Archived decisions

Revised Budget

Under (-) / overspend

Comments

£'000

£'000

%

Wholetime firefighters pay and allowances

32,343

-138

-0.4

Relatively small underspend partly explained by fewer trainees recruited

Retained firefighters pay and allowances

6,079

208

3.4

The Automatic Fire Alarm reduction policy has achieved savings of £59,000 so that the operational overspend is £267,000. This is due to a successful campaign to recruit RDS trainees (45 more than in 2005/06).

Support staff

8,604

-124

1.4

Planned savings in business education unit to offset reduced training income, delayed start dates for grant funded posts and increased turnover in the latter part of the year.

Net cost of pensions

825

-46

5.6

Net overspend on transfer values of £120,000 offset by underspending of £200,000 on ill-health charges.

Training expenses

977

-132

13.5

Underspend partly due to the allocation for control operators counselling in the event of redundancy announcements not being taken up at this stage and partly due to efficiency savings due to using alternative training providers.

Buildings and grounds maintenance

1,220

-177

14.5

Schedule of works reprioritised to achieve savings to offset overspends on business rates and cleaning and refuse collection.

Business rates

771

93

12.1

Revaluation of service headquarters site for business rate purposes late in the year resulted in an increase in the cost of business rates. This will be an ongoing pressure in 2007/08 and in the future.

Cleaning and refuse collection

244

53

21.7

This increase is partly as a result of the increased floor area to be cleaned resulting from new developments at HQ, and partly due to the significant increase in costs in the disposal of hazardous waste.

Workshops spares and consumables

312

50

16.0

Fit out costs of new vehicles was greater than expected, offset by additional fit out income.

Operational equipment

933

-68

-7.3

Provision had been made for HFSVs and smoke detectors. As the result of the review and reprioritising HFSVs the provision was not fully called upon.

Hydrants

201

-35

17.4

Many large water companies are not charging for new hydrants, preferring to charge developers. It must be noted that this could revert back to HFRS being charged at any time as there is no legal requirement for developers to pay.

Clothing and uniforms

591

-46

-7.8

Underspend mainly due to fewer trainees requiring initial kit issue.

Hired and contracted services etc

665

-45

6.8

Mainly due to the underspend on group managers budgets for risk reduction in their first full year of operation.

Miscellaneous insurances

712

-37

5.2

Insurance claims below excess less than expected.

IT and communications

3,155

199

6.3

Mainly due to the acceptance of charges for the use of additional SAP facilities such as procurement and Managers Desk Top being agreed at the end of the year that relate to their introduction in 2005/06. There is an on-going cost of £110,000 pa

Government grants

-1,518

46

3.0

Mainly due to the carry forward of unused grants to 2007/08 offset by underspends in expenditure e.g. support staff.

Secondments

-382

-68

-17.8

Additional secondments to the National FireLink and FireControl project, New Dimensions and FBU.

Workshops fitting out vehicles

-189

-124

-65.6

Fit out charges for vehicles more than budgeted partly offset by increased expenditure on spares and consumables.

Business education training course income (including AFA reduction fee income)

-436

130

29.8

Cessation of the provision of commercial training part way through the year following a National Commercial Practitioner's Forum meeting where it became apparent that this was illegal.

Miscellaneous income including training

-98

-60

-61.2

More training income than expected (NVQ, Fire Behaviour, Assessment Development Centres etc)

Interest payable

339

-84

24.7

Lower capital payments and additional capital grants received to that assumed.

Uninsured losses

-

-53

-

Reassessment of uninsured risk.

Savings to be identified

-200

200

-

All identified above and £200,000 transferred into underspendings reserve.

Other

-19

-277