Archived decisions

COUNCIL MEETING 21 FEBRUARY, 2002

REPORT OF THE

HAMPSHIRE FIRE AND RESCUE AUTHORITY

BUDGET 2002/03

1. The Authority prepared a draft budget in December, 2001, on which the Trade Unions and the three constituent authorities (Hampshire County Council, Portsmouth City Council and Southampton City Council) were consulted through meetings and in writing.

2. The budget consultation was based around a proposed budget increase of 8% in 2002/03. This represented a compromise between the minimum budget of 5.1% (primarily to cover inflation and the full year effects of previous growth) and the Chief Fire Officer's requests for increases totalling 10.2% in order to meet new growth requirements. This was intended to take into account constituent authorities' ability to pay and led to a draft budget of £48.9 million in 2002/03 (+8%) with a continuing impact of 9% in 2003/04 and 10% in 2004/05.

3. All three constituent authorities expressed a preference for the Authority to set its budget closer to the minimum budget requirements, which was in turn close to the SSA increase for the Authority of 5.2%.

4. The Authority at its meeting on 6 February, 2002, having considered the views of the constituent authorities, confirmed the 8% increase as originally proposed for 2002/03, 9% in 2003/04 and 10% in 2004/05. Whilst this required some scaling back of the Chief Fire Officer's preferred growth list, it nonetheless allows for substantial investment in building maintenance, additional fire-fighters, improved IT systems, additional control room staffing, increased legal costs, project management for the replacement of the radio scheme and additional training and equipment. Staff numbers are budgeted to increase by 27 in 2002/03, 35 in 2003/04 and 37 in 2004/05.

M.F. Cartwright

Chairman

4IR020102