A 5.75% rise in the amount people pay for fire services in South Wales is being considered for next year.
The region's fire authority is currently consulting on its budget proposals for 2025/2026 which would see the amount that local councils contribute to South Wales Fire and Rescue Service’s budget increase by £5.5 million from £95.84 million in 2024-25 to £101.34 million in 2025-26.
This would mean a 5.42% rise for the Vale of Glamorgan (£449,920) to £8.75 million and a 7.66% rise for Cardiff (£1.77m) to £24.91 million.
Without the increase to national insurance contributions from employers, the fire authority, which is currently being run by commissioners, would be looking for a 4.08% increase rather than 5.75%.
This would’ve meant the fire authority would’ve asked for a 5.96% increase from Cardiff and a 3.75% rise from the Vale.
Increased contributions for 2025/26 are based on updated population data which includes the estimated mid year population for 2023.
To cover pay inflation, the service is looking for an extra £4.3 million and the remaining £1.2 million comes from premises and communications (£300,000), training, ICT and insurance (£300,000) and for capital financing (£600,000).
In a presentation to Merthyr Tydfil council on January 8th, fire service treasurer Lisa Mullan said they’re assuming a cash flat level of grants and that national insurance contributions are to be funded via specific grants to councils, reducing the fire levy for councils.
Councils have received a formal consultation letter from the treasurer for the fire authority and the consultation period is running until January 30th, after which responses will be published with the final budget setting report.
In 2024/2025, £59.4m of the fire service budget went on employee costs, £14.26m on pensions, £1.83m on training, £5.84m on supplies, £1.72m on transport, £5.3m on capital financing, there was income of £1.06m and other costs were worth £1.35m.
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