Council tax increase 0% by BLFRS

Following one of the lowest council tax increases in the UK last year (of just 1 %) , the local fire and rescue service is this year is going one better and is holding to a 0% increase for 2011/12.

A combination of this 0% council tax increase and a cut in the tax payer monies it receives from Central Government, means the local service is not just fighting fires and saving lives, but fighting costs and saving money.

Bedfordshire and Luton Fire and Rescue Service Chief Paul Fuller: “We will still be there when you dial 999 and we will still be working in the community to help prevent fires and road accidents. There will no loss of frontline service and no station closures* - we be making these savings by working more efficiently.

“We consider that we have always provided value for money and a service that people want from a modern Fire and Rescue Service - but now we are watching every penny - in much the same way as people are in their own lives.”

The cost to an average Band D council tax payer for their local fire and rescue service will be - as last year - £82.44 or 22.6 p per day.

Like other public bodies BLFRS is facing more cuts in the money it receives from Central Government - broadly 25% over the next four years. BLFRS had already been cutting costs and saving tax payers’ money.

“Efficiency savings are when the cost of an activity is reduced but the quality and effectiveness remains the same,” explains Assistant Chief Fire Officer Julian Sears,

“The previous Government set out efficiency saving targets for all fire and rescue authorities for the three years 2008/09 - 20/11. Our target was £1.260 Million - we beat that by £0.386 Million.

“The current Government has announced reductions over four years 2011/12 - 2014/15. We plan to deliver savings totalling £0.573 Million in 2011/12”

Future savings being considered are:

* Sharing support staff functions with other authorities or brigades

* Saving costs on the operational fleet by purchasing vehicles at the end of their lease and extending their use

* Make 24/7/367 firefighter cover more efficient through a revised shift system

More News from the Combined Fire Authority which met at Dunstable Community Fire Station on Thursday February 3rd.

* The national announcement that the Regional Control Centre project had been cancelled by Central Government showed that BLFRS made the right decision earlier in 2010/11 to put money aside for new technology at the brigade-wide control at Kempston.

Members heard that the existing 999 control room was sound - but that the new system, which will come into action in 2012, will link more effectively with back-room IT for data collection and processing.

“We made the right decision for Beds and Luton. Our current 999 call handling and mobilising is robust - but the new one will be welcome to support our successful modern fire and rescue service here in Beds and Luton,” said CFO Fuller.

* The Regional Management Board - which had been set up in parallel with the RCC has been disbanded.

* A question was raised at the CFA about a town plan for Leighton Buzzard which showed the site of the Fire Station being used for something other than a fire station. CFO Fuller said : “We are aware of this plan - it is not our plan and we have no plans to close any fire stations. We recently conducted an extensive study of risk in the county and decided that all of our stations are where they should be to allow fire engines to be mobilised swiftly to all areas.”