyeing a 7.1% budget rise, and South Wales might be looking at a 5.7% increase. It’s a busy time for fire services across Wales!