THE BUDGET for fire crews across Dorset has been revealed for the next financial year - with fire chiefs being left 'disappointed and frustrated'.

Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue (DWFRS) Authority has approved a budget of more than £61 million for 2022-23.

At its meeting on Wednesday (February 9), the Fire Rescue Authority agreed to increase its share of the council tax by 1.99 per cent (less than 3p per week) for Band D properties in Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole, Dorset, Swindon and Wiltshire – an annual fire precept for Band D of £79.43 for the fire service for the year starting on April 1, 2022.

The total budget is £61,048,000, an amount councillor Rebecca Knox, chair of DWFRS Authority, said is a 'disappointing' result.

She said: "I'm disappointed that we've not been given the modest council tax flexibility that we had requested.

"At the meeting, members were unanimous in expressing their utmost disappointment at the failure of the Home Office, DLUHC and HM Treasury to understand the situation the Authority is moving towards in the next few years.

"We understand the impact of tax rises on our communities, but Members of the Fire and Rescue Authority were unanimous in wanting to maintain our effective fire and rescue service, which has been rated as ‘Good’ in all areas by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS).

"This is particularly frustrating, when all police and crime commissioners, and town and parish councils, have been given even greater flexibility across the board than the modest 10p per week that we had been seeking."

Chief Fire Officer, Ben Ansell said: "Elected Members and Officers have continued to seek the ability to increase the fire council tax for Band D properties by a modest £5 per year or just 10p per week.

"We engaged with the 15 MPs across Dorset and Wiltshire, the Home Office, DLUHC and the National Fire Chiefs Council.

"However, despite local support, this flexibility was only given to eight English fire and rescue authorities and, disappointingly, this did not include us.

"Instead, the Fire and Rescue Authority were only given the opportunity to increase by 1.99 per cent or £1.55 on last year.

"We now face even greater financial challenges and will need to work extremely hard to maintain our current levels of prevention, protection and emergency response provision to our communities across Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole, and Dorset."