Worcestershire MPs have written to the Secretary of State, Eric Pickles, urging him to increase government funding for Hereford and Worcestershire Fire Authority (HWFA).
The calls for further funding come after the proposals for re-organisation of fire resources were announces by HWFA, which could lead to a situation where they have both the minimum level of financial resources and fire appliances. Worcestershire MPs have written to the Secretary of State to highlight this and the implications that it could have for community safety.
HWFA is persistently in the lowest percentile of grant per head and currently only receives £14.8 per capita which is 69% of the national average. This leads to a higher than average council tax precept. Currently 67% of funding for HWFA is sourced through the Council Tax precept and business rates levied onto Worcestershire residents compared to a 54% average.
Between 2004/05- 2010/11 the grant increased by only 0.3% against a national average of 5.7% which highlights the historically low levels of grant that HWFA receive.
Mark Garnier MP for Wyre Forest said: “HWFA have made significant efforts to make efficiencies and since 2010/11 have saved £2.3m without impacting on public service. However the recent plans that have been released for further savings do lead to concerns over the consequences that a lack of financial resources coupled with the minimum level of fire appliances could have.
In light of the achievement that HWFA have made in making savings to date, we feel that it is appropriate to urge for increased government funding to support all of the hard work that HWFA do. It is simply unacceptable that Worcestershire residents foot such a high proportion of the bill for fire services and extremely important that the safety of Worcestershire residents is in no way compromised by a lack of funding or resources.”