Consultation on Council Tax
Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service (NFRS) is currently talking to local people about how much residents will be asked to pay for their fire and rescue services in 2012/13. The sum, which is levied through Council Tax, will be determined by the Fire Authority at its meeting on Friday 24 February.
Last year the figure was pegged at the same level as the previous 12 months and the Authority received a ‘freeze grant’ from the Government in return. A typical Band D property resident paid £69.69 for the year.
This year the Government is offering the ‘freeze grant’ again, in return for no increase in the Council Tax. As the grant is only for one year, Authority members have to consider whether they wish to accept that incentive, or if they believe it would make more prudent financial sense to increase Council Tax and sacrifice the ‘freeze grant’.
Government funding accounts for half of Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service’s budget; the other half is achieved through the local Council Tax.
In 2012/13 the Service expects to receive £21.864 million from the Government, which is approximately £2.5 million less than it was given two years ago. Further cuts are anticipated, leading to a possible reduction of £8 million in funding by 2015.
Three options for the Council Tax in 2012/13 are currently being considered, and NFRS is consulting on:
- A 2% increase in Council Tax across all three years.
- A 3% increase in Council Tax across all three years.
- A 0% increase in Council Tax for 2012/2013, followed by Council Tax increases of 3.5% in each of the following two years. This will enable the Government’s ‘freeze grant’ to be taken.
The effect on Council Tax (per annum) and the budget that would be achieved (when added to the Government grant) for each of these options is estimated as:
|
|
2012/13 |
2013/14 |
2014/15 |
|||
|
|
Council Tax (per annum) |
Total budget (£million) |
Council Tax (per annum) |
Total budget (£million) |
Council Tax (per annum) |
Total budget (£million) |
|
2% flat |
£71.08 |
£46.100 |
£72.50 |
£44.413 |
£73.95 |
£43.647 |
|
3% flat |
£71.78 |
£46.332 |
£73.93 |
£44.888 |
£76.15 |
£44.378 |
|
‘Freeze grant’ |
£69.69 |
£46.335 |
£72.13 |
£44.288 |
£74.65 |
£43.879 |
Further information can be found on the Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service website, or can be requested by calling NFRS Headquarters on 0115 967 0880 or emailing enquiries@notts-fire.gov.uk . All comments should be submitted by Monday 20 February.
